Core Design Retro Games Collection
7 total gamesCore Design is the British studio primarily celebrated for creating the globally recognized Lara Croft character and pioneering the Tomb Raider series.
About Core Design Games
Core Design is a UK-based studio that became widely recognized for developing the character of Lara Croft and the extensive Tomb Raider series. Founded in 1988, the company established itself through a series of notable titles before achieving massive international success that left a lasting mark on the gaming industry.
The studio's most impactful creation, Tomb Raider, first appeared in 1996 and quickly set a new benchmark for 3D action-adventure games. Players stepped into the boots of Lara Croft, an archaeologist and adventurer, as she explored ancient tombs, hazardous ruins, and exotic locales. The gameplay loop involved meticulous platforming—climbing sheer walls, swinging across chasms with Lara's grappling hook, and performing precise leaps to navigate treacherous environments. Combat was also a central element, requiring players to aim Lara's dual pistols accurately against various human and animal adversaries. The design of the levels encouraged careful observation and exploration, with an emphasis on environmental interaction and discovery, making each tomb feel like a complex, multi-layered challenge.
Beyond their most famous franchise, Core Design also contributed to the gaming landscape with titles like Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap for the Sega Mega Drive, which featured a unique creature transformation mechanic. They also developed Chuck Rock, a platformer known for its prehistoric setting and character. These earlier works showcased Core Design's capacity for creating distinct game experiences and memorable characters across different genres and platforms, demonstrating a consistent ambition to innovate and deliver compelling content to players.
All Core Design Retro Games
7 games available
Fighting Force 64
In Fighting Force 64, you take on the role of a street-smart fighter tasked with punching, kicking, and using improvised weapons to clear out waves of thugs and thwart a criminal enterprise across varied urban landscapes.
Fighting Force
In Fighting Force, you punch, kick, and use found objects to clear streets and buildings of enemy thugs, progressing through linear levels to thwart a global catastrophe by stopping Dr. Havoc.
Fighting Force 2
In Fighting Force 2, you punch and kick your way through varied urban environments to stop a global conspiracy, using the environment and found objects to subdue waves of enemies.
Tomb Raider: The Prophecy
You'll guide Lara Croft through ancient ruins and treacherous environments, using her signature dual pistols and acrobatic skills to overcome enemies and solve puzzles in her quest to recover three powerful artifacts before an evil sorcerer can claim them.
Tomb Raider
In Tomb Raider, you explore perilous environments, utilizing a combination of stealth, combat, and traversal mechanics to overcome obstacles and uncover ancient mysteries.
Tomb Raider II: Starring Lara Croft
You'll guide Lara Croft to recover the Dagger of Xian, using acrobatic maneuvers, firearm combat, and environmental puzzle-solving across vast, dangerous locales, featuring new vehicles and more intense action sequences than its predecessor.
Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft
You venture across the globe, from urban jungles to remote islands, using Lara Croft's agility and arsenal to solve environmental puzzles, outwit dangerous adversaries, and uncover the secrets of ancient artifacts linked to a dark past.