The first demo of Saturn Tomb Raider 2 is available now — grab it here !

1996 saw the release of the very first Tomb Raider , hitting the Saturn first, followed by versions for the PlayStation and the PC. Tomb Raider quickly became not only a bona fide worldwide hit , but a cultural phenomenon , thanks to protagonist Lara Croft. A strong, intelligent, witty, and yes — sexy female lead in a deep, challenging, breakthrough game was a sure recipe for mega-success.

Demand for a “ Tomb Raider 2 ” was exceptionally high, and software house Core Design didn’t disappoint, immediately getting to work on the sequel and targeting a 1997 release date. Saturn and PlayStation would host the console versions, with a PC version also planned.

It was then that the waters were muddied. Months into development, word began to leak that there would be no Saturn version of Tomb Raider 2 , as the system simply didn’t have the processing power to handle the game’s larger, more complex scope. To say this was a massive disappointment to Saturn fans worldwide would be an understatement. However, Core were then allegedly shown SEGA’s still-secret Virtua Fighter 3 upgrade cartridge, designed to radically increase the Saturn’s raw processing power, and to the relief of fans the world over, Saturn Tomb Raider 2 development was back on!

… until, again, it wasn’t.

It ultimately came to light that Core and Sony signed an exclusivity agreement which would see the PlayStation become the only console to host Ms. Croft’s future adventures — an arrangement that would be in effect until at least December 31, 1999. Sony had once again outmaneuvered SEGA it seemed, and the first game became the only Tomb Raider adventure that Saturn owners would ever play.

This story deserves a happier ending.

In 2022, Tomb Raider mega-fan and programmer extraordinaire RetroRaiderJohn began a level conversion project, with an eye of making the first game’s 1998 expansion pack missions playable on the Saturn. He succeeded , and in late 2023, the four bonus levels were made available for Saturn fans to play . This was a huge fan-made release and one of the most prolific that the Saturn had ever seen.

Fans asked about the prospects of one day seeing Tomb Raider 2 given the same treatment, but John tempered expectations, reminding people that TR2 was many times larger than the Unfinished Business levels, and more complex to boot. Still, he began tinkering by compiling and injecting large amounts of code to the base Saturn Tomb Raider engine. A proof-of-concept soon emerged.

The challenge no longer was just about making the levels fit, but also about revamping the engine and finding suitable code space. It was completely uncertain how this would turn out, hence my initial tempered expectations. But of course, the project just grew and grew and now here we are!
RetroRaiderJohn

Onwards…

Today, February 27, 2026, marks the first playable glimpse at RetroRaiderJohn’s efforts. A fully playable demo of the game’s first level, The Great Wall, has been released . The game will run on actual Saturn hardware and is an amazing taste of things yet to come.

What can be expected of this demo, and how does it compare to the PlayStation original? First off, Lara’s model has been updated to reflect her 1997 looks — her swaying ponytail and her less, uh, prismatic chest are on full display. Her new moves are all included, too — climbing and mid-air jump face-abouts, for example. The first level is replicated very faithfully, with only minor compromises.

Visually, Saturn Tomb Raider 2 looks much like most other 3D Saturn games when compared to their PlayStation counterparts — the colors are somewhat darker, the textures sharper and less blended, and the 3D less prone to warping — much like the comparisons of the first Tomb Raider . Rarely, visual elements seen in the PS game are either missing or slightly altered for the Saturn, such as the reflections on the rolling spike wheels near the first level’s end not appearing on SEGA’s console.

The water effects on the Saturn remain different, once again employing wobbling polygons in lieu of the PlayStation’s shifting light and shadow effect. Dynamic lighting — Lara’s immediate surrounds light up as she fires off her pistols, for instance — has been implemented. Perhaps the biggest difference is the absence of flares — these were not programmed in at all, and some areas were brightened somewhat to compensate. Otherwise, the level looks exactly as you’d expect a Saturn Tomb Raider 2 port to look.

The demo plays very well and the Saturn controller is arguably better suited to the game than the PlayStation pad. Lara controls incredibly smoothly and veterans of the first game will be right at home jumping, climbing, and shooting at tigers and spiders alike. All of the level’s architecture, including secrets, is programmed for our heroine to interact with and explore, including the mid-level sequence that sees Lara continuously moving forward to avoid successive traps. Fans of the first game, and especially those who still carry the wound from the 1997 cancellation, rejoice! At least for this first level, Lara is BACK on Saturn!

What does the future hold? Although it is not yet certain that the entire game can be made to work on the Saturn, RetroRaiderJohn is cooking. The Great Wall is only the appetizer, and as the end of the demo suggests, Venice will be served next. Just the fact that this much has been accomplished by a lone coder is phenomenal, and… let’s face it, it feels damn good to have Lara’s second adventure home on the Saturn at last.

Now… about that nude code…

	Peter Malek
		A Saturn fan since the beginning, Peter plays Saturn almost exclusively. For Peter, Saturn represents a moment in time where 2D games were at their best, 3D was just rising, and fascinating gaming 'firsts' were commonplace.  There are very few Saturn games that Peter cannot find some enjoyment in!