Controls and Movement

7:59 The 1996 Tomb Raider uses what Crystal Dynamics calls tank controls: Up runs Lara forward in the way she faces, Down hops back, Left and Right turn her on the spot, and every move covers a fixed distance on a world built from square blocks, so a standing jump clears about one square and a running jump about two. That precision is the point: players count squares to plan a jump, and speedrunners still use the scheme. Tomb Raider I-III Remastered adds a modern control option, and Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, out Feb 12, 2027, drops the grid for sprinting, climbing and a grapple, as its makers have shown it. The clip is Josh Strife Plays on the 1996 PlayStation version.

Quick facts

Sources: Stella's Tomb Raider Site: TR1 Controls, Crystal Dynamics: Croft Manor Training Course, Stella's Tomb Raider Site: game info.

What are tank controls?

3:15 In tank controls, the direction buttons move Lara relative to herself, not to the screen. GameSpot's 1996 review put it as forward being fixed to "12 o'clock on the gamepad" whatever the camera does. To go left, you first turn Lara left, then press Up. The same press always gives the same result, which is what makes the jumps predictable.

The grid

8:46 The levels were built on a grid; programmer Gavin Rummery called it "the breakthrough", because it let Toby Gard define Lara's moves, the programmers make the controls work, and the level designers build with a matching editor. Crystal Dynamics gives the numbers: Lara is three-quarters of a block high, can jump up and grab a block and a half, and can make a run-and-grab jump across four blocks. Pushable blocks move only a whole grid square at a time. Kotaku, reviewing the remaster, said the originals required that "you think in squares". Lara's Home, the training level, teaches it all.

Classic controls, 1996 (PC keys)

Source: Stella's Tomb Raider Site: TR1 Controls and Gameplay. On PlayStation, Walk is R1 and sidestep is L2 or R2; on Saturn, Walk is L and sidestep X or Z.

Walking also keeps Lara from taking damage from spikes, glass and barbed wire. In the 1996 game, the sidestep buttons also side-stroke in water; Stella notes the remaster changed this. The handstand was Gard's own addition, animated without telling the team, to see whether they would find it.

Saving

11:32 The 1996 PC and Mac versions let you save anywhere, any number of times; the PlayStation version needs a save crystal for each save (Stella also lists the Saturn, but labels the crystals PlayStation only elsewhere on the same page). There is no autosave or checkpoint in the classic games, only manual slots, so save often and keep more than one. In Remastered, "Restart Level" on the passport restarts the level, and New Game+ allows saving only at blue save crystals.

Modern controls in Remastered

5:35 Tomb Raider I-III Remastered (Feb 14, 2024) offers classic or modern controls, on the same original engine and source code Core Design wrote. Kotaku's review faulted them for losing the sidestep and turn on the spot, the very moves precise jumps use, and Stella's walkthroughs sometimes advise switching to classic controls to line up a jump, as in the cat temple of City of Khamoon. The Remastered version also adds a midair roll. For a first run, see Tomb Raider Beginner Tips.

Traversal in Legacy of Atlantis

What the makers and previews have shown, before release, as of Nov 2, 2026:

• 1:08 The base kit: jumps, sprinting, climbing and a wall scramble, combining the original's moves with the Survivor trilogy's. Big gaps need a sprint first, then "a saving grab". Game director Raul Siqueira says moves chain together for speed and invites speedruns. The clip is IGN's Jul 2026 "Traversal & Movement Reimagined" trailer, with the developers.
• The grapple: a new tool to move objects, solve puzzles, climb and rappel.
• 2:30 Guidance: surfaces carry markings and pops of color to show where Lara can go; hints come from Lara's narration and an optional scanner.
• Spaces: levels open from the original's separate rooms into semi-connected environments that can be approached from new angles.
• PS5 buttons in the June 2026 demo: X jumps and grabs, Triangle fires the grappling hook, Circle dives while swimming and dodges; R2 fires, L2 tightens aim and R1 spends Focus on a slow-motion flip, per the PlayStation Blog.

1:30 Not everyone was won over. PC Gamer's Wes Fenlon felt the jump hangs "a smidge too long", and Kotaku's Kenneth Shepard found it hard to read what was climbable and said the sprint jump was never taught, both from the June 2026 build. There is no grid and no tank control option mentioned by the makers. More on Legacy of Atlantis Previews and What's New in Legacy of Atlantis. The clip is IGN's Jun 2026 first preview, from a pre-release build.

Frequently asked questions

Does Tomb Raider 1 have tank controls? Yes. Tomb Raider (1996) uses tank controls: Up moves Lara in the direction she faces and Left and Right turn her in place, on a grid of blocks that makes every jump a fixed distance.

How do you do a running jump in Tomb Raider? In Tomb Raider (1996), hold Up to run, then press Jump (Alt on PC) at the edge; a running jump covers about two squares. Hold Action as well to grab a ledge on the far side.

How do you walk in Tomb Raider so Lara does not fall? Hold Walk (Shift on PC, R1 on PlayStation) in Tomb Raider (1996). Lara will stop at an edge instead of walking off it, and walking also avoids damage from spikes and broken glass.

Can you turn off tank controls in Tomb Raider Remastered? Yes. Tomb Raider I-III Remastered lets you choose classic or modern controls. Kotaku noted that the modern scheme loses the sidestep and the turn in place, and Stella sometimes advises classic controls for tricky jumps.

How do you save in Tomb Raider 1? On PC and Mac, Tomb Raider (1996) lets you save anywhere (F5 on PC). On PlayStation you need a save crystal for each save. There is no autosave in the classic games.

Does Legacy of Atlantis have tank controls? Not that its makers have said. Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis uses sprinting, climbing, a wall scramble and a grapple, with no grid mentioned, as shown before its Feb 12, 2027 release.

Sources

• TR1 Controls and Gameplay, Stella's Tomb Raider Site
• Tomb Raider Remastered Game Info and Walkthrough, Stella's Tomb Raider Site
• City of Khamoon and Sanctuary of the Scion, Stella's Tomb Raider Site
• Wisdom Wednesday - Croft Manor Training Course, Crystal Dynamics, Jul 3, 2024
• 10 Remaster Details You Might Have Missed, Crystal Dynamics, Feb 19, 2024
• 10 Things You Need to Know Before Playing Classic Era Tomb Raider, Crystal Dynamics, Sep 6, 2024
• Everything you Need to Know about Tomb Raider I-III Remastered, Crystal Dynamics, Feb 8, 2024
• Tomb Raider Review, GameSpot, Dec 9, 1996
• The history of Tomb Raider, PC Gamer, Apr 13, 2018
• 20 years on, the Tomb Raider story told by the people who were there, Eurogamer, Oct 30, 2016
• Tomb Raider I-III Remastered: The Kotaku Review, Kotaku, Feb 13, 2024
• Traversal and Movement Reimagined, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis official site, Jul 20, 2026
• Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis launches Feb 12, 2027 on PS5, PlayStation Blog, Jun 2, 2026
• Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis hands-on report, PlayStation Blog, Jun 11, 2026
• After playing the new remake of Tomb Raider, I'm convinced you can't actually remake Tomb Raider, PC Gamer, Jun 11, 2026
• Tomb Raider: Legacy Of Atlantis Hands-On: An Awkward Marriage Of Past And Present, Kotaku, Jun 11, 2026
• Was it Good? - Tomb Raider 1, Josh Strife Plays, Jan 22, 2022 (video)
• History of Tomb Raider (1996 - 2018), Nick930, Sep 7, 2018 (video)
• Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered - Before You Buy, gameranx, Feb 14, 2024 (video)
• Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis - Official 'Traversal & Movement Reimagined' Overview Trailer, IGN, Jul 21, 2026 (video)
• Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis - The First Preview, IGN, Jun 11, 2026 (video)