Top 5, Bottom 5

[lemmaniack133]

Interesting. I didn't know about that for "Steel Works". My Windows PC 1995 copy had the splat in the beginning but maybe they forgot about it in the WinLem version? (Maybe for screen adjustment or whatever?)

I even tried it on my SNES version. Still doesn't work (or at least I can't get it to work )
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Anyway to continue on with my Top #, Bottom # list. Here's COVOX Lemmings / Save the Lemmings) .

There are only 8 levels in this game, so I'll do top and bottom 4 haha.
In case you guys don't know what this is or haven't heard of it, it's an 8-level demo that came on a seperate bonus disc when you ordered the original Lemmings and/or ONML through the Psygnosis hotline number. It seperated by the original 4 ratings, Fun, Tricky, Taxing, and Mayhem, and there's a special "COVOX" level along with 7 ONML-style levels. (Note that there are absolutely no bubble tile levels in this demo.)

COVOX Lemmings (AKA Save the Lemmings) Bottom 04:
04. "Bridge Away! (Fun 2)" - This technically would be #5 in my Top 5 and I feel bad that this level is in my bottom 4 haha. I like the structure, design, and concept, but if I had to say some bad stuff: too many skills (50 of everything? Really?) and the chain looks out of place.
03. "The COVOX Level (Fun 1)" - I love the return of the crystal tile from the original game, and while it's a pretty-looking level, (to this day) I have NO IDEA what "COVOX" means, the blackness/shadows in the structures are actually holes/gaps in this level rather than part of the obstacle, and sadly, the left exit serves no purpose unless you want a "challenge" (which I can't think of for this level). And speaking of exits, why use the bubble tile exit instead of the original crystal tile one  ?
02. "JackLemmings (Mayhem 2)" - To me, this one was just weird. I like the title, but it wasn't that much of a challenge at all. And since I'm kinda nit-picky, I don't like how the level isn't symmetrical and WAY TOO MANY excess skills " title="Angry" class="smiley" />.
01. "IceTown (Taxing 1)" - The only snowy level and it had to be the worse one in this game. Level is terribly designed (i.e. the not-snow-covered rocks in the beginning and the island? on the right of the exit) and the solution was terribly thought out. Time is also your worst enemy here.

COVOX Lemmings (AKA Save the Lemmings) Top 04:
04. "Animal or Vegetable? (Tricky 1)" - Simple level with a few twists from the ordinary. Sounds pretty good to me. Props to the title too . The crystal and rock structure under the exit should be redone or revised though .
03. "How do we get down there? (Mayhem 1)" - Excess amount of skills for its position in the game, but still a good level. Seems like something I'd see in ONML, for sure; maybe in "Crazy" or "Wild", granted that the number of skill availability is reduced .
02. "Heaven Can Wait II (Taxing 2)" - Wonderful reminder of the original level (both the Fun and Taxing version). The concept is the same, but change in skill availability and release rate makes it interesting .
01. "Lots of Steel crates! (Tricky 2)" - I just LOVE this level! Solution isn't too hard to figure out but the execution of it can go wrong if it's not done correctly. 21 lemmings is an odd number (no pun intended ) but in the end, you still saved 20 lemmings . Also, NOT BACKROUTE-ABLE !

[mobius]

holy crap... your post solves a riddle of mine from 20 years ago...

I had that. I had the Covox lemmings but I lost the disc. "Covox Lemmings" came up on my DOS screen and many times I tried to play it and it never worked right &  I couldn't understand why. [I was young and DOS doesn't say things like "you need another disc".

Covox was a type of audio system at the time that I guess they were trying to advertise (that has since gone nowhere I guess):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covox

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has anyone read my post in the glitches section? I think I mentioned some things about winLem, like the fall height that need verifying.

[finlay]

You can download Covox lemmings from (I think) the Lemmings Universe website (so yeah, we know about it!). And yeah, Covox was a company. From the same website you can get the Official Companion Demo, which I think was released along with a guidebook, and has the 'Prima Publishing level' after the name of the publishing company that released it. However, unlike the Covox level, which actually looks nice, this is a three-colour bashfest and is really boring.

Yeah, here: http://lemmingsuniverse.net/downloads.html#games
About halfway down, savelem.zip and lemmcomp.zip .

I played it about a year ago; I think IceTown was my favourite, because it's actually challenging and looks artistic (ie, like a town!). Some of the rest are really boring levels with just a few brick blocks or something like that.

[lemmaniack133]

holy crap... your post solves a riddle of mine from 20 years ago...

I had that. I had the Covox lemmings but I lost the disc. "Covox Lemmings" came up on my DOS screen and many times I tried to play it and it never worked right &  I couldn't understand why. [I was young and DOS doesn't say things like "you need another disc".

Covox was a type of audio system at the time that I guess they were trying to advertise (that has since gone nowhere I guess):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covox

Glad to be of help haha, and thanks for the link explaining what COVOX is haha. Just a note that when I first heard of this demo, I was told it was called Save the Lemmings, which I personally like a little better than COVOX Lemmings haha .

I was told that you had to install the original Lemmings and/or ONML first (depending on which game you ordered from Psygnosis). From there, you can install COVOX/Save the Lemmings just fine. Same thing with the game from The Official Lemmings Companion.

You can download Covox lemmings from (I think) the Lemmings Universe website (so yeah, we know about it!). And yeah, Covox was a company. From the same website you can get the Official Companion Demo, which I think was released along with a guidebook, and has the 'Prima Publishing level' after the name of the publishing company that released it. However, unlike the Covox level, which actually looks nice, this is a three-colour bashfest and is really boring.

I played it about a year ago; I think IceTown was my favourite, because it's actually challenging and looks artistic (ie, like a town!). Some of the rest are really boring levels with just a few brick blocks or something like that.

Maybe we should review both COVOX/Save the Lemmings and the game from The Official Lemmings Companion along with X'mas Lemmings 1991 & 1992 since everyone's done the original (Amiga/DOS version + Genesis), ONML, and Holiday Lemmings (1993 &) 1994 hahaha .

The Prima Publishing Level was more of a challenge, but I agree that the COVOX Level looks TONS better (and like I said, it reminds me of the original game ), and even now, I STILL can't enjoy IceTown when I play that demo . Also for the record, I TOTALLY agree when people said that the publishers produced WAY TOO MANY brick tile levels

[mobius]

I'd like to re-post my favorites because I kind of made mine sloppy and combined the original and oh no more lemmings. And I forgot some. (and because I was bored today)

for the Original:

best
1- The Great Lemming caper
-great challenge and good repeat (unlike some others). There are multiple solutions but they're all difficult to find!

2- No Added colors or Lemmings
-best puzzle in the original game, took me a long, long time to solve it. nice "intro" to digging out a blocker

3- Poor we creatures!
-it's a crystal level, and it's different and interesting.

4- Compression Method 1
-no builders, yay! and a good puzzle especially for me because I never solved the first one this way at all. (I always built up on the right side, by passing the crushers altogether.

5- Last One Out's a rotten egg!
-a good challenge and just fun


worst:
1- King of the Castle
-too much like the first one and just generally not interesting to me

2- Hunt the Nessy


3- All the 6's.
-Idk why but I don't care for levels like this, bashing/etc through letters.

4- Curse of the Pharohs
-too much like the first one

5- The Steel Mines of Kessel
-Too much work. and by this point I guess I was just tired of all the repeats.



Oh No More Lemmings:

best:
1- AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGH!
-clever idea with delaying/stalling all the lemmings while one does work instead of just trapping all the lemmings in the standard hero level

2- Flow Control
-great "intro" to RR control, and still difficult for an novice player even with the clue in the title

3- There's Madness in the Method
-neat puzzle, for it's time it really was 'madness'

4- Five Alive
-I like having 6 lemmings and it's a difficult puzzle at first.

5- Dolly Dimple
-tough level for it's position but simple yet fun.


worst:
1- Almost Nearly Virtual Reality
-boring building level & unlike other's have said, I don't really care for the mono-chrome

2- Pop till you drop
-boring bomb timer with totally stupid no bomb backroute

3- up down or around and around
boring

4- No Problemming!
-stupid, a waste of design work and time imo

5- Ice Ice Lemming
-I don't like all the blocks and basically becomes a standard worker level


Lemmings Revolution:

best:
1- No Clues Hee Hee
 -this one really stumped me for a long time

2- When Two Tribes Go to War
 -I like the theme and solution(s) (there are a few) There's also some odd and funny glitches in this level

3- Touch the ground turn around
 -so simple yet so difficult (for me when I first played it anyway)

4- Last one to the top
 -the solution is somewhat easy but the execution can be difficult and saving 100% is fun. I also like the design and the unusal method used to kill the weasels.

5- Tune In, Turn on, Switch On
 -the solution behind this one is really neat, it's the only level in the game where something like this is done. Good use of the new features.

worst:
1- all of the two skill tutorials
 -did they really need to do this? One tutorial for each skill was enough for original lemmings, this just seems unnessiasary especially considering most people who played this game most-likley were lemmings veterans.

2- Let's Play Catch
 -I like time-bomber levels but this one really annoys me, mostly because the terrain (those wood logs) are so uneven and have gaps in them.

3- How do we get up there?
 -really annoying time limit, and it doesn't change your solution at all. (without it however the level isn't that bad)

4- Buidld em Up then bring em down
 -Just kind of boring. and it doesn't make use of any interesting features of the game, it's better suited for the original game.

5- Ouch me head
 -the only interesting way to play this level is to pretend you don't have any diggers

[Minim]

I am going to update my best and worst on Lemmings Revolution here.

Bottom 5
1: Let's get those fingers moving: As I said before, it is derivative. Also it's too easy for set 11...
2: A long and lonely road: Just not interesting to play and looks a bit dull.
3: How do we get up there!: Same reason as before. The only thing I didn't say is, this needs much more time than just 4 minutes.
4: Seargeant Bash: A poor introduction to the shredder, which actually feels more like eye candy rather than a spot of bother.
5: Scale that wall: This supposedly challenging level is unfortunately marred by backroutes. Here are the details. Many years ago I discovered a backroute which involved building up to the switch on the opposite side. Apparently, TM found another method (which can be shown here which involves hitting the switch from the other direction. Even though it was hard to execute, I still call that a "backroute".

Top 5
1: Green with envy: Plenty of skills, but also plenty of fun too!
2: Walk the plank, or join the crew?: Very exciting level, seeing if the lemmings can go fast enough before the weasel shuts the door.
3: Battle o Lemmuckburn: Nice variety of obstacles on this one
4: It's Going to take time: Although it can be quite frustrating without the rewind button, this is a very interesting level to play as it requires multitasking.
5: Penelope Lem Stop: Nice and relevant title, as this reminds me of Wacky Races. It is a race to get to the switch below before all hell breaks loose.

Interestingly, my former favourite level "Designed with love" is not on the list.

[namida]

4- No Problemming!
-stupid, a waste of design work and time imo

I know we all say this level is quite stupid but I have to ask - how did we feel about it the first time we saw it, and quite possibly weren't aware of the other entrance? In that context, I think it's as much of a unique trick as several other of the more unique ONML levels...

[Clam]

, I love the unique gimmick in this level and it left a good impression for me. I like Lost Something and Surprise Package for the same reason (but not Superlemming, as I mentioned at the start - some gimmicks are better than others )

The downside of course is that the gimmick is only good once, so replayability is limited unless the level provides good challenges (Lost Something delivers there too ).

[nobody]

Shoot, I'm not that good of a player, but I'd say this:

TOP 5:

1. Heaven Can Wait (We Hope!!!) (Must be the Christianity that comes out in me.)
2. Poles Apart (Not really backroutable, at least from my perspective.)
3. The Crankshaft (As someone said earlier, the lack of bashers makes the level more interesting)
4. It's Hero Time! (One of everything, pretty tough and pretty fun!)
5. Feel the Heat (Short and simple, not a build-a-thon)

BOTTOM 5:

5. Walk the Web Rope (Long and tedious)
4. The Ascending Pillar Scenario (Long and tedious again...)
3. Hunt the Nessy (Long and tedious AGAIN!)
2. All or Nothing (If you know the trick, or have one of those newer versions, this level's a dud.)
1. Tightrope City (Just BLAND and boring.)

Actually there is a backroute for Poles Apart, which lets you complete it 100% in under 1 minute.

[namida]

, I love the unique gimmick in this level and it left a good impression for me. I like Lost Something and Surprise Package for the same reason (but not Superlemming, as I mentioned at the start - some gimmicks are better than others )

The downside of course is that the gimmick is only good once, so replayability is limited unless the level provides good challenges (Lost Something delivers there too ).

Yeah, that is the problem. They're great the first time but not after that. That can even be said of some of the more normal solutions - arguably, although not to such a huge extent, even one of the consensus favorites, Mayhem 20, exhibits this problem to a small degree.

Of course, these levels can be, as I suggested, clever experience for a first time player. That's why I like the idea of using them, but not excessively. (If you take a look at LPII's gimmick levels - one of them (that being the Sneaky) one, once you work out it's trick, it's basically a Tame type level. Yet at least two people have commented that they thought that was really clever when they cracked it - then you get people like geoo who just use glitches to avoid the gimmick altogether. =P)

[WillLem]

In reverse order:

Bottom 5 Original Lemmings

5 A Beast Of A Level - Compared to the other 20-of-everything Fun levels, this just stands out as being very tedious and has such an obvious backroute that it just feels pointless. Also, I'm not a fan of the "other graphics" levels in general; they break the visual continuity of the pack, and not in a good way.
4 The Crankshaft - I just find this level a bit boring. Its layout is quite dull and it's a solution that basically involves waiting around for Climbers and Miners, the two slowest skills!
3 King Of The Castle - Whilst I'd admit that this one is quite satisfying to pull off, I'd rate this as the most boring builder-fest of the original game: if builder-fests are bad, then small-map one-screen builder fests are worse - you don't even get the illusion of going somewhere and exploring a landscape, it's just... clicking.
2 The Prison - I just don't like this level. Despite its small size and two possible routes it just feels cumbersome and tedious.
1 How Do I Dig Up The Way? - For me, this is the most tedious level of the original game. Its layout is dull and uninspiring, and it doesn't feel worth the effort that its solution demands.

Top 5 Original Lemmings

5 Steel Works - this may be a somewhat sentimental entry into the top 5 list, but I just remember as a kid looking at the first levels of each rank (the Amiga version let you do that) and thinking "how on earth are you supposed to rescue them if they're splatting as soon as they land and there's only 5 Floaters?" When I eventually discovered the solution, and then went on to get an all-save in my teens, it's one of the best feelings I've had playing Lemmings and it's stayed with me to this day. I'll always have a fondness for this monster of a level which looked so impossible the first time I saw it.
4 Hunt The Nessy - I love it! They made a funny looking Nessy out of mud and grass, what's not to like? Also, I love remixing this level: I've made a version which is possible in under 2 minutes.
3 Take a Running Jump - if there's a good way to do a builders-only level, this is it! A fun, inspiring layout with a neat little trick that can catch you out if you aren't paying attention, and that classic MAD DAM DMA graffiti because they knew it would!
2 POOR WEE CREATURES - another one I love remixing, and I always liked the challenge of saving as many lemmings as possible on this level. Its mid-section isn't quite as interesting as its bookends, but it stands out as one of the most fun and unique original levels.
1 Konbanwa Lemming-san - my favourite level to go back to and find different solutions for. Its generous skillset allows multiple possible set-ups and self-challenges, and it balances complexity and simplicity to a sublime degree which is unmatched elsewhere in the game. It's also one of my favourite levels to remix.

Shortlist for the top 5: A Nightmare On Lem Street (another good one to play around with due to its expansive "decoration"), Not As Complicated As It Looks (same reason, and I love how simple yet effective it is), Mary Poppins' Land (another one that eluded me for many years and I was so excited to discover the solution for, plus I love its layout and title reference to Mary Poppins' umbrella...)

Bottom 5 Oh No! More Lemmings

5 Have an Ice Day - this is one of those levels that didn't payoff when I finally solved it, it just felt annoying. There's just something about this level that I don't get on with.
4 KEEP ON TRUCKING - just a bit... boring.
3 ROCKY ROAD -
2 Up, Down or Round and Round - frustrating, cumbersome and too much effort following the previous level which is also a pain...
1 LoTs moRe wHeRe TheY caMe fRom - urgh! Those icicles. Messy, laborious and annoying.

Top 5 Oh No! More Lemmings

5 Five Alive - one of the best examples of a quality puzzle meeting satisfying execution. It's also quick, but oddly memorable.
4 AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!! - one of the best official levels, a brilliant solution and a masterclass in multitasking.
3 Where Lemmings Dare - easily the best of the Rock levels, it takes some doing even in NeoLemmix and it's very satisfying to solve.
2 Oh No! It's the 4th DIMENSION! - a great multi-hatch multi-tasker, and very fun to go back and get 100% on!
1 LeMming ToMato KetchUp fAcilitY - this is another one that had me stumped for a while, but I was determined to beat it and when I eventually figured it out it felt great. It's also one I'd love to get 100% on one day... not sure if it's even possible!

[Proxima]

1 Konbanwa Lemming-san - my favourite level to go back to and find different solutions for. Its generous skillset allows multiple possible set-ups and self-challenges, and it balances complexity and simplicity to a sublime degree which is unmatched elsewhere in the game. It's also one of my favourite levels to remix.

This is definitely very high on my list of "levels that I regret didn't make it into Redux". I wouldn't push out any level that's in to make room for it, but... it's a great Fun level because it's a unique challenge, with RR 99 and terrain less friendly for trapping the crowd than Patience. It was the first level in the game that was tough at first (well, I was a kid ) and really satisfying to beat.

1 LeMming ToMato KetchUp fAcilitY - this is another one that had me stumped for a while, but I was determined to beat it and when I eventually figured it out it felt great. It's also one I'd love to get 100% on one day... not sure if it's even possible!

It's believed not to be possible. The record is lose 1 on DOS, lose 2 on Mac and NL. (As a piece of trivia: this may well be the only level in ONML for which DOS and Mac max saved differs, although we haven't fully confirmed this as yet.)

[DireKrow]

For me, from the original...

Best:
1. No Added Colours or Lemmings
2. Postcard from Lemmingland
3. The Great Lemming Caper
4. It's Hero Time / Konbanwa Lemming San
5. The Crankshaft

Honorable mentions:
Save Me; Down, Along, Up In That Order

Worst:
1. We All Fall Down / We All Fall Down / We All Fall Down / We All Fall Down
2. All or Nothing / Lock Up Your Lemmings
3. Lost Something?
4. Walk The Web Rope
5. All The 6's

Dishonorable mentions:
Upsidedown World; Pea Soup; With A Twist Of Lemming Please

I also don't particularly enjoy Call in the Bomb Squad or Boiler Room because Build+Bombing into ceilings is one of my least favourite things to do, but I'm not going to hold that against those puzzles

[Swerdis]

Here are mine, form the original Lemmings.

The Best:

1. The Great Lemming Caper.

It's a shame that this level can be backrouted so easy. The intended solution (which I think it is) is so exceptional in this game and so elegant that this level deserves to be on top of my ranking.

2. No Added Colours or Lemmings

One of the few levels that really deserves to be called a puzzle. At least to my knowledge, this level has never been backrouted which lets it shine even more.

3. It's hero time!

The mother of all One-of-each-skill-levels. Nuff said.

4. Postcard from Lemmingland

Zillions of different solutions, but none of them is easy to find for a novice player. This level probably ended the level-progress for lots of Lemmings players in the old days.

5. Poles Apart

This is a hard and clever one which introduces a new puzzle late in the game. Good work by the developers.

Other good levels:

Save Me!, which requires both consideration and precision and should have been the final level. Last one out is a rotten egg which I always liked for no particular reason and Poor Wee Creatures for a really creative way to deal with a splat start (in opposition to Steel Works, for example)

The Worst:

1. All or Nothing

An absolute joke of a level. Based on pure luck, that's not what a level should be. Just laziness by the developers.

2. Hunt the Nessy!

The definition of boredom. These worker levels were a plague in the original game and this is the paragon.

3. We all fall down.

Ok, the first one was at least bearable. But why it had to arise four times is still beyond me.

4. Lost Something?

No, a level should not have hidden elements. No, a level should not have hidden elements. No, a level should not...

5. All the 6's is a good candidate for this. But since DireKrow already chose this one, I'll take With a Twist of Lemming Please. To click 50 Lemmings to floaters individually, is just plain bad level design.

Compared to modern day Neolemmix standards, the bad levels outweigh the good ones by far. I could name at least 15 more that would well qualify for the Bottom-5-list, not just in the lower ranks. Examples: Pea Soup, Pillars of Hercules, Curse of the Pharaos.