Christmas Lemmings Level reviews

[Clam]

Flurry 12 - Presents of Mind
http://www.lemmingsforums.com/resources/holiday/Flurry12.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Lemmings: 80
Save: 77 (96%)
Time: 4 minutes
Release rate: 50
Skills: 5 builders, 10 bashers

Good: Simple multitasking level, many different solutions despite only two types of skills being available. Nice contrast between left and right sides of the level.

Bad: In a normal solution, the first two skills need to be assigned one second apart, on opposite sides of the map, if you want to avoid losing lemmings. That's not fun multitasking http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/sad.gif" alt=":(" title="Sad" class="smiley" />

[Minim]

Flurry 13 - Yo-yo Lem lem
http://www.lemmingsforums.com/resources/holiday/Flurry13.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Lemmings: 80
Save: 80 (100%)
Time: 4 minutes
Release rate: 1
Skills: 10 climbers, 2 builders, 1 miner

Good: A fair bit of scenery below.
Bad: Too much unnecessary walking, the miner doesn't play a part, ugly looking snow design which feels like the level is being rushed, a bad and uninspiring title.

[danparker]

I've played the Lemmings Christmas levels around 9 years ago when my father downloaded the demos for me. I kind of liked these levels and I even drew my own Christmas levels. Around 8 years ago, I somehow got the full 1993 game. And recently, I got the full 1994 game. And yeah, I had some difficulty on some of the levels. If only there were a 1995 game.

[Dullstar]

Not sure about that, but we could make a 2009 game if we work fast enough...

[Clam]

Maybe we can get these done by this Christmas? http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/undecided.gif" alt=":-\" title="Undecided" class="smiley" />

Flurry 14 - Marshmallow Land
http://www.lemmingsforums.com/resources/holiday/Flurry14.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Lemmings: 80
Save: 75 (93%)
Time: 4 minutes
Release rate: 10
Skills: 10 of each

Good: Cute graphics, I guess (if you consider dogs cute, that is - I don't). Interesting variety of obstacles.

Bad: Too easy this far through the set. The dog is sloppily thrown together with multiples of the same terrain piece.

[GigaLem]

7 Days left til Christmas

Flurry 15 - Head for the hills
http://www.lemmingsforums.com/resources/holiday/Flurry15.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />
_{Woo hoo i did it}
Release rate:20
Skills:
Climber,Floaters,Bombers,Blockers,And Builders:20
Time:3 minutes
Good:Well The Hills part is self-Explanitory also nice design
Bad:A bit Too easy no effort at all!

[Clam]

Flurry 16 - The Long Way Around
http://www.lemmingsforums.com/resources/holiday/Flurry16.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Lemmings: 50
Save: 45 (90%)
Time: 4 minutes
Release rate: 20
Skills: 5 climbers, 5 floaters, 5 bombers, 5 blockers, 5 builders, 3 bashers

Good: A nice jump in difficulty at the end of the set - unlike the very nasty spike in the middle of the set. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/undecided.gif" alt=":-\" title="Undecided" class="smiley" /> The need to put some space between the lemmings at the end adds an extra twist (considering you can't easily block/bomb on the hill).

Bad: Might have you reaching for the ruler (or the editor http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" class="smiley" />) to check the splat distance. The steel section looks a bit shoddy - a straight line of steel blocks down the middle of the snow column would look much nicer. The tiny gap before the exit is a nasty trap, right at the end of the level.

[Clam]

Well, we failed again http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/cry.gif" alt=":'(" title="Cry" class="smiley" />. Next Christmas maybe? Or should we try a more modest target and go for the Christmas after that http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />

Blitz 1 - Oogilemming!
http://www.lemmingsforums.com/resources/holiday/Blitz1.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Lemmings: 25
Save: 22 (88%)
Time: 9 minutes
Release rate: 80
Skills: 25 climbers, 1 floater, 1 blocker, 15 builders, 1 basher, 1 digger

Good: A tough looking level to begin the difficult set, much like Steel Works. Good decorative terrain, in what little space is left to decorate.

Bad: Just like the last level, judging splat distance is a pain. Long walks are a pain too... Also, the starting platform is awkward, and really not necessary.

[Clam]

(I presume this thread has an implied "48 hour" rule, or similar)

Blitz 2 - Lemmings Up High
http://www.lemmingsforums.com/resources/holiday/Blitz2.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Lemmings: 80
Save: 80 (100%)
Time: 5 minutes
Release rate: 20
Skills: 11 builders, 1 basher, 1 digger

Good: A test of accuracy, with a surprise twist that you actually have to start building very close to the entrance.

Bad: One of the more tedious builds you'll find in the Lemmings games... especially considering you probably won't get it first time.

[finlay]

It would appear to be a Genius. Although I think the real problem is that I've been using it for ages (before I got back into Lemmings) and I played some RTS games... and those tend to be quite rough on the keyboard.

But before this gets dragged too far off topic...


Flurry 8 - Vacation in Gemland
http://www.lemmingsforums.com/resources/holiday/Flurry8.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Lemmings: 50
Save: 50 (100%)
Time: 3 minutes
Release rate: 1
Skills: 1 climber, 8 builders, 3 bashers, 2 diggers

Good: Some variety of methods available for clearing the obstacles. A refreshing break from the repetitive Christmas graphics.

Bad: Wrecks the difficulty curve worse than just about any other Lemmings level. Plus you have to use a hero lemming to complete the level - which leaves the other 49 in a tight space, from which you have to click one that's facing the right way. And if you don't know the trick, that's not fun.

I've just been on the guide page on tle.vaarties.nl and it has a completely different level here! What gives? Did they just decide to make a new level here for the PC version or something?

[ccexplore]

The solutions in TLE are nearly all based on the Amiga version, and for some reason the Amiga version has a different level than the PC version.  I have no idea which level are in other versions outside of Amiga and PC (if they even exist for other platforms), or why there were two different levels in the first place.

[finlay]

I dunno about other platforms. Xmas lemmings definitely exists for the Mac but I think they only made one of the 4 level demo versions. Xmas 91 or something. These levels are from 93... Wikipedia says that they released it for the Mac in 93 and 94 as well. Now I want to find a copy.

Edit: Found it! (Yes!!) I can't play it on this computer, but I have checked the walkthrough/guide file that was provided with the game and it confirms that the Mac version uses "Vacation in Gemland" rather than the Amiga level.

[Minim]

I have attempted to make a close enough copy of the level "Clouds of Lemmings" shown in the attachment. (With a few extra clouds for title relevance http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />) Anyway, back to the reviews.

Blitz 3 - Check your Hints!
http://www.lemmingsforums.com/resources/holiday/Blitz3.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Lemmings: 80
Save: 80 (100%)
Time: 6 minutes
Release rate: 20
Skills: 1 climber, 5 floaters, 5 blockers, 1 builder, 1 digger

Good: Can be exciting at first as it's a mystery as to which is the correct exit.
Bad: Can be a lot of walking to even reach the appropriate exit. This level is more like a waste a time once you have found the exit.

[ccexplore]

Hmm, given Blitz 3's title is "check your hints!", I have to wonder if there actually is some hint for the correct exit in the game manual or something that comes with the box? http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/huh.gif" alt="???" title="Huh?" class="smiley" />

Blitz 4 - Santus Lemmingus

http://www.lemmingsforums.com/resources/holiday/Blitz4.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Lemmings: 80
Save: 80 (100%)
Time: 6 minutes
Release rate: 30
Skills: 1 climber, 1 floater, 5 bombers, 2 blockers, 1 builder, 1 basher, 2 diggers

Good:  Not too many skills given (especially due to the 100% save requirement), so you can't just directly do the standard "block off everyone except the hero" approach.  Few skills also mean fewer steps to execute.
Bad:  Long walking to the exit.  Level design a bit bland with all the exciting eye candy far, far to the right of the exit.  The flat tops of the pillar with a drop in the middle looks ugly and ill-fitting with the rest of the snowy terrain.

[finlay]

I dunno about other platforms. Xmas lemmings definitely exists for the Mac but I think they only made one of the 4 level demo versions. Xmas 91 or something. These levels are from 93... Wikipedia says that they released it for the Mac in 93 and 94 as well. Now I want to find a copy.

Edit: Found it! (Yes!!) I can't play it on this computer, but I have checked the walkthrough/guide file that was provided with the game and it confirms that the Mac version uses "Vacation in Gemland" rather than the Amiga level.

Bollocks to that – I've just played it right the way through and it seems that whoever distributed it just took any old walkthrough off the internet and didn't bother to read it or probably to play the game itself. Oh well.

So basically, the Mac version has the "original" Flurry 8 from the Amiga version as well, Clouds of Lemmings. If anyone wants to try it, I've just extracted it in LVL format and put it on the internet, so, uh, yeah! http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/laugh.gif" alt=":D" title="Laugh" class="smiley" />
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/15543016/flurry08.lvl" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">http://dl.dropbox.com/u/15543016/flurry08.lvl