It’s no secret that J.R.R. Tolkien’sLord of the Ringsseries is one of the most praised and loved stories of all time. Any megaLotRfan has binged the movies, read the books, bought the merchandise, and is eagerly awaiting the upcomingMiddle Earth-based TV show. However, some big fans may not have played all, or even any, of theLord of the Ringsvideo games based in Middle Earth.
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There have been manyLord of the Ringsvideo games made over the past decades and some are definitely worth the investment. Though there are many games to choose from, there are a few that definitely take the cake in being the bestLotRvideo gamesbased in Middle Earth.
Updated Jun 18, 2025, by Jourdan Silva:Lord of the Ringshas surged in popularity once again these past few months, as the series celebrated the 20th anniversary of its cinematic debut. The beloved actors and actresses from the films reunited for a variety of talk shows and interviews, reigniting the public’s passion for the fantastic film series. Then, the first teaser for the new AmazonLord of the Ringsshow, namedThe Rings of Power, was released. For those who love the works of Tolkien, but haven’t played any Lord of the Rings video games yet, this is the best list to reference. Prepare for hours of the most beloved games in the franchise.
12The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring
This thrilling third-person video game was released shortly after the first movie of theLotRseries, back in 2002. It was playable on the PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, Microsoft Windows, and Xbox. The single player game follows the story of the first volume of Tolkien’s novel, with the player controllingFrodo, Aragorn, and Gandalfat different points in the game.
Though the video game sold over a million units, it was criticized for poor graphics and boring combat gameplay. However, that doesn’t cancel the fun and joy that the game brought toLord of the Ringsfans across the globe back in 2002. It’s iconic, and worth checking out.
11Lord of the Rings: War in the North
This 2011 game was the very first video game that incorporated elements from both J.R.R.Tolkien’s literary works and the films from Peter Jackson. It doesn’t actually follow the story of the films, as other games have done that before, but instead followsthree new characterson a parallel journey to the main characters ofLord of the Rings.
Players can hop between the three main characters on their way to take down the evil Black Númenórean, Agandaûr. Unfortunately, this game never received the recognition it deserved, for it was released at the same time as the acclaimedDark Souls,Uncharted 3, andThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Unsurprisingly, this meant it was overshadowed.
10LEGO The Hobbit
Is there a LEGO video game that isn’t a blast? The answer to that is no. The LEGO video game franchise did it again with their amazing adaptation ofThe Hobbit. The 2014 game was released on nearly every gaming console at the time, including the PlayStation 3 & 4, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox 360 and One, the Wii U, Windows, and OS X.
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The plot follows the story ofThe Hobbit, adding in the classic LEGO humor and silly shenanigans that fans of the games love. For a new, refreshing, and hilarious take on the traditional series, this game is an absolute must-play.
9The Lord of the Rings: The Battle For Middle-Earth
Ask any fan ofLotRwhat their favorite Middle Earth themed video game is, and they will either say this one, or its sequel to.The Battle for Middle Earthwas the firstLord of the Ringsgame that features of a real-time, open world. Players have the choice of fighting for good or evil, commanding the armies of whichever side they choose.
Gamers can play with troops of all kinds as they traverse through the battles from the films. The 3D map of the land is so exciting and well-made, and the detail that goes into each character is truly incredible. Wage an all-out war and come out victorious!
For those who only really play modern 3D video games, this game will offer quite a different experience. The very first game to come out based on Tolkien’sThe Hobbitwas released way back in 1982 as a text adventure computer game.
Though the game might seem a little old school now, it had some very impressive and exciting qualities back in the 80s that made it thrilling. Each playthrough of the game will offer a new outcome and the charming graphics and format will keep players smiling throughout the entire game. It’s definitely a must-play for any and allLotRfans.
EA and Surreal Software released multiple games based on thestoryline of the movies,giving fans a chance to play through their favorite moments and scenes from the films. The best of these games was undeniablyLord of the Rings: Return of the King,as it was the highest-rated game by both fans and critics.It is available on a variety of platforms, including both Windows and multiple consoles.
To be fully immersed in the action ofReturn of the King, players should definitely head to their nearest old-school video game shop and try to find a copy. Fighting off enemies as an array of iconic characters is definitely something to look forward to.
Not everyone is a fan of the silly, less seriousLEGOvideo games, but this one is just too good not to play. The game covers all three books from the trilogy, spoofing the most quotable moments and making it fun and light-hearted. There are plenty of cool collectibles to find, exciting characters, and fun magic.
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The game allows players to travel across Middle Earth and explore it to their heart’s desires. One could spend hours adventuring through the cute yet very detailed and intricate LEGO version of the famous fantasy land.
Shadow of Mordorwent above and beyond to deliver the most stunning visuals and accurate landscape of Middle-Earth for hardcore LotR fans to be blown away by. The developers worked directly with Peter Jackson and Weta Workshop to make a beautiful and realistic atmosphere.
Theopen-world adventure gameis one of the most famous LotR games that even those who haven’t read the books or seen the movies will enjoy. It is jam-packed with exciting gameplay and offers an incredible gaming experience.
Building off the success of the game before it,Shadow of Waroffers a new look at the iconic stunning graphics, intricate storylines, and fun gameplay. There was a bit of criticism for this game due to the lack of very established characters and the introduction of microtransactions and loot boxes, but overall the game was a fitting sequel. It’s a must-play for those who enjoyed the game before it, as the story of Talion continues.
When the originalLord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earthcame out in 2004,fans loved the conceptand gameplay but had a few complaints about the graphics and CPU mechanics. Two years later, the sequel came out and fixed all of the issues fans had with the original, making it a super fun and enjoyable game based in the beautiful Middle Earth.
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The real-time strategy video game offers two campaigns, both Good and Evil. The award-winning game unfortunately had its original servers shut down in the early 2010s, but there are unofficial servers still running to this day, allowing players to carry on battling for Good or Evil.
