Holiday Lemmings

The Good
Yet more Lemmings levels - what more could a Lemmings fan want? Of course the whole "X-mas Lemmings / Holiday Lemmings" series has the same kind of gameplay as the first game and "Oh No! More Lemmings", no deviations from the standard like the ones introduced in "The Tribes". But, as many players have testified - Lemmings are addictive, so even more of basically the same doesn't get too boring. The winter/holiday graphics, while being monotonous, are also different from other games, including the snow levels in "ON!ML". Details such as jumping snowmen or Santa-Claus-in-a-box make the graphics a bit less monotonous, though it's too easy to mistake these details as obstacles - they aren't, they are just background and Lemmings can walk past them.

The Bad
However, as I said, the game is quite monotonous. Almost all levels have the same graphic style (with the exception of the "Vacation in Gemland" level, which indeed seems out of place in the midst of all the snow) with little changes. The games are short compared to the original (120 levels) and "ON!ML" (100 levels): 4 levels each in the 1991 and 1992 "X-mas Lemmings" (including two levels taken directly from "ON!ML" in the 1991 game) and two difficulty levels with 16 levels each in the 1993 and 1994 games (however, the latter also includes all levels from "Holiday Lemmings 1993"). When you make such short games, it's better to avoid "filler" levels. Some very boring levels, where you pretty much do the same thing all over again and/or wait for all the Lemmings to get to the exit should be avoided in such small games. If there are too many of them, customers may feel being cheated. However, not all levels are like this. Some are even too difficult, such as the 1994 level where all Lemmings fall on a great icicle and you have to save them by making some of them floaters and building a staircase at the same time - it requires a level of precision and coordination I'm not capable of.

The Bottom Line
If you feel that 72 levels (32x2+4x2) of holiday Lemming fun is a bit too much, the 1994 game is probably the best choice - it also includes levels from the 1993 one. However now, in the age of the Internet, you can also find sets of all Christmas Lemmings games. Anyway, if you like Lemmings, you'll probably be eager to try this one. As players know, not all kinds of levels are the same - the tactics may also depend on the type of ground (flat vs. uneven). Most snowy areas fall in the second category and also differ quite much from slightly similar terrains such as the rocky levels in "Oh No! More Lemmings".

The Good
graphics improved over previous years, plenty of levels designed to use a variety of skills in varying order

The Bad
does not hold interest in the modern day

The Bottom Line
good for its day, too monotonous compared to modern games