[Lemmings 2] Minimum skills for gold

[ccexplore]

And now I have a 7-skill solution for Medieval 4.  Nope, no new glitches, just better usage of skills at the very beginning.

If you pour standing right next to a stack right in front of you, the stream of glue will actually be coming out over the other side of the stack.

1st lemming start stacking at the exact position shown in screenshot A, and 2nd lemming starts glue-pouring at the exact position shown in screenshot B (you'll want to position your mouse cursor like the screenshot too).  The glue will come out right of the stack, as desired (screenshots C, D), and also the glue-pouring will delay the lemming so he turns around instead of overtaking the stacker.  Finish the rest of the level normally (surfer, sand pourer, glue pourer, club basher, sand pourer).

[ccexplore]

Edit 2:  Highland 3 is improved to 3.

  Build 2x starting 2 blocks before the red floor begins (it has to be in a pretty precise spot).  If done properly, the lemmings will fall off the top of the bridge, bounce off two trampolines, and make their way up to the ledge on the right side of the level (the one with 2 trampolines on it).

From this ledge, build one more bridge starting about halfway between the edge of the left trampoine and the little blue triangle.  Once again, it has to be pixel-precise.  If this is done properly, the lemmings will fall off the bridge, bounce off three trampolines, and head directly to the exit.

Just realize I never really paid this level (Highland 3) a proper look-over.  I did now and was able to improve upon LemSteven's basic method, down to 2 skills.  Screenshots attached.

[ccexplore]

I've now revisited Highland 4 ("a mere stone's throw") and accomplished a major reduction via a crawling route, resulting in a 10-skills solution!  The attached screenshots explain all.

Expect a similar dramatic result from the "skills you can't live without" thread as well.

One minor note on the screenshots: it may look like the final step formed by the end of the fencer tunnel is 5 pixels high, but it's actually 4, just that the terrain pixel there at the bottom right corner is black and therefore not very visible against the dark gray background.

[ccexplore]

Randomly reviewing old levels and found a random minor improvement:  Polar 9 improved to 5 skills.  It's basically just my 6-skill solution with a slight change at the very start.  See hints/screenshots.

It may not look like it, but you can barely brigde the first gap with just a single archer's arrow, fired from the left near the edge at a pixel-specific location and angle, steeply diagonally down.  See first few screenshots for the pixel-precise details.

[Lemmy556]

As I know some of levels are totally chanced in SNES port and some just a bit.

Beach 6: all 9 skills used
Outdoor 6: 8 skills
Egypt 4: Level was bit different but all can be done with on twister
Egypt 5: palm tree is missing so one club basher can be avoided.
Egypt 10: 1 mortal skill
Classic 2: one digger, one climber and four builders
Classic 5: Same solution except 3 builders will be used(all will be saved)
Circus 3: 7 skills I think
Circus 5: 40 skills, one for each lemming
Circus 6: 6 skills
Highland 5: Because there is no swing machine so you need on parachute skill to replace it
Highland 7: two lazer blasters and 3 platformers(and maybe on club basher)
Highland 10: 8 and all saved
Polar 2: No steel blocks so both flames and one fencer.
Space 8: 4 skills, because blocks under teleports are not steel blocks.
Cavelem 7: 5 skills
Cavelem 8: 11 or 12 skills
Cavelem 10: 7 skills
Shadow 4: 7 skills
Shadow 5: 6 skills because no swing machine
Shadow 10: 9 skills
Sports 1: 2 skills
Sports 5: 7 skills
Sports 6: 9 skills
Sports 10: I believe this is possible with 9 skills

Gameboy one coming soon...

[LemSteven]

I just found another improvement:

Classic 10: 5 skills!  It's basically the same idea as my 6-skill solution, but it saves an unnecessary builder.

The first lemming builds just as he hits the left wall and turns right.  After laying down three bricks, he blocks.  The crowd should be able to walk underneath him and get stuck against the steel, forcing the crawling trick.  Since you must save everyone, the last lemming bashes (or mines) to free the blocker, and both climb to the exit.

[ccexplore]

Sports VI down to 4 skills.  See attached screenshots.  Solution loses 1 lemming but that's okay for gold for that level.  If someone finds a way to just use the roper alone to trigger the you-know-what, that would cut down 1 skill and also make the solution save all.

Okay, so it took more than 2 years , but I've finally gotten Sports VI down to 2 skills now.  This solution loses 1 lemming which is still okay for gold.  Obviously using one more skill you can save the 1 lemming that doesn't make it to exit.