Noooo! Don’t do it! There’s so much to live for! Suicide, we know a song about that, don’t we? It sure ain’t painless, but you try telling that to a bunch of brain-dead lemmings!

Lemmings. These poor beggars don’t have a lot going for them, do they? What’s the point of living a clean, wholesome, furry existence then queueing up to jump off a 200-foot cliff? Unless they were just waiting for someone to run up and offer them a load of dosh for the rights to their life story for a computer game, of course!

If that’s the case, those lemmings certainly did us all a favour. Ported across all the major home computer formats, the suicidal little critters finally appear on the Master System.

Losing none of the original freshness, MS Lemmings has you helping hordes of the mindless critters to escape 120 levels of prime self-destruction opportunity!

As a puzzle/skill game of the highest order, there are four difficulty levels — Fun, Tricky, Taxing and Mayhem, each made up of 30 different stages. Fun introduces you nicely to the madness that lies ahead; if you try Mayhem, be prepared for some brain-boggling conundrums to solve.

Each level sees up to 20 lemmings launched into the playing arena. Your task is to select skills for them, allowing them to reach the exits unharmed. Note the percentage of lemmings you need to rescue on each level and steel yourself to being heartless. It’s always best to sacrifice the few for the needs of the many!

Unlimited continues and the password system allow you to come back to tricky levels time and again. Go save some lemmings, but be warned — this is one of the most addictive games of all time!

FORCE CONTROL

[Directional pad]
Helps you work out your strategy during level previews. Move around and work out what needs to be done. Picks out Lemmings in-game
[1]
This one lets you preview levels after successfully finishing off tasks. Use it wisely to work out the puzzles
[2]
Takes you on to the next level and allows you to select icons from the Helping Hands list before highlighting a Lemming to use it

Chris gloats... ‘A WINNER’

Lemmings was easily one of the most addictive games on the home computer market and just one quick introduction to the MS version’s enough to convince you it’s lost none of its hookability!

The sprites might appear a little on the small side but they’re superbly animated for the MS. The backdrops are clean, clear and wouldn’t look out of place on a 16-bit version. Combine that with the huge variety of tunes for the different levels, a spot of sampled speech and the kind of addictive gameplay some developers dream about and you can bet this one’s a winner!

The four difficulty levels are smartly designed, giving novices a gentle introduction to gameplay with the Fun’ setting, while the Mayhem stages are gonna push hardened puzzlers to the very limit!

Make sure you note down the passwords to each level ‘cos you’re gonna be coming back to this one again and again to get that little bit further.

The controls couldn’t be easier to master. Just pick the skill, highlight the lemming you want to use it on and just pray you chose right!

What more can I say; there’s very little to fault in this cracking puzzle outing! Go save those lemmings!

CHRIS 92%

HELPING HANDS

Blast
This might seem a bit cruel but there are times when a strategic detonation of a Lemming is needed to allow you to guide your flock home.
Blocker
Lemmings have that tendancy to find a nice steep drop then fall down it! Use this icon to stop your lemmings and turn them round
Builder
Mr Brunnell would have proud of these little blokes. Click this and your Lemming builds a bridge! Very handy for crossing chasms.
Climber
Click on this icon and the chosen Lemming grabs his pick and rope and starts climbing! Use to climb over or up steep rocks etc.
Pick
This icon enables you to dig straight down. Remember to check whats underneath you, a steep drop and its bye-bye lemming’s!
Armageddon
When all is lost and things cannot be saved, this is the kindest thing to do (as the vet says!} Click this and watch the Lemmings pop!
Floater
These are ex-members of the Lemming parachute regiment! Click this and when a Lemming falls of a cliff a brolly pops out to glide him down!
Pickaxe
This is like the pick icon except the chosen Lemming digs diagonally down. Useful for when you need to dig down onto a steep drop.
Scoop
Click on this and your Lemmings act like JCBs.They dig sideways through hills. Perhaps these Lemmings were used to dig the Channel Tunnel!

Ade screams... ‘JUST SO BLOOMIN’ ADDICTIVE!’

When I first saw Lemmings, many moons ago on home computer, I couldn’t quite understand why it drew such a big crowd round the TV screen.

The reason soon became apparent when I played it. This game is just so bloomin’ addictive! II you haven’t experienced the Lemmings invasion yet, it’s time to think seriously about adding this to your collection.

But stop! Don’t expect to plug in, turn on and be greeted by a graphical spectacular. That’s not what Lemmings is all about. One of the few games I know where the visuals aren’t a vital element.

Where Lemmings stands out is in the gameplay department. The tricks, traps, puzzles and ways of utilising the little critters will have you hooked from the word go. No pulse beams, death rays or smart bombs ‘ere, matey, just loads of cute little lemmings and loads of levels to turn your grey matter inside out.

The MS game doesn’t look that different from other versions I’ve seen. The graphics are fairly basic, although each stage is colourful, well drawn and nicely laid out. Sound is excellent, loads of humorous ditties like How Much Is That Doggie In The Window? and a tinkling rendition of The Can-Can.

Knowing when to use climbers, diggers, builders, blockers, bashers, floaters etc takes hours of practise and, believe you me, you’ll be burning the midnight oil playing Lemmings.

This is gonna be top of the MS charts soon — I’ll stake my Pot Noodle on that!

ADE 89%

SF Rating

Presentation
93% - Neat opening sequence, clean options and password system to start you offs
Visuals
89% - Sprites are a touch small but smoothly animated with great backdrops
Sonics
95% - Smart sampled speech and a seemingly endless list of well-known tunes
Playability
94% - Easy to control, gentle to get into but a nightmare to complete on later stages
Lastability
94% - Totally addictive gameplay and a real challenge. You won’t finish this in a hurry

93%

A superb MS puzzle/skill outing that more than lives up to its reputation

Producer
Sega
GG
Nov
MD
Out Now
Memory
256K
Players
1
Price
£34.99
Rating
93
Reviewer
Sega Force magazine
Region
UK
Scans
Sega Force - Issue 12

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