Lemmings (Pre-E3 2006)

In my opinion, one of the best systems on the market today for a puzzle game is the PSP. Certain members of the developer community are beginning to share my opinion and have put one of the most classic puzzle games ever created on the PSP- Lemmings.

Hopefully, if you are a gamer of any salt, you will know the basic premise of Lemmings. Team 17 has stuck to the basic idea of navigating these creatures through a treacherous game of “follow the leader” by making certain of the Lemmings complete tasks to get each creature to the goal. While Team 17 didn’t mess with the classic Lemmings formula, they have made many necessary improvements to turn a trip down memory lane into a modern puzzle classic.

The controls translate brilliantly onto the PSP. Instead of the classic keyboard and mouse, the D pad allows the cursor to move around the screen and the thumb stick (or nubbin) controls the level. Shoulder buttons make it possible to choose different Lemming jobs. When the game comes out in May, there is also going to be a fast-forward feature and you will be able to pause to take a quick breather in the high-stakes action (we are talking the lives of imaginary creatures, here.)

Team 17 took the classic levels from Lemmings and added 20 new ones for the PSP version to give us 150 levels of brilliance. The added features of the game, including a level editor, make it a great transition to the PSP. The great thing about Lemmings is that it is quick and easy to pick up, and it doesn’t require a major time commitment for most of the levels. It truly captures the spirit of mobile gaming, allowing a quick shot at a level on a short bus ride.

With improve graphics, updated level structure, and new (and frankly, better) controls on the PSP, Lemmings is one title that I am definitely looking forward to seeing more of.