Lara Croft’s sex appeal and gunslinger attitude was a combination that spoke directly to a generation of gamers. It also proved that their hours-spending hobby wasn’t just for kids. Tomb Raider became one of the first video game franchises to keep a mature and cinematic style that continues to be an influence for many video games.

Tastes have changed since the ’90s, though, and with more female gamers came a new look for the series. See how Croft and Tomb Raider evolved over the decades since her debut.

Tomb Raider (1996) — Lara Croft’s Debut

The success of the original Tomb Raider in 1996 is due to the fact that the video game really showed off the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn consoles – both of which were released worldwide a year earlier.

Lara Croft and her world were rendered in full 3D – a new and exciting thing in the mid-90s – with an orchestrated score. It helped create an atmosphere and experience that went way beyond what was possible with previous technology.

“Shadow of the Tomb Raider” (2018) — She’s Still a Survivor

With Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Eidos Montreal closes the trilogy of the latest reboot by going deep into Lara Croft’s mind. She’s forced to survive in the jungles of South America.

The plot helped bridge the gap between the inexperienced Croft seen in 2013’s Tomb Raider reboot and the confident globe-trotting adventurer who made her debut to the world all those years ago in 1996.