Lemmings

Fatal attraction

On the level

The early levels aren’t too demanding and I remember completing these with comparative ease and very few fatalities. These starter levels are a good introduction to the game and, after playing for ten minutes, I was hooked. Lemmings has four difficulty levels, fun, tricky, taxing and mayhem. I remember the mayhem levels being über-challenging, with lemmings being released at a merciless rate.

Compulsive ramblers

Once I had rescued the required number of lemmings I could advance to the next level. Amiga knew I didn’t want to have to re-play each level every time I came back to the game, so at the end of each level I am also given a code for the level I have just completed. Of course, this got hacked and I remember these codes getting passed out.

Cheating saves lives, apparently

The graphics and sound effects were charming, with my green-haired, blue jumper wearing lemmings making cute yells of 'Lets go!' as I began each level and 'Oh no!' just before exploding.

Lemmings is the perfect example of a game that has a brilliantly simple premise, excellently executed, leaving me infuriated and addicted.

RockStar's hairy roots

After reading this I know you’re going to spend next Saturday trawling through your nearest car boot sale for a second hand Amiga – which will undoubtedly be bundled with a copy of Lemmings – to again experience one of the best computer games ever. ®

Reg Hardware will be revisiting memorable titles from gaming's illustrious past every fortnight

Developer DMA Design
Platforms Amiga, Atari ST, Sinclair Spectrum, PC
Year of release 1991
More Info Original copies of Lemmings can still be found for ready money on eBay and retro gaming enthusiast sites for around £10-15, with collectible editions showing at silly prices. Unofficial DMA Design Lemmings history site. Lemmings for PS2 and PSP info here. ®

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