: Remarkably, the developer has managed to fit almost the entire game—including music and FMV sequences—into a size compatible with N64 cartridges.
In the mid-90s, an official N64 port of the original Tomb Raider (1996) was actively considered by Core Design. However, two major hurdles killed the project:
If you’re searching for a , you’ve likely realized that a glaring gap exists in the N64’s library. While Lara Croft became the face of 32-bit gaming on the PlayStation and Sega Saturn, her debut on Nintendo’s 64-bit powerhouse never officially happened—until now.
: Nintendo was notoriously slow in providing N64 dev kits to third-party developers. By the time Core Design received them, the game was nearly finished for other platforms.
: If you are looking for a Tomb Raider -style experience that was actually developed for the N64 in the 90s, check out Riqa. This "Lara Croft clone" was canceled decades ago, but its ROMs were recently leaked and are fully playable on emulators. Comparisons: N64 vs. PlayStation
: These ROMs are designed to work with advanced N64 emulators like Project64 or on original hardware via flash cartridges like the EverDrive.
: Following the massive success of the first game, Sony secured an exclusivity agreement that kept subsequent Tomb Raider titles off competing consoles like the Saturn and N64 until the year 2000. The Breakthrough: The Unofficial N64 Port (2026)