Love a Lemming is a spin-off pet simulator (also known as a virtual or artificial pet game) of the Lemmings series. The player cares for orphaned lemmings until they're ready to be released back to their respective tribes. The game was released for J2ME-enabled mobile phones in 2005.
Plot[]
The game takes place ten years after the events of Lemmings 2: The Tribes, and by extension, The Lemmings Chronicles. A sorcerer named Polyonomous takes control of the Lemmings Protection League (LPL) headquarters and begins brainwashing the lemmings they were taking care of into evil henchmen. A small band of the LPL hides in the catacombs underneath HQ and arranges missions to rescue the imprisoned lemmings. No longer possessing the facilities to take care of these endangered lemmings, the LPL ships them off to a different safe haven, that being the player's mobile phone. From that point on, it's up to the player to tame, train, and eventually release their lemming.
Gameplay[]
The player must check on their lemming every so often, interact with it, and play minigames with it when applicable. Pressing the "Pet" button at any point will either indicate the lemming's general status (the lemming will show that it's happy, sad, sick, etc.) or prompt the lemming to either tell the player something or ask for the player's name or birthday. Once the lemming knows that information, it will begin addressing the player by name and wish the player a happy birthday when the phone's date matches the player's birthday. If the player fails to check on their lemming for a certain period of time, it will run away and leave a note stating that it went to jump off a cliff. If the player keeps their lemming alive long enough, they unlock various rewards at certain milestones. These rewards are not accessible in the present day, as they were distrubuted through a now-defunct online service.
A lemming refusing to eat.
Taming[]
When the player is first presented with their lemming, it's feral and badly behaved, so they must take some time to interact with the lemming and get it to listen to them before unlocking minigames. The player starts with 50 emeralds that can be used to buy food, drink, or medicine for their lemming. Without minigames, the player cannot earn more emeralds, but when they run out, the LPL will send some more until the lemming becomes tame. Sometimes the lemming will refuse to eat, and the game suggests that the player send the lemming to its crate to punish it, adding that "The longer it spends in its crate, the more obedient it gets." The player has the option to simply ask again as well.
Training[]
Eventually, the lemming becomes tame and the minigames are unlocked. Minigames serve to earn the player emeralds, boost the lemming's mood, and train its proficiency at various skills. There are 6 different minigames that each focus on a certain skill or skills.
Float Lemming Float! (Hang glider difficulty)
Minigames[]
- Explode-o-lemming: Exploder
- Jetpack Jive: Jet pack
- Float Lemming Float!: Ballooner, Parachuter, Hang glider
- Dig For Gold: Digger, Basher
- Hasty Lemming: Runner, (Roller-)Skater, Skier
- Target Thrower: Mortar, Spearer, Archer
Ranking[]
The lemming's proficiency in each skill is measured by a ranking system, with each successive rank requiring substantially more points to earn than the last. In order, they are Beginner, Trainee, Amateur, Professional, Expert, You are the best!, and You are a Superlem!
A failed release.
Releasing[]
When the lemming is proficient at enough skills, the player can release the lemming back to its tribe. The player must take care to let the lemming rest (by closing the game) and feed it one last time right before releasing it, since the lemming's fate is dependent on both the ranks is has in each of its skills and its status at the moment of release. Once the player chooses to release it, a text box appears telling the player what happened and, if the lemming met an unfortunate fate, what to do next time. Regardless of what happens, the player can have the LPL send another lemming to their mobile phone to start the process again.