Lemmings

n/a

NTSC-U/J PAL Master System Game Gear
Lemmings
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear
Publisher: Sunsoft (Japan, US) Sega (Europe) Sega
Developer: DMA Design Sunsoft Probe Software
Licensor: Psygnosis
Original system(s): Amiga
Developer(s) of original games: DMA Design, Psygnosis
Sound driver: Sunsoft sound driver
Peripherals supported: Gear-to-Gear Cable
Genre: Action, Puzzle
Number of players: 1-2, 1
Release Date RRP Code JP 1992-11-20 ¥7,8007,800 T-15063 US 1992-11 $49.9549.95 T-15026 EU 1992-12-14 1704 PT 199x MDJ1074 UK 1992-12-10 £39.9939.99 1704 SE (Rental) 199x CZ 199x AU 199x KR 199x GM8037JT EU 1992-12 7108 PT 199x UK 1992-12 £29.9929.99 7108 AU 199x BR 1992 025200 KR 199x GB2032JG JP 1993-02-05 ¥3,5003,500 G-3317 US 1992-12 2431 EU 1992-11-26 2431 PT 1992 GGJ2431 UK 1992-11-26 £29.9929.99 2431 BR 1993-04 075210
Non-Sega versions 3DO Amiga Amiga CD32 Amstrad CPC Archimedes Atari ST CD-i CDTV Commodore 64 FM Towns Game Boy IBM PC J-3100 Lynx Macintosh Nintendo Entertainment System PC-9801 UX PC-9801 VX SAM Coupé Super CD-ROM² Super NES X68000 ZX Spectrum

Lemmings (レミングス) is a very successful strategy game developed by DMA Design and published by Psygnosis for the Amiga in 1991. It stands as being one of the most ported games in history, seeing a release on dozens of platforms including the Sega Mega Drive, Sega Game Gear and Sega Master System.

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot from the Mega Drive version.

The player's task is to guide a number of Lemmings to a goal within the time limit, trying to make sure they do not kill themselves from hazards or long falls during transit. Lemmings can be set to do certain functions such as digging or blocking, though the player only has a limited number of these skills in supply, which varies per level. Lemmings fall out from a trapdoor at a set rate, which the player can adjust to make the trapdoor release Lemmings at faster or slower rates (up to 99), but will be unable to lower the rate past the minimum assigned to the current level.

If the player successfully rescues a set percentage of Lemmings, which varies by level, they will be able to move on to the next level, otherwise they must retry the level. If the player finds themselves in an unwinnable situation, needs to get rid of remaining Blockers or simply wants to restart the level, they can select the Nuke'em button on the HUD, which will stop any more Lemmings from entering the level and make all remaining Lemmings explode, ending the level.

Typically, there is a total of 120 levels to complete, each of them categorised into four difficulty ratings with 30 levels each: "Fun", "Tricky", "Taxing" and "Mayhem". The Mega Drive version adds two extra difficulty ratings with their own sets of levels, "Present" and "SUNSOFT", bringing the total number to 180, the most levels in any version of Lemmings.

There is also a two-player mode with 20 levels. In this mode, each player is presented with their own view of the map in vertical split-screen (or each player's individual screen in the Game Gear version), and the objective is to be the first player to safely guide Lemmings to their own goal. Each player can only give skills to the Lemmings of their respective colour (blue for P1, green for P2), but getting a Lemming into the opposite goal counts as a point for the goal's owner (e.g. if one of player 2's Lemmings enters player 1's goal, it counts as a point for player 1), so a player can exploit this to steal points from the other. A player wins when they rescue more Lemmings than the other player, or the other player loses all of their Lemmings. The Master System version does not include the two-player mode.

Skills

Lemmings that have not been given a skill will be referred to as Walkers.

	Climber
	Allows a Lemming to climb most walls he runs into. This skill is permanent for the rest of the level, even if the Lemming is given another skill. When stacked with the Floater skill, the Lemming becomes an "Athlete".
	Floater
	Allows a Lemming to use an umbrella to survive falls that would normally kill a Lemming. This skill is permanent for the rest of the level, even if the Lemming is given another skill. When stacked with the Climber skill, the Lemming becomes an "Athlete".
	Bomber
	Makes a Lemming explode after 5 seconds, killing him and destroying part of the terrain around him in the process. The explosion will not hurt other Lemmings.
	Blocker
	Makes a Lemming stop moving and block other Lemmings from passing him. A Blocker cannot use any other skill (other than Bomber) unless another Lemming digs under him, becoming a Walker again.
	Builder
	Makes a Lemming build an upward bridge in front of him. He will lay down up to 12 bricks, after which he will shrug at the player before going back to being a Walker unless the player commands him to continue building. A Builder will stop prematurely if the bridge hits a solid object or he bumps his head on a ceiling.
	Basher
	Makes a Lemming dig horizontally through any suitable terrain that's directly in front of him, and will continue to do so until there is no more suitable terrain to dig through or he is given another task.
	Miner
	Makes a Lemming dig in a diagonally downward direction through any suitable terrain with a pickaxe, and will continue to do so until there is no more suitable terrain to dig through or he is given another task.
	Digger
	Makes a Lemming dig straight down through any suitable terrain beneath him, and will continue to do so until there is no more suitable terrain to dig through or he is given another task.

Versions

The Sega versions are slightly stripped back from the Amiga original, particularly on the Master System, where music and level layouts are slightly adjusted. The Master System version also lacks a map, and cuts back on the amount of Lemmings on-screen (the compensation being an adjusted difficulty level, i.e. fewer Lemmings need to be saved).

All three versions add new levels specific to each platform. The Mega Drive version replaces some of the later levels with those seen in Oh No! More Lemmings, redesigned with the original game's graphics and different names, and has a special stage featuring the characters from Sunsoft's Hebereke series.

Neither version supports any form of mouse (or trackball) control.

Production credits

Mega Drive version

• Game Programmer: Mikio.I
• Graphics Designers: Hiroshi Ito, Dai Ozawa, Yukio Obayashi, Hiroyuki Karashima, Shigeyuki Asa, Tom.S
• Music Composer: Takayama
• Sound Programmer: Tsukamoto
• Technical Adviser: Teq.S.Inaba
• Prints Editors: Mihoko.O, Master Mori
• Sales Manager: Masato Kawai
• Supervisor: Hirokun
• Total Director: A.T
• Special Thanks: Kawabe San, NAOPi, Mrs.ANDO, Ikko., Hac.F, Masaru Aoyanagi, Satoru Takabayashi, Michio Okasaka, Yoshihisa Shigekiyo, Thuyoshi Matumoto, Hideyo Kawaguchi, Kimoto, Hiroshi Shiraishi, Joe.Robbins, Rita Zimmerer, Karen Shadley, Steve Gehrke, Kazuko Harman
• Producer: K.Yoshida
• Licensed by: Psygnosis
• Presented by: Sunsoft

Source:

In-game credits

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• Cover artist: Greg Wray

Source:

Uncredited

Master System version

• Code: Dominic Wood
• Art: Mark Knowles
• Producer: Neil Young

Source:

In-game credits

Game Gear version

• Code: Dominic Wood
• Art: Mark Knowles
• Producer: Neil Young

Source:

In-game credits

---

• Cover artist (US, BR): Greg Wray

Source:

Uncredited

Magazine articles

Main article: Lemmings/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: Lemmings/Promotional material.

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 70 Aktueller Software Markt (DE) 77 Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J 63 Consoles + (FR) 95 Digitiser (UK) PAL 80 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 73 Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU) 70 Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 7 (RU) 40 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) 93 Excalibur (CZ) 75 Game Mania (UK) NTSC 92 Game Power (IT) 79 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 73 GamesMaster (UK) NTSC-U 80 Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J 60 Hobby Consolas (ES) 92 Joypad (FR) NTSC-U 85 Joystick (FR) NTSC-U 88 Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) NTSC-U 92 Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) 92 Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J 68 Mega (UK) NTSC-U 90 Mega Play (US) NTSC-U 78 MegaTech (UK) NTSC-U 92 Micromanía (segunda época) (ES) 80 Marukatsu Mega Drive (JP) NTSC-J 73 Player One (FR) 87 Play Time (DE) 88 Power Unlimited (NL) 72 Sega Power (UK) NTSC-U 85 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 90 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 90 Sega Zone (UK) NTSC-U 92 Sega Force (UK) 81 Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J 73 Tricks 16 bit (RU) 88 Video Games (DE) 85

	80
Based on 37 reviews

Lemmings

Mega Drive, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU (Alt Cover)

Mega Drive, FR
Manual

Mega Drive, PT

Mega Drive, SE rental (HENT orange)
Cover

Mega Drive, CZ/SK (ITO CS)
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, AU
Cover

Mega Drive, KR
Cover
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Master System version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score Consoles + (FR) PAL 94 Computer & Video Games (UK) PAL 92 Computer + Video Giochi (IT) 92 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) 96 Game Mania (UK) PAL 95 Gamers (DE) 73 Hobby Consolas (ES) PAL 80 Micromanía (segunda época) (ES) 83 Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL 95 Player One (FR) PAL 80 Sega Power (UK) PAL 89 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 89 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 89 Sega Zone (UK) PAL 90 Sega Force (UK) PAL 93 Video Games (DE) 80

	88
Based on 16 reviews

Lemmings

Master System, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, PT
Cover

Master System, AU
Cart

Master System, AU (AFP8 sticker)
Cover
Cart

Master System, AU (AFP8 sticker #2)
Cover
Cart

Master System, AU (AFP11 sticker)
Cover
Cart

Master System, AU (Classics)
Cover

Master System, BR
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, BR (newer)
Cover
Cart

Master System, KR
Cover

Game Gear version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score Alaab Alcomputtar (SA) 90 Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J 70 Computer & Video Games (UK) 94 Computer + Video Giochi (IT) 94 Digitiser (UK) 80 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 63 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) 92 Game Mania (UK) 92 Gamers (DE) 73 Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J 60 Hobby Consolas (ES) 80 Joypad (FR) 91 Joystick (FR) 91 Micromanía (segunda época) (ES) 75 Player One (FR) 91 Play Time (DE) 96 Sega Power (UK) PAL 88 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 83 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 88 Sega Force (SE) 83 Sega Force (UK) 94 Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J 71 Supergame (BR) 73 User (GR) PAL 87 Video Games (DE) 72

	83
Based on 25 reviews

Lemmings

Game Gear, JP
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, US (alt)
Cart

Game Gear, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, PT
Cover
Cart Manual EU Manual

Game Gear, BR
Cover
Cart

Technical information

Main article: Lemmings/Technical information.

References

NEC Retro has more information related to Lemmings