This is the walkthrough and video walkthrough for Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft. Find all the secrets and puzzle solving below. The video walkthrough was extracted from Youtube thanks to Tartancroft and the text walkthrough thanks to Stella.
1. Highland Fling | 2. Willard’s Lair | 3. Shakespeare Cliff | 4. Sleeping with the fishes | 5. It’s a madhouse! | 6. Reunion
2. Willard’s Lair
SPIKE ROOM AND BOULDER RAMP:
Slide down the ramp (again), pick up the flares and quickly jump forward through the doorway to avoid the encroaching spiked wall. Slide down the ramp, wait for the rolling boulder to approach then jump so it rolls underneath Lara. Pick up the CROWBAR on the slope. (NOTE: The crowbar doesn’t carry over if you found it in the previous level, so be sure to get it.)
POOL:
First go up the ramp and through the crawlspace to a subterranean pool. Swim around the bottom of the pool to pick up 3 bunches of harpoons. Then crawl back through to the BOULDER RAMP. (NOTE: If you don’t yet have the HARPOON GUN, you’ll get it here instead of one of the bundles of harpoons.)
CAVE WITH GREEN ISLAND:
Go to the cave at the bottom of the ramp. There are spikes below the doorway and a green platform in the center. Take a standing jump to the left side of the green platform, which is flat. From there, jump to the gray stone ledge on the far side of the cave. From here, you can shoot the red-eyed dog down below before dropping down.
Crawl through the exit to avoid the spike traps that spring from the walls. There’s one right before the small medipak and another just past the next corner.
BOULDER ROOM:
This next physics-defying room contains a number of boulders that roll when you pass in front of them, sometimes rolling through each other, yet flattening Lara if she’s in the way. The diagram at right shows the boulders in their starting positions and one possible path to avoid the boulders and get all the goodies.
The boulders on the stairs don’t roll yet, so walk down to the bottom right side of the stairs just into the room. Turn left and run forward then to the right, stopping behind the square pillar. This path (marked A in the diagram) triggers the first, second and third boulders. Walk around the square pillar (clockwise) to the left side. Position Lara at the back left corner of the pillar facing the Desert Eagle clips (DE). Hop forward on a diagonal then immediately hop back (path marked B) to avoid the fourth boulder which rolls from the back corner over the clips. Pick up the clips.
From where the clips were, run forward to the back corner (path C). The fifth boulder rolls toward you, stopping by the wall near where the Desert Eagle clips were. Now you can pick up the rocket (R). Stand where the rocket was, facing the exit. Run forward, and turn sharply to the right to stop behind the square pillar where you were before (path D). When you do this, the sixth boulder rolls from the exit toward the opposite wall. From here, run toward the wall just to the right of the exit, passing over the square to the left of the one with the shotgun shells (SS). If you run this way, you’ll trigger the seventh boulder (along the left wall), as well as the eighth and ninth (on the stairs). Now you can safely pick up the shotgun shells.
Finally, pick up the grenades (G) in the alcove at the left side of the exit.* Hop forward into the hallway to trigger the last boulder and immediately hop back into the alcove to avoid it (Path F). Now you can continue along the hallway to the end.
TIERED ROOMS WITH SPIKED WALLS:
There are a few different ways of handling the next several areas. If you take the route described here, you get secret #1 right away and probably incur less damage overall. The only pick-up you miss is the large medipak behind the gate near the ramp leading down into the TIERED ROOMS. If you want all the pick-ups and don’t mind taking some hits to get them, then follow the ALTERNATE PATH FOR MIDDLE AREAS, on the page http://tombraiders.net/walks/TRLAwalk/tr3gold2orig.html.
Save your game, as this may take several tries. Position Lara at the right side of the ramp and slide down into the room below. The spiked wall at the other end begins to move toward you. Immediately climb up into the room on the right. The spiked wall at the far end of this room also begins moving toward you. If you have time, pick up the MP5 clips. Then climb up to the third tier, which also has an encroaching spiked wall.
When you reach the third tier, take one step forward to avoid the spikes on the tier below as they move past. Then sidestep to the left as far as you need to and climb back down to the second tier. (Position Lara with her back to the edge and hold the Crouch + Down + Action keys.) You need to time this very carefully in order to avoid both the spikes below and the ones coming in from the left.
Pick up the 2 bunches of harpoons at the far end of the room. Pull the switch near the harpoons to open a gate up on the top tier. (If you missed the MP5 clips first time through, you can’t get them now since they’re too close to the spiked wall.) Crawl backwards down to the lowest tier. Pick up secret #1, MP5 clips and a large medipak. (NOTE: If you don’t yet have the MP5 SUBMACHINE GUN you’ll get it here instead of clips.) Climb back up to the top tier and go through the gate you just opened with the switch. Pick up the small medipak in the doorway.
Now you’ll need to choose whether you want to go through the GAUNTLET OF SPIKES (more difficult) or climb up through the VERY TALL ROOM WITH LEDGES AND FALLING RUBBLE (easier). Or, if you want to explore both areas, I recommend going through the GAUNTLET OF SPIKES first. To avoid the GAUNTLET OF SPIKES, follow the ALTERNATE PATH FOR MIDDLE AREAS, on the page http://tombraiders.net/stella/walks/TRLAwalk/tr3gold2orig.html, picking up the walkthrough at the section marked with the **.
GAUNTLET OF SPIKES:
Climb into the opening with the carving, “Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here.” (Encouraging, isn’t it?) Just inside the crawlspace, turn around so Lara is positioned to back into the room. Again, save your game, since you may not get this on the first try. As you crawl out, the spiked ceiling begins to descend. Stand, immediately jump up to grab the sloped ledge above and pull up (Alt + Ctrl + up arrow), jump and twist in the air to grab the opposite ledge (Alt + End + Ctrl), and pull up (up arrow). Use a medipak if needed and get out of the way of the spikes as soon as possible, since they can still cause damage if Lara is too close.
Turn around and take a standing jump, pressing Action to lower Lara’s arc, to the barred ledge with the 2 boxes of shotgun shells on the left side. (NOTE: One of these will be the SHOTGUN itself if you didn’t get it in the previous level.) Get the goodies and jump back to the previous ledge.
Beyond that ledge is another pit-like room with a descending spiked ceiling and shotgun shells in the far left corner. Position Lara at the left edge of the ledge facing the shells. Hop back from the edge then take a standing jump, pressing Action, to land right on top of the shells and pick them up. Turn right, run to the other ledge and climb out. Or, if you don’t want the shotgun shells, just take a diagonal standing jump from the right side of the ledge to the next ledge.
The next set of spikes lower as you approach. Stay away from the edge until they have lowered. When they stop moving, take a running jump across the middle of the room, where the archways are higher, to the opposite ledge. (If you jump to the side, Lara will bang her head and fall into the spikes.)
For the next pit, run off the ledge on the left side. Grab the small medipak, run to the right and climb out on the next ledge before the spikes come down. Or, if you don’t want the medipak, just take a diagonal standing jump from the right side of the ledge to the next ledge, pressing Action to lower Lara’s arc. (She will take some damage from the descending spikes.)
TALL HALLWAY WITH LEDGES AND SPIKES:
Hop down into this next area carefully, avoiding the spiked area of floor. Walk through the spikes to the far end of the narrow hallway. (If she walks, Lara will take no damage.) Pick up the flares and return to the opposite end of the hallway. Stand in the spikes near the “Abandon Hope. . . ” sign. Turn right to face the vine-covered wall and position Lara with her chest against it. Jump up and grab the vines, climb to the top and dismount on the ledge on the right.
Now, you have another choice of paths: down to the VERY TALL ROOM WITH LEDGES AND FALLING RUBBLE (after which you’ll head back up to the LIBRARY) or up to the LIBRARY directly, bypassing the ledges-and-rubble room. If you want to go directly to the LIBRARY, skip down to the section ASCENDING TO THE LIBRARY, at the ***. Otherwise continue with the next paragraph.
Hop down onto the ledge just below on the right. From there, take a running jump to the next ledge. (Be careful; it’s a long way down to the spikes below.) Enter the doorway on the right.
(NOTE: At this point, you may encounter a minor bug, where Lara continues to hold spent flares. This doesn’t seem to affect gameplay, however.)
VERY TALL ROOM WITH LEDGES AND FALLING RUBBLE:
Hop down onto the ledge below the doorway. Turn so the doorway and vine-covered wall are on Lara’s right and safety-drop to the floor below. Cross the room, staying to the right to avoid the grated area, where deadly rubble falls from above. Once in the opening to the next room, turn around and kill the red-eyed dog that sneaks up from behind.
Turn to face out over the tall room. Take a standing jump over the rubble to the ledge on the right. Follow this ledge around to the opposite corner of the room and drop onto the white corner ledge below. Pick up the flares and kill the 2 crows that fly in from above.
If you already picked up the small medipak below (in the doorway by the gate leading to the TIERED ROOMS WITH SPIKED WALLS), and if you don’t care about getting all the kills, you can now climb back up the way you came. Otherwise, hop down onto the wooden walkway on the left, steering clear of the areas below the crumbling ceiling. Kill 2 more crows. Then carefully advance along the wooden walkway, triggering the crumbling ceiling as you go, and taking care not to slip off into the pit of toxic slime. Jump over the fallen rubble to the doorway to get the medipak. Then climb back up to the top of the room the way you came.
Use the vine-covered wall near where you shot the dog to get back up onto the ledge. Climb into the doorway above the TALL HALLWAY WITH LEDGES AND SPIKES.
(NOTE: If you climb onto the ledge on the right, you will alert a trio of guards, who’ll start running around in the room behind the bars. You’ll meet them in a moment.)
Turn left and take a running jump to the next ledge. (Be careful; it’s a long way down and there are spikes below.) Climb onto the upper part of this ledge.
(***) ASCENDING TO THE LIBRARY:
Stand at the edge of this ledge facing out over the TALL HALLWAY WITH LEDGES AND SPIKES, with the vine-covered wall on Lara’s left. Jump straight up to grab the ledge above and pull up. From here, jump to the next ledge and climb up onto the block ahead near the doorway. Before entering here, turn around and take a running jump to grab the highest ledge in this hallway. Pull up and get some Uzi clips. Then jump back down to the ledge near the door.
THE LIBRARY:
Go through the hallway to a walkway overlooking Dr. Willard’s library. There are 3 guards on duty. You can probably shoot two of them from the walkway above. The third will come up the stairs to get Lara.
(NOTE: If you climbed onto the ledge just outside the VERY TALL ROOM WITH LEDGES AND FALLING RUBBLE and alerted the guards, the one who would normally come up the stairs after you enter will instead meet you at the entrance.)
When you’ve killed all three, go through the door at the opposite end of the walkway. Climb onto the windowsill at the top of the stairs. Go through the crawlspace on the left and climb up several ledges to get a small medipak. Return to the stairs and descend to the library.
Pick up flares and a small medipak dropped by two of the guards. Take the CAIRN KEY from the low, rectangular table with the maps and sketches on it. Take note of the diagrams on the blackboards showing the steles of varying heights and the word “KEY”.
Now go to the corner with the wooden crates. Find the movable crate in the wall next to the stack of smaller crates and pull it once. Go around to the left side of it and pull it again. Go back around the other side and use the CROWBAR to break open the wooden door. (Position Lara at the center of the door, facing it, and press Action. Select the crowbar and press Action again to use it.) Enter the room behind and pull the large wooden crate on the floor once to get the MP5 clips underneath.
Climb onto the row of smaller boxes against the right wall and pull the corner crate out twice. Go around to the other side of it and push it once into the corner. Pick up more MP5 clips from where the crate was. Pull the crate in the corner (just beyond where the second set of clips was) once. Then go around to the left side, find the fourth crate, which is flush with the wooden wall, and push it into the corner (onto the spot where the third crate had been). This is secret #2, a large medipak.
Go back out to the library and approach the bookshelf area. This area involves three secret doors disguised as bookshelves, which open and close when Lara stands in certain spots.
Enter the bookshelf area and walk into the alcove on the right. Stepping here opens the secret door on the left. Turn around and walk out of the alcove, keeping the freestanding bookcase on Lara’s right and the outer shelves on Lara’s left (path 2). When you step on the floor just outside the secret panel, you’ll hear the other panel open. Turn around and retrace your steps toward the alcove (path 3), but instead of entering the alcove, turn left and go through the second secret door.
Pick up 2 boxes of shotgun shells in the small room behind the secret panel. When you stand near the second box of shells, you’ll hear a third panel opening elsewhere. To get there (path 4), exit the secret room on the left side, avoiding the pressure pad near the bookcase on the left, which closes the third secret panel. Walk forward to the small, freestanding bookshelf then make a right (broken line part of path 4). When you reach the second freestanding bookshelf (perpendicular to the first), go around it on the right side. Then go through the first secret panel. Behind it, there’s a third secret panel which is now open.
CAVE WITH RADIOACTIVE STREAM:
Warning signs indicate hazardous material ahead, so proceed with caution. As you go up the long ramp, the door to the LIBRARY closes behind you. At the top, head to the left. A mutant dog rushes out of the darkness. Kill it. Then go up the ramp in the near right corner of the dark area, climb onto the windowsill and get shotgun shells and a small medipak. Return down the ramp and approach the open safe near the stream of green, sparkly nasty stuff (presumably toxic material from Willard’s experiments). Avoid stepping in this. As usual, someone has beaten Lara to the artifact locked inside the safe.
If you don’t have the CAIRN KEY at this point, you can either reload a saved game from before the LIBRARY to get it or finish the level without the third secret. Go to the top of the stairs along the left side of the RADIOACTIVE STREAM. Climb over the low wall. (There are bars blocking the way to the secret area on the left before the wall and to the crawlspace on the right beyond the wall.) Step off the ledge above the lake to end the level.
OUTDOOR AREA WITH STELES/CAIRN KEY RECEPTACLE:
(This seems to be the same area as the OUTDOOR AREA WITH ROCK HILL AND WOODEN CRATES from level 1, with a few minor changes.) If you do have the CAIRN KEY, go up the stairs alongside the RADIOACTIVE STREAM. Not quite halfway up, go through the opening on the right into an open area with a rocky hill in the middle. Go to the left wall and look for a tiny rectangular opening above a low, square platform with carvings on it. (As the blackboard clue in the LIBRARY indicates, this is roughly in line with the three tall steles. If you have trouble finding it)
Stand facing the wall and place the CAIRN KEY in this small opening. When you do, 3 Highlanders appear to beat on poor Lara. After defeating them, return through the break in the wall to the RADIOACTIVE STREAM. Continue up the stairs. Another warrior charges down when you near the top. Don’t let him knock Lara into the green goo. When you step out onto the ledge on the left, the chimes sound for secret #3. Before dropping down into the secret area, take a short detour for some more goodies.
Climb over the low wall at the top of the stairs. You’ll notice the helicopter landing nearby. Crawl through the low opening on the right side of the ledge. Kill another Highlander and pick up 2 sets of Uzi clips and a large medipak. Crawl out the way you came and climb back over the low wall toward the RADIOACTIVE STREAM.
SECRET MEADOW:
Go out onto the ledge overlooking the secret area. Step down to one of the ledges with the flags. Then safety-drop to the ground. Turn around and exit this area through the doorway on the left, where you’ll find some Uzi clips lying on the ground. As you enter the misty area ahead, another warrior charges in. A little farther on, you’ll meet 2 more warriors. Go to the end of the misty area and climb onto the green ledges below the megalith. Pick up 2 sets of Uzi clips, one on the lower ledge and one on the higher. Another pair of Highlanders emerge when you take these items.
(NOTE: If you didn’t get them in the first level, you’ll find the UZIS here in place of one set of clips. If you like, you can run into the misty area, climb up onto the ledge with the clips and shoot some of the warriors from safety. You may have to jump down and lure them out into the open a few times. Or you can run in, get the goodies and run for the exit, avoiding the warriors altogether.)
The exit is a small hole on the other side of the meadow from the megalith. It’s marked by a steam vent. Drop into this hole onto a walkway between two pools of toxic green stuff. Here you’ll meet another Highlander. Kill him and climb to the top of the stairs to finish the level.