Daryl Baxter, author and journalist (The Making of Tomb Raider).
My Perfect Console with Simon ParkinShow Notes
Daryl Baxter is a British writer and podcaster from Lincoln whose work has ranged across games, technology, and the history of the medium. He has written for outlets including WIRED, TechRadar, Den of Geek, and the Radio Times, and now publishes Springboard, a free newsletter about gaming, technology, and mental health that deliberately avoids chasing SEO or relying on AI. Growing up with series including Sonic, Metal Gear and, especially, Tomb Raider, he eventually turned that fascination into his first book, The Making of Tomb Raider, published in 2021 and based on extensive interviews with the original Core Design team.
His new book, The Making of Tomb Raider: 1997–2000, picks up the story as a new team took control of the series, tracing the creation of Tomb Raider III, The Last Revelation, Chronicles and the expansions, while exploring the punishing annual release cycle and the pressure of sustaining one of gaming’s biggest phenomena.
LINKS
Daryl Baxter – website & newsletter Daryl Baxter – official website Springboard – Daryl’s newsletter on games, tech and mental health (free to subscribe)
The Making of Tomb Raider: 1997–2000 (out 30 October 2026) The Making of Tomb Raider: 1997–2000 – Waterstones The Making of Tomb Raider: 1997–2000 – Pen & Sword Books The Making of Tomb Raider: 1997–2000 – Amazon UK
Daryl’s earlier books The Making of Tomb Raider (2021) – Pen & Sword Books 50 Years of Boss Fights – Pen & Sword Books
Daryl’s Perfect Console Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Mega Drive, 1994) – Wikipedia Sonic 3 & Knuckles – Wikipedia PlayStation Demo One disc (1995) – Wikipedia Tomb Raider II (1997) – Wikipedia Metal Gear Solid (1998) – Wikipedia Metal Gear Solid – Steam Half-Life 2 (2004) – Wikipedia Half-Life 2 – Steam
Also mentioned TR30 Tomb Raider Day – Derby Quad, 24 October 2026 Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis – Crystal Dynamics & Flying Wild Hog (out 12 February 2027) Tomb Raider: Catalyst – Wikipedia Alix Wilton Regan – the new voice of Lara Croft (Wikipedia) Peter Connelly – Tomb Raider 4 & 5 composer (Wikipedia) Judith Gibbons – Lara Croft’s voice in Tomb Raider II, Wikipedia Shelley Blond – Lara Croft’s voice in Tomb Raider I Keeley Hawes – Lara Croft in Tomb Raider: Underworld Half-Life 2 source code leak – Wikipedia Games Master magazine – Wikipedia GamesRadar – Rosalie Newcombe Death by Video Game – Simon Parkin (buy via Bookshop.org UK)
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