References in Lemmings level names

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The Lemmings games by Psygnosis included many levels whose names contained references to other works. Note that many are puns involving the word "lemming".

Contents

[edit] Lemmings

  • Fun
    • Level 13: We all fall down: a lyric from the nursery rhyme Ring around the rosey. This level is repeated, with no changes except for more lemmings, at each difficulty level.
    • Level 14: Origins and Lemmings: a pun on the nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons, or perhaps an allusion to Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species, or "Origins and Endings."
    • Level 18: Let's block and blow: a pun on the military phrase "lock and load".
    • Level 20: We are now at LEMCON ONE: a pun on DEFCON.
    • Level 21: You Live and Lem: a pun on the proverb "you live and learn".
    • Level 22: A Beast of a Level: reference to Psygnosis's earlier game Shadow of the Beast. The level features graphics from that game.
    • Level 23: I've lost that Lemming feeling: reference to the song "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling", by the Righteous Brothers.
    • Level 24: Konbanwa Lemming san: Japanese for "Good evening, Mr. Lemming".
    • Level 25: Lemmings Lemmings everywhere: reference to a line from the poem Rime of the Ancient Mariner, "Water water everywhere...".
    • Level 26: Nightmare on Lem street: anagram of the film series Nightmare on Elm Street.
    • Level 27: Let's be careful out there!: reference to a catchphrase from Hill Street Blues.
    • Level 29: worra lorra lemmings: parody of Cilla Black's catchphrase.
  • Tricky
    • Level 4: Here's one I prepared earlier: catchphrase from Blue Peter.
    • Level 5: Careless clicking costs lives: reference to the World War II-era poster slogan "careless talk costs lives".
    • Level 6: Lemmingology: faux-neologism meaning "the study of Lemmings."
    • Level 11: Lemmings in the attic: a pun on the phrase Toys in the Attic, meaning "insane". Might also be a reference to the film Flowers in the Attic, or simply to the layout of the level.
    • Level 12: Bitter Lemming: pun on bitter lemon, the drink.
    • Level 13: Lemming Drops: pun on lemon drops, the sweets. Also refers to the level layout.
    • Level 14: MENACING !!: reference to Psygnosis's earlier game Menace, featuring graphics from that game.
    • Level 16: Luvly Jubly: Del Trotter's catchphrase from Only Fools and Horses.
    • Level 17: Diet Lemmingaid: pun on the drink "diet lemonade" and Drinking the Kool-Aid. It is "diet" since there are only two bombers.
    • Level 18: It's Lemmingentry Watson: refers to "Elementary, [my dear] Watson," a phrase attributed to Sherlock Holmes.
    • Level 21 (PC, Amiga, Archimedes and PSP only): All the 6's ........: Refers to the mark of the beast as found in Revelation chapter 13. Also how a bingo caller would announce the number "66". Almost every number in the level is a 6 (e.g. 66% of Lemmings must be rescued.)
    • Level 22: Turn around young Lemmings!: reference to Buster Keaton's film Go West.
    • Level 23: From the boundary line: possible sports reference.
    • Level 26: I have a cunning plan: Baldrick's catchphrase from the Blackadder TV show.
    • Level 28: The Island of the Wicker people: a reference to a line spoken by the journalist Knox, in the 1989 film Batman - "this must be the King of the Wicker people".[1]
    • Level 29: Rainbow Island: reference to the Taito game Rainbow Islands.
  • Taxing
    • Level 1: If at first you don't succeed...: part of the phrase ending "...try again."
    • Level 3: Heaven can wait (we hope!!!): reference to Heaven Can Wait, a song by Meatloaf from the album Bat Out Of Hell in 1977. Also a film made in 1978, by Warren Beatty and Buck Henry.
    • Level 7: Every Lemming for Himself!!!: spinoff on phrase "Every man for himself!". The level design looks a little like a ship broken in half (think sinking ship).
    • Level 10: Izzie Wizzie lemmings get busy: reference to a catchphrase from Sooty and Sweep.
    • Level 12: Livin' on the edge: A phrase that describes an adventurous person, also a hint on how to beat the level. This is not a reference to the Aerosmith song of the same name which was released in 1993, two years after Lemmings.
    • Level 14: Hunt the Nessy....: The terrain is shaped like the Loch Ness monster. The lemmings must tunnel through the "neck" of the Nessy.
    • Level 15: What an AWESOME level: reference to Psygnosis's earlier game Awesome, featuring graphics from that game.
    • Level 16: Mary Poppins' land: Mary Poppins, the fictional magical nanny, flies using an umbrella, rather like the many Floaters used in this level.
    • Level 17: X marks the spot: common phrase found on fictional treasure maps.
    • Level 18: Tribute to M.C.Escher: direct reference to M.C. Escher, 20th century artist.
    • Level 19: Bomboozal: pun on bamboozle, meaning to fool, confuse, or trick. Also a reference to Commodore 64 game Bomb Uzal.
    • Level 23: King of the Castle: an allusion to the common children's chant, "I'm king of the castle, and you're a dirty rascal".
    • Level 27: Call in the bomb squad: refers to the bomb squad, or the Government's bomb disposal system.
  • Mayhem
    • Level 8: Last one out is a rotten egg!: reference to the old saying.
    • Level 10: Pillars of Hercules: draws a parallel between the level design and the Pillars of Hercules.
    • Level 12: The Far Side: possible reference to Gary Larson's The Far Side, or maybe the "far side" of the moon. The level involves guiding the lemmings to the other side of a metal wall.
    • Level 16: Just a Minute...: wordplay on the expression, as the level has a one-minute time limit.
    • Level 18: And then there were four....: refers to And Then There Were None, an Agatha Christie novel, and a 1945 film by René Clair.
    • Level 20: No added colours or Lemmings: ironic pun on the phrase "no added colours or preservatives"; the level is a repeat, and this one has 40 more lemmings.
    • Level 21: With a twist of Lemming please: pun on the phrase "twist of lemon".
    • Level 22: A BeastII of a level: reference to Psygnosis's earlier game Shadow of the Beast II.
    • Level 26: The Steel Mines of Kessel: reference to the planet Kessel in Star Wars.

[edit] Oh No! More Lemmings

  • Wicked
    • Level 2: Introducing SuperLemming, refers to Superman.
    • Level 7: Last Lemming to Lemmingcentral, refers to the song Last Train to Trancentral by acid house duo The KLF.
    • Level 11: Rocky Road, refers to the ice-cream flavor Rocky road, and the level design.
    • Level 15: Spam, Spam, Spam Egg and Lemming, refers to Monty Python.
    • Level 16: Five Alive, refers to the level, where it is only possible to save 5 out of 6 lemmings. Also references: Five Alive a brand of carton fruit juice drinks, popular in the early '90s.
  • Havoc
    • Level 1: Tubular Lemming, reference to the 1973 Mike Oldfield album, Tubular Bells
    • Level 5: There's Madness in the Method, reversal of the phrase "there's method in the madness".
    • Level 15: Have an Ice Day, pun on phrase "Have a nice day".
    • Level 17: Where Lemmings Dare, reference to Where Eagles Dare, 1968.

[edit] Lemmings 2: The Tribes

Many of the level names for this sequel are either hints or simple descriptions of the layout of the level.

  • Beach
    • Level 2: The Barley Mow: a chain of pubs in England.
  • Outdoor
    • Level 4: Deliverance?: direct reference to the movie Deliverance, which also featured canoes.
    • Level 7: Natural Selection: reference to Charles Darwin
  • Medieval
    • Level 1: LEMMING OF NOTTINGHAM: pun on Sheriff of Nottingham.
    • Level 9: LEMMING IN DISTRESS!!: pun on phrase "damsel in distress", reference to the archetypical story of the medieval knight saving the princess from the dragon. The level design has a dragon right next to and facing the goal which is a castle.
  • Classic
    • Level 1: Do you remember?: meant to refresh memory of the original Lemmings.
    • Level 2: Mr Lemmy Lives Next Door: reference to the short film Mr Jolly Lives Next Door from The Comic Strip Presents.
    • Level 3: LEMTRIS: reference to the computer game Tetris. This level features obstacles in the shape of Tetris pieces.
    • Level 4: Tension Sheet, Good Idea: reference to the Tension Sheet, a fictional invention from Red Dwarf.
    • Level 5: The Magnificent Severn: reference to the movie The Magnificent Seven. The River Severn is a reference to John Milton's Comus.
    • Level 6: The Starry Threshold: the first line of Comus.
    • Level 8: The Secret Of LEMH: reference to the movie The Secret of NIMH.
    • Level 9: Flying The Mad Pursuit: another line from Comus.
  • Egyptian
    • Level 1: Two's Company: reference to the proverb, "Two's company, three's a crowd", possibly also to the sitcom Three's Company. The level is so-called because there are two entrances.
  • Circus
    • Level 8: PLAY THAT FUNKY LEMMING: reference to the song Play That Funky Music by Wild Cherry.
  • Highland
    • Level 5: DONALD WHARS YER LEMMING: reference to the Scottish song Donald, whars yer troosers?
    • Level 6: Brigadoom!: pun on the musical Brigadoon
    • Level 8: The White Heather Club: a Scottish TV show.
  • Polar
    • Level 2: Ice Ice Lemy: reference to the song Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice.
    • Level 3: Snow More Lems: pun on the phrase "[There]'s no more lem[ming]s."
  • Shadow
    • Level 1: Land of OZ!: reference to the Wizard of Oz, and level design.
    • Level 3: Twin Bleeps: reference to Twin Peaks, and level design.
    • Level 5: Swingadingding: reference to the swinging rope in the level; also a possible reference to the song Jesus Built My Hotrod by Ministry.
  • Sports
    • Level 1: Ceci n'est pas une pipe.: reference to painting of same name by René Magritte.
    • Level 3: The Octathalon!: a (hypothetical) sporting competition with eight events. Contrast triathlon, pentathlon, and decathlon.
    • Level 4: RRRACKETEERZ!: refers to level layout, and possibly a pun on Musketeers. Also might refer to racketeering.

[edit] Holiday Lemmings 91-94

[edit] Lemmings (PSP remake)

  • Special
    • Level 9: Pillar Talking: pun on the phrase pillow talk.
    • Level 10: Just 17: reference to Team17, developers of the remake, as well as the fact that the target number of Lemmings to save on this level is 17. Possibly also a reference to 'Just 17' (now J17), a UK magazine aimed at teenage girls.
    • Level 11: Down the line: reference to commonly used phrase meaning "in the future".
    • Level 12: A to B: summary of a journey from one point to another. Also named after level design.
    • Level 13: Chain Reaction: Scientific terminology, possible reference to the song of the same name.
    • Level 14: Tunnel vision: reference to medical condition.
    • Level 17: Release is the word: play on the song "Grease (is the word)" from the movie musical Grease.
    • Level 18: The run around: Commonly used English phrase - to give someone "the run around" is to lead them on.
    • Level 24: ...with a little help from my Lem: A reference to The Beatles' song "With a Little Help from My Friends".
    • Level 26: Back of the net: A common football phrase, referring to a powerful kick that scores a goal. The level comprises a large net.
    • Level 29: A Bridge Over Lemming Slaughter: Pun on the song title "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ From Mike Dailly's "The Story Of Lemmings": http://www.javalemmings.com/DMA/Lem_2.htm
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