The following traps are encountered in Lemmings: The Puzzle Adventure.
Multi-Lemming Triggered Traps[]
Retractile spikes[]
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Retractile spikes are destructible blocks that conceal numerous spikes which extend and retract through holes on top of the block. As a multi-triggered trap, the spikes stab out whenever a lemming steps on the trap and it impales everyone caught walking over the trap.
Retractile spikes in both its dormant (left) and activated state (right). The trap hides another set of retractile spikes underneath.
- Retractile spike traps look very similar to normal destructible blocks but can still be identified by spotting the littered lemming skulls and bones left on top of the trap
- Because of their appearance, they can become difficult to spot when sandwiched between other blocks or when obscured by environmental obstacles like darkness
- Retractile spikes rarely appear alone in a level
- Builders are strangely invincible to the retractile spikes, being able to walk over the extended spikes while in the process of building stairs
- Damaging the trap to about 75% health will deactivate the trap entirely
- The trap can be safely excavated and destroyed from the sides
- The trap becomes completely inactive for a few seconds after the spikes retract, making it possible for a digger to excavate the trap from the top
- Using a Trap Disable booster on a retractile spikes trap will turn it into a normal destructible block
Mine traps[]
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Mine traps are characterized by a skull and crossbones yellow warning sign placed on top of an indestructible steel block. As a multi-triggered trap, it instantly detonates when stepped on, killing all lemmings walking over the trap when the explosion is triggered.
- Mine traps can be bypassed by building stairs over them
- When dropping down to a mine trap from any height, it is possible for a floater to land at the foot of the trap and thereby avoid triggering it (done by using an umbrella (parasol) immediately at drop-off); making it possible to build stairs and bypass the trap
- Lemmings in mid-air (specially floaters) near the explosion can be pushed by the blast a number of tiles back
- Mine traps also explode when adjacent explosive blocks and/or dynamite are detonated
Explosive blocks[]
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Explosive blocks are destructible blocks booby trapped to explode when destroyed. The resulting explosion kills all lemmings, destroys all destructible blocks and lemming-made structures, and detonates all other explosives (other explosive blocks, dynamite and/or land mines) found in adjacent tiles.
- Explosive blocks produce a 3x3 tile blast area around the trap
- Explosive blocks can be detonated by other traps such as extended saw traps, falling piercing rocks, piercing laser beams, and other explosive blocks
- Lemmings in mid-air and very near the explosion (specially floaters) can get knocked a few tiles back
- Lemmings sometimes escape the explosion when at the very edge of the 3x3 tile blast area
- Using a Trap Disable booster on an explosive block will turn it into a normal destructible block
Timed Traps[]
Saw traps[]
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A saw trap in its inactive (L) and active (R) states
Saw traps are a common trap especially in earlier worlds. The trap looks identical to an indestructible block except for a saw disk partially peaking out from its underside; it occupies almost half of the tile below the block. As a timed trap, the saw disk cyclically activates approximately every 24 seconds.
When the trap activates, sparks will start flying off the saw disk as it is spun and thrust downwards, killing any Lemmings caught under the blade. After a few seconds, the saw disk retracts as it stops, making the bottom half of the tile once again safe for Lemmings to pass through.
- Because of the circular shape of the the saw disk, it will never reach the bottom corners of the tile
- A set of Stairs built in the tile directly below the trap allows Lemmings to safely walk past the corners beside the trap
- Any Lemming that comes into contact with the saw disk, either via the Balloon instruction or after being carried there by a bubble, will sometimes get instantly killed by the trap even when it is inactive
Saw trap extended[]
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The extended saw trap in both its inactive (L) and active (R) states
A lemming avoiding the extended saw trap by floating down
The upgraded saw trap (officially, the saw trap extended) is a deadlier version of the (basic) saw trap. Similar in structure to its predecessor, the trap itself is encased in an indestructible steel block with a mechanism holding the saw coming out of an opening near the center of the block. The saw, composed of six curved blades arranged circularly, remains stationary until activation; exposing only 3 or 4 of the blades during rest.
As a timed trap, the saw's mechanism cyclically activates (approximately) every 20 seconds. When activated, the blades begin to spin as the arm lowers the saw near the ground, killing any of the unlucky lemmings caught walking under the trap. Two pairs of smaller arms are also simultaneously extended side-wards, with a pair holding smaller blades that slice at the top and midsection of the adjacent tiles to the left and the right. Another pair of arms, with even smaller blades, also extend down to slice at the bottom corners of the central tile.
- The blades are capable of destroying destructible blocks given 4 hits from the trap
- Any of the blades will instantly kill a lemming upon contact, including those carried by balloons or bubbles towards the blades, sometimes even when the trap is at rest
- The entire central tile becomes a fatal zone while the saws are active
- Blockers staying at the center of the adjacent tiles remain safe and out of reach of the blades
- Floaters can avoid the reach of the saws by using an umbrella (parasol) to float down while sticking close to the far edges of the adjacent tile
Falling rocks[]
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Falling rock
Falling rocks are debris that drop from fractured steel blocks.
As a timed trap, the rock falls every 20 seconds (approximately) and crushes any unfortunate lemming caught under its weight. The debris falls straight down and is dispersed once it hits the ground, hits indestructible blocks, or hits any lemming structure.
- A falling rock is preempted by loose dirt crumbling away from the trap before the drop, making it possible to predict and even dodge the rocks using instructions
- Falling rocks can be avoided mid-air by using gliders
- Any lemming-built structure can safeguard against falling rocks, making it possible for lemmings to take shelter under bridges or by ducking in or under stairs
- Builders are sometimes protected from the impact of falling rocks by the stairs they are in the process of building (inconsistently, in between having just placed a brick and before stepping on it)
- Falling rocks can be intercepted and destroyed by some traps, namely by extended saws and smoke monsters
- Falling rocks detonate dynamite
- Lemmings inside bubbles are generally protected from falling rocks
Falling piercing rocks[]
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Falling piercing rock
Falling piercing rocks are debris that destroy destructible blocks over time. They fall from fractured steel blocks and the trap is considered an upgraded version of the basic falling rocks trap.
The trap assumes all of the same behavior as falling rocks but has a piercing property that damages destructible blocks upon impact.
- Piercing falling rocks can destroy and trigger explosive block traps
- Due to the rounder shape of piercing falling rocks, floaters at the very edge of tiles can sometimes completely avoid being hit by the debris
Laser beams[]
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Sped-up sequence of a blue laser beam charging and firing, looped without its 10-second (approx.) inactive state
Laser beams are deadly beams of intense blue light which instantly decimate all lemmings touched by the laser. The laser itself is generated from mechanisms encased within indestructible steel blocks.
As a timed trap, the laser beam is fired at approximately every 15 seconds with the trap requiring a few seconds to charge before finally releasing the blast, which is then sustained for another two seconds.
- All instances of the trap are always fired synchronously
- Laser beams can be completely stopped by any solid block or structure excluding stairs
- Stairs deflect laser beams at a 45 degree angle
- Light indicators helps identify the would-be direction of a laser beam blast
- It is possible for a lemming to dodge the path of a vertical laser beam in mid-air by using an umbrella (parasol) at drop-off, clinging to the edges of the tiles in the laser's path
- Laser beams go through electric traps, electric trap zappers, and smoke monsters
Piercing laser beams[]
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Piercing laser beams are upgraded versions of laser beams (and thus shares all of the same properties as its predecessor) but instead uses intense red light that is damaging to destructible blocks - capable of destroying them over time.
Fire traps[]
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Fire traps are indestructible steel blocks with three crevices on the surface of the trap which each spew out a columns of flames, engulfing almost the entire tile above and immolating lemmings caught walking over the trap. As a timed trap, the flames are cyclically cast out every 20 seconds (approximately).
Leftward/Rightward Fire Trap
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An advanced version of the fire trap can throw flames either to the left or to the right of the trap, streaming out three rows of flames that engulf the diagonal half of the adjacent tile.
Fire Trap Properties
- The flames last for 2 to 3 seconds and pass through structures, making them impossible to block, cover, or smother
- The flames only burn lemmings
- It is possible to create structures that bypass any of the trap's flames
- On stairs positioned below a sidewards fire trap, the fire may still reach and kill descending lemmings even when the stairs leads away from the trap (this behavior is unique to when lemmings descend the stairs and the same set of stairs is always safe to ascend)
- Floaters right next to a sidewards fire trap can stay safely out of reach of its fire by floating down from the far edge of the trap's reach (done by using an umbrella squarely at drop off)
Smokers[]
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Smokers are non-lethal traps which emit clouds of smoke. The trap is characterized by an indestructible steel block with a deep fissure running from the top of the block down to the middle. As a timed trap, the fissure cyclically generates a smoke screen every 20 seconds (approximately) which quickly spreads to neighboring tiles, heavily concealing the trap and all the tiles adjacent to it.
- The smoke screen approximately lasts 9 to 10 seconds before dispersing on its own
- While the smoke screen only heavily masks the tiles adjacent to the trap, varying degrees of visual obstruction can also be observed from up to 3 tiles away from the trap
- The smoke cannot be stopped or otherwise impeded or dispersed, passing through objects and structures to mask adjacent tiles
- The trap itself is non-lethal but can easily lead to casualties when strategically paired with other traps
Smoke monsters[]
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Smoke monsters are traps characterized by an indestructible steel block embellished to look like a skull. The trap continually generates a non-lethal haze that reduces visibility in an area 2 tiles high and 3 tiles wide on top of the trap. Cyclically (approximately every 30 seconds), a monster randomly appears in 1 of the dimmed tiles, initially appearing as a faint sliver of red light before fully manifesting as a red luminescent creature that attacks the tile; instantly killing any lemming that makes contact with the monster. After a few seconds, it then slowly fades back into the smoke.
- The trap is unpredictable and often requires constant supervision
- Each smoke monster trap placed next to another will multiply the effects of the haze wherever they overlap, sometimes even reducing visibility within the haze to complete darkness
- The Lights On booster cannot be used on haze, regardless of how amplified its effects are
- The first animation sequence of the trap is always delayed by a few seconds, this delay can then be significantly compounded up to minutes by adding enough smoke monsters in a level
Continuous Traps[]
Bubble traps[]
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Bubble traps are indestructible steel blocks with the mechanism to produce and release bubbles through sleets on top of the trap. As a continuous trap, the bubbles are produced non-stop and act as mild visual obstructions. Some of the produced bubbles are large enough however that they can entrap an unfortunate lemming who crosses its path. Once captured, the lemming is carried up in the air and released only when the bubble bursts, usually from coming into contact with the ceiling or with another structure.
The trap and the bubbles themselves are non-lethal, relying on the environment to produce fatalities by capturing a lemming and:
- Dropping them at a fatal height of more than 2 tiles high
- Releasing them over water tiles and other traps
- Carrying them towards the path of laser beams and other projectiles
- Carrying them into direct contact with saw traps and similar traps that kill upon contact
Water tiles[]
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Water tiles are traps consisting of an indestructible container of water that drowns any lemming who plunges into the trap.
- The color of the liquid used in the trap often changes depending on the environment of the world the level is set in
- A set of stairs built over the trap is often enough to bypass it
- When dropping down into a water trap from any height, it is possible for a floater to land at the ground at the very edge of the water by using an umbrella (parasol) immediately at drop-off although this does not work when dropping off lemming-built structures
- The trap is considered part of the ground, preventing lemmings from gliding directly above the trap
Boiling water tiles[]
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Boiling water tiles are water tile traps that continuously generate bubbles.
Electric traps[]
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Electric trap
Electric traps are traps composed of 3 spherical electrodes sitting on top of a pair of coils extending from the core spherical body, forming a Y-shaped mechanism. The entire trap fits inside a single tile and, as a continuous trap, constantly generates electricity which envelopes the entire mechanism; electrocuting any lemming coming into contact with the trap.
- The Y-shaped trap allows lemmings to traverse the bottom corners of the tile it occupies
- The trap safely disperses falling rocks and falling piercing rocks but electricity, laser beams, and fire simply pass through it
- It is not possible to glide on the tile above the trap
Timed / Continuous Traps[]
Electric trap zappers[]
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An electric trap zapper in both its passive (L) and active state (R)
Electric trap zappers are electric traps characterized by 4 electrodes arranged around a spherical power source that forms a plus-shaped mechanism. The entire trap fits inside a single tile.
As a timed trap, each of the trap's electrodes cyclically and synchronously generate a high-voltage surge of electricity every 15 seconds (approximately), discharging short bursts of electricity that arcs outwards from each of the 4 electrodes. As a continuous trap, the entire mechanism is constantly electrified and will electrocute all lemmings that makes contact.
- The zaps reach almost a full tile's width/height
- It is possible to avoid getting zapped by remaining at the far edge of the trap
- The corners of the trap remains free of any electricity and can be traversed
Other traps[]
Glitched traps[]
The following traps have briefly appeared in-game either in planets or challenges before getting replaced by their standard versions.
Exploding bubble trap[]
The exploding bubble trap is a mysterious bubble trap which cyclically produces a giant domed bubble which simply stays on the surface of the trap. The bubble will then burst once big enough and will kill all lemmings within contact at the time of explosion.
Fire pit[]
The fire pit is a mysterious fire trap which cyclically discharges a violent blast of fire. Strangely, lemmings heading towards the trap will adamantly refuse to step on it and will instead walk away from the trap regardless of the presence of any flames. Intermittently, some lemmings who attempt to turn back will get instantly burned even if flames are absent.
Level design[]
A vicious level design can prove to be a trap of its own considering that lemmings can also:
- die when falling from a height close to or exceeding 3 tiles
- can get trapped within a level either by placing the wrong instructions or by not having suitable instructions to solve a level
- can get trapped inside a pit where an exit portal blocks the placement of instructions
Timing Notes[]
- When dealing with multiple instances of the same kind of timed trap, most traps (including the electric trap zapper but excluding laser beams and piercing laser beams) are initially programmed to fire with a delay such that they fire one after the other in a cascading manner.
- Unless the level contains a huge amount of the same kind of timed trap, two (2) instances of the same trap will never fire simultaneously
- Smoke monster traps entirely skip their initial animation and the supposed first time the smoke monster should appear. The very first smoke monster of the level will also only appear after the last smoke monster trap has been skipped. When factored together with the cascading delays, a large amount of smoke monster traps will then take some time before an actual smoke monster appearance.