Tomb Raider Anniversary on PSP and How It Holds Up

PlayStation HistoryBy Dev Malhotra · Nov 14, 2026Fact-checked by Harriet Vance

Tomb Raider: Anniversary came out on PSP in August 2007. Buzz Monkey Software rebuilt it for the handheld, so it is not a cut-down port of the PS2 game, and it remains one of the best-looking 3D adventures on the system. As of November 14, 2026, the camera, frame rate and loading times hold it back, and a $19.99 PS4 and PS5 release from November 2025 makes the UMD a collector’s choice for most players.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary on PSP at a glance

Anniversary is Crystal Dynamics’ 2007 remake of Core Design’s 1996 Tomb Raider. It keeps the original’s four regions, story and villain, Jacqueline Natla, and rebuilds everything with the engine, moveset and grapple from Tomb Raider: Legend. Eidos Interactive published it on PSP, PlayStation 2, Windows and Wii.

The PSP version is a faithful, ambitious adventure that stutters in the places where precision matters most. That suits patient players and collectors more than anyone looking for the smoothest way to replay Lara Croft’s first adventure.

Release dates by region

The PSP version arrived in the US first, in August 2007. Europe followed in mid-November 2007 and Japan in 2008, but sources disagree on the Japanese date.

The PS2 and PC versions came out in June 2007. That means PSP owners in the US waited about two months and European players about five.

Who made it: Crystal Dynamics and Buzz Monkey

Crystal Dynamics led development, and Buzz Monkey Software co-developed the game. Buzz Monkey had already built the PSP version of Tomb Raider: Legend, so the handheld port went to a studio that knew both the engine and the PSP hardware. Eidos Interactive published it on PC, PS2, PSP, Wii and Xbox 360, while Feral Interactive published the Mac version.

Every way to play Anniversary on PlayStation in 2026

You can play Anniversary on five PlayStation formats, but they are not equal. The PSP and PS2 discs are secondhand-only originals. The PS3 Trilogy is the sharpest official version. The PS4/PS5 download is the cheapest and easiest, but it emulates the PS2 game.

Here is the best route for each type of owner:

1. PS5 or PS4 player: buy the $19.99 version or play it through PS Plus Premium. It is the only version you can still buy new.
2. Trophy hunter: the PS4 and PS5 builds each have a Platinum, and the PS3 Trilogy has a third trophy list.
3. PS3 owner: the Trilogy disc gives you the best image quality of any official release and adds Underworld.
4. PSP owner or collector: buy the UMD for the hardware experience, and expect 2007 compromises.

PSP UMD and the Double Bill: Legend & Anniversary pack

You can still find the standalone UMD easily on the used market, and it is the version this review covers. Eidos also released a two-game PSP bundle with Legend and Anniversary exclusively in Europe on April 10, 2009. Videogamer reported its price as £29.99. Most outlets called it the Tomb Raider Double Pack, but some retail listings name it Tomb Raider: Double Bill: Legend & Anniversary.

The Double Pack only makes sense if you also want the PSP version of Legend. Both games in it are the same PSP builds Buzz Monkey shipped earlier, with no new content.

PS3: The Tomb Raider Trilogy (HD + Trophies)

The Tomb Raider Trilogy launched on PlayStation 3 on March 22, 2011 for $39.99. Game Informer reported that it contained Legend and Anniversary remastered in HD with Trophy support, plus Tomb Raider: Underworld. It was a PS3 exclusive, and it is still the best-looking official way to play Anniversary.

PS4 & PS5: the PS2 emulation (November 2025)

Anniversary came to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 as an emulated PS2 classic. It is sold separately for $19.99 and is included with PlayStation Plus Premium. It follows Tomb Raider: Legend, which got the same treatment on June 11, 2024, also for $19.99, and joined the PS Plus Classics Catalog.

The launch date is a little confusing. PSU reported that the game was first expected in October 2025’s PS Plus Extra and Premium lineup and was then listed for November 18, 2025. The PlayStation Store also lists November 18, 2025. The official Tomb Raider site’s announcement gives October 18, 2025, which conflicts with that, so treat the Store date as the reference. GamesHub reported that a leaked trophy list had already hinted at the release before Sony or Crystal Dynamics announced it.

On trophies, Raiding the Globe confirmed that the PS4 and PS5 versions each have a full trophy list with its own Platinum. Many readers ask whether they need to buy it twice to get both Platinums. With PlayStation’s usual cross-buy for PS4 and PS5 classics, one purchase normally gives you both builds. Check that your Store page lists both platforms before you pay.

Is there a PS4 or PS5 remaster? (No: emulation only)

No. Every version of Anniversary on current consoles is the emulated PS2 game. Fans often ask why Sony used the PS2 version instead of the PS3 HD one. Sony’s PS2 classics program on PS4 and PS5 is built around emulating PS2 releases, and Legend went the same route a year earlier. The PS3 remaster has never been ported. As of November 2026, Crystal Dynamics and its publishing partners have not announced a full Legend, Anniversary and Underworld (LAU) remaster.

How the PSP version differs from PS2 and PC

The PSP game is a separate build made for the handheld. It has the same levels, story and puzzles as the PS2 version, with simpler visuals, adjusted controls and slower performance. Reviews from 2007 agree that the content holds up and that the technical side is where the PSP falls short.

Rebuilt, not cut down

HEXUS reported that the PSP version was essentially rewritten for the handheld. It kept the original’s level design and story instead of shipping as a trimmed port. Every major set piece is still there, including the T-rex in Peru, the Colosseum and Palace Midas in Greece, Khamoon’s temple and obelisk in Egypt, and the final climb through Atlantis. The PSP also gained exclusive extras, which are covered in the unlockables section below.

Worthplaying’s Tom Baker, reviewing it on September 4, 2007, said it had some of the most impressive set pieces and level of detail he had seen on a handheld. That is high praise for a console with a 480×272 screen.

Camera and controls

The camera is the biggest issue. GameSpot listed awkward camera controls among the game’s drawbacks and noted that some minor sacrifices had been made to the controls on PSP. The PS2 version had a dedicated right stick for the camera. The PSP has a single analog nub, so moving Lara and aiming the view fight over too few inputs.

Readers often ask whether the PSP port is worth playing or whether the camera is too frustrating. For most of the game, it is manageable. It becomes frustrating on long wall-run and grapple sequences, where a bad angle hides the next handhold.

Frame rate and loading

GameSpot also flagged a dodgy frame rate. Pocket Gamer’s PSP review called the long loading times a frustration, and HEXUS described the wait after dying as “huge.” Players often ask why it takes so long to load after a death. Each reload streams the area back in from the UMD, an optical disc that is much slower than the PS2’s DVD drive or a hard drive. Because Anniversary is built on trial-and-error jumping, you sit through that delay often.

Is the PSP version still worth playing?

Yes, but only for a specific player. If you own a PSP and enjoy handheld history, Anniversary is one of the system’s best-looking 3D adventures, and its content is identical to the console game. If you just want to play Anniversary, the PS4/PS5 version is cheaper to get hold of, plays better and adds trophies.

There is also a case against the PS5 version. It is still the PS2 game, so the image is no sharper than the 2011 PS3 remaster, and you give up the portability that made the PSP release special. For handheld play on current hardware, Remote Play to a PlayStation Portal or phone is the closest official alternative.

What reviewers praised

Game Developer’s round-up of reviews at the time put Anniversary at an average of 82/100 on Metacritic. That figure was a snapshot across platforms and is not specific to the PSP.

What reviewers disliked

The complaints were mostly about the hardware, not the design. The camera, the frame rate and the cost of every failed jump all come from asking the PSP to run Legend’s engine. Pocket Gamer’s mention of “pedantic jumps” does apply to every version, though. Anniversary keeps the original game’s strict platforming, and the PSP’s camera makes misjudged jumps more likely.

Levels, structure and unlockables

Anniversary follows the original’s route through four regions: Peru, Greece, Egypt and the Lost Island (Atlantis). Natla hires Lara Croft to recover the Scion and then betrays her. Each region ends in a boss or story turn, and the full game has 14 levels, from the Mountain Caves to the Great Pyramid.

Relics and artifacts

The tombraiders.net walkthrough counts 44 artifacts and 8 relics across the game. Collecting them unlocks bonus content. That site also notes that collectibles are stored in your player profile, not in individual save files, so collecting them on one save counts towards your overall progress.

Bonus content and outfits

The PSP version has three exclusive outfits: Winter Camo, Camo Shorts and an Antarctica outfit. You unlock them by collecting relics. Guide sites disagree on which region’s relics unlock which outfit, with WikiRaider, tombraiders.net and SuperCheats each giving different pairings. Collecting every relic is the reliable way to get all three. Collecting a share of each region’s artifacts unlocks gallery content, such as the game gallery tied to Greece’s artifacts.

PSP tips for a smoother run

The PSP version rewards a careful approach more than the console versions do, because every mistake costs a reload. These habits come from the reviewers’ complaints:

1. Square up the camera before every big jump. Stop, line up the view and then commit. Most failed jumps on PSP come from moving while the camera is still turning.
2. Use the grapple to check your route. If the grapple prompt appears, the game is showing you an intended path. Use it before trying a riskier jump.
3. Learn the adrenaline dodge on easy fights. Wolves and bears in Peru are low risk, so practise the dodge timing there before the Greek and Egyptian bosses.
4. Play it safe on long sequences. Reloads are slow, so take the slower, safer route instead of attempting a fast jump repeatedly.
5. Save whenever you can. Checkpoints are generous, but saving manually after a hard section protects your progress if the battery runs out.

The PSP remake that never was: Core Design’s cancelled version

Before Crystal Dynamics made Anniversary, Core Design, the original Tomb Raider studio, worked on its own remake of the 1996 game for PSP, known as Tomb Raider: 10th Anniversary. Reports say it was well advanced, more than 60% complete by some accounts, when it was cancelled in 2006.

In June 2006, Engadget reported a statement on Core Design’s website. It called leaked footage of the build an unauthorised leak and said SCi, Eidos’ new owner, had officially cancelled the project after a review. Engadget then updated the story when SCi said the project was back on, but later accounts agree it was dropped in favour of the Crystal Dynamics remake. Explanations differ, and the most common one ties the decision to Core’s design team being sold to another publisher. According to Lost Media Wiki and Games That Weren’t, Core’s assets were then reworked into an Indiana Jones project that was also never released, and Core Design closed in 2010.

An incomplete alpha build later surfaced online, which PC Gamer reported in January 2021. Gamereactor noted it was missing parts, including enemies. It was never an official release, and Crystal Dynamics’ Anniversary is the remake that shipped.

Anniversary vs I-III Remastered vs Legacy of Atlantis: which ‘TR1 remake’ is which

Three official releases now revisit the 1996 game, and they are easy to confuse. Anniversary is a 2007 remake on the Legend engine. Tomb Raider I-III Remastered is the original games with updated visuals. Legacy of Atlantis is a new reimagining coming to PS5 in February 2027.

Many players ask whether to play Tomb Raider 1 Remastered or Anniversary first. Start with Remastered if you want the original tank controls and level layouts. Start with Anniversary if you want modern controls, a grapple and a more cinematic version of the same story. They feel different enough that playing both is worthwhile.

What Legacy of Atlantis changes

Legacy of Atlantis was revealed at Sony’s June 2, 2026 State of Play. It launches on PS5 on February 12, 2027 (February 13 in Japan, Asia and Australia/New Zealand), and Amazon Game Studios is publishing it. It also comes to Xbox Series X|S, PC and Switch 2. The PlayStation listing confirms PS5 Pro Enhanced support with PSSR upscaling.

Readers also ask whether Anniversary is worth buying now that Legacy of Atlantis is remaking the same game. At $19.99, yes. Anniversary is a complete 2007 take on the story in the LAU continuity, and Legacy of Atlantis will be its own interpretation, so neither replaces the other.

Where Catalyst and Underworld fit

Tomb Raider: Catalyst is a separate new Crystal Dynamics adventure, currently listed for 2028. Within the LAU trilogy, Underworld is the gap on current consoles. Players often ask why Underworld isn’t on PS5 when Legend and Anniversary are. No PS4 or PS5 release has been announced, so PS3 is still the newest PlayStation platform for it.

People in fan communities often ask whether a proper LAU remaster is ever coming. Nothing has been announced as of November 2026. The pattern so far has been PS2 emulation, one game at a time.

FAQ

When did Tomb Raider: Anniversary come out on PSP?

It came out on August 9, 2007 in North America and November 16, 2007 in Europe. Japan got it in 2008, either March 27 according to Giant Bomb or May 23 according to 4Gamer.

Is Tomb Raider: Anniversary on PS4 and PS5?

Yes. It is on the PlayStation Store for PS4 and PS5, listed from November 18, 2025, at $19.99 or €19.99.

Is Tomb Raider: Anniversary PS5 a remaster or the PS2 version?

It is the PS2 version, emulated. The HD remaster exists only in the 2011 PS3 Tomb Raider Trilogy.

Is Tomb Raider: Anniversary included with PlayStation Plus?

Yes, with PS Plus Premium. You can also buy it separately for $19.99.

Does Tomb Raider: Anniversary PS5 have trophies or a Platinum?

Yes. The PS4 and PS5 versions each have a full trophy list with its own Platinum.

Is the PSP version of Tomb Raider: Anniversary different from the PS2 version?

It has the same levels and story, but Buzz Monkey rebuilt it for the handheld. It has simpler visuals, adjusted controls, longer loading times and three PSP-exclusive outfits.

Can you play Tomb Raider: Anniversary on PS Vita?

Not from the UMD, because the PS Vita has no disc drive and only runs PSP games owned digitally. For Anniversary today, the practical options are a PSP, a PS3 with the Trilogy, or a PS4 or PS5.

What Tomb Raider games are on PSP?

Tomb Raider: Legend (2006) and Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007), both ported by Buzz Monkey Software. Europe also got a two-game Double Pack in 2009. Underworld was never released on PSP.

Is Tomb Raider: Anniversary a remake of the first Tomb Raider?

Yes. It remakes Core Design’s 1996 game with Legend’s engine and moveset, and it keeps the original’s story, its four regions and its villain, Natla.

Is Legacy of Atlantis a remake of Anniversary?

No. Legacy of Atlantis is a new reimagining of the 1996 original, not of Anniversary. It launches on PS5 on February 12, 2027.

Is emulating the PSP version legal?

Rules on backing up and emulating discs vary by country. The routes that are clearly legal are original hardware, the PS3 Trilogy, or the official PS4/PS5 release.

The bottom line for PSP owners in 2026

If you already have a PSP, the Anniversary UMD is a cheap, worthwhile piece of handheld history. Expect a fiddly camera and long reloads. Anyone else should buy the $19.99 PS5 version or play it through Premium, finish it before Legacy of Atlantis arrives in February 2027, and compare how the two remakes handle the same tombs.