GAME
OF THE
DAY
Lemmings: Puzzle Strategy
Survival & Adventure Game
Self-preservation isn’t exactly a lemming’s strong suit. With no concept of danger, these adorable little critters will merrily walk off cliffs and blunder into traps. It’s up to you to guide them safely to the exit point. But can you save them all?
If that sounds familiar, you probably remember the original Lemmings. We’ve been waiting for what feels like forever to see this groundbreaking puzzle game get revived and refreshed for the modern age – and, well, here it is. Finally!
This is more than a mere visual makeover, though the titular rodents look more charming than ever while retaining that iconic shock of green hair. At the heart of this reboot is a small but significant change.
Rather than the awkward business of selecting individual lemmings, the game uses grid-based maps, so you can tap squares to set up roles for the lemmings that wander into it. This allows the game to set up devious environmental puzzles – often with more than one solution – that never feel fiddly to solve.
Some lemmings can act as stoppers, turning back the advancing conga line of their comrades, while others can be set to build diagonal sets of steps to reach higher ground. You can dig through soft ground, too, though sometimes you’ll need to place a mid-air umbrella so the following pack can float down safely, rather than plummeting to a messy demise.
If you can save every lemming on each level, you’ll get the chance to spin a wheel of fortune, unlocking features that disable traps or that double the number of rescued rodents. These contribute to the tally you need to claim the various planets and asteroids that make up the lemmings’ galactic journey.
Or, if you’re lucky, you can crack open an egg containing one of a wide array of rare lemming types, each adding colour and character to your tribe.
It all adds up to a very welcome revamp of an old favourite, one that brings Lemmings kicking and screaming – and occasionally falling and splatting – into the 21st century.