Okay, I admit it - I spent most of my youth being addicted to Tetris and Lemmings. No matter how much they tried to revamp the series with success (The Tribes) and failure (Lemmings 3D) it is nice that for the PSP, Sony has gone back to the basics. Yes, it is time once again to step inside the time machine and revive another old classic. And by God, a classic it is!

I'm sure we have all played the game in some form on some format or other over the years, but I'll give you the basics anyway. You must guide a group of lemmings across increasingly hazardous landscapes and help them to safely reach the each level's exit. The catch? Upon release from their hatch, the lemmings carry on their way and will not stop walking, until they either hit an obstacle (at which point they head back the way they came) or they walk off a ledge and fall to their doom. To prevent this from happening, you must equip some of your lemmings with various abilities. These include Blockers, which are stationery lemmings used to stop the rest from going any further in a certain direction, Bashers, which dig tunnels in a straight line through obstacles, and Diggers, who use pickaxes to dig diagonally down to the area below, to name but a few. However, in each level you are only provided with a limited number of these abilities, and so players need to think very carefully about where to place their blockers or how many lemmings of each type you might need to complete the tasks ahead. Save the required amount of lemmings or more and you progress to the next level.

Lemmings is perfect for the PSP, as loading times are short and allow for quick games that some other PSP games have problems with. When you begin you are given sixteen levels, which allows even the worst player the chance to sample more than the first level, the rest becoming unlocked as you progress. My only real quibble with this game is one that could be personal to me, which concerns the controls. As a completely right-handed person, I find the game very difficult to control. I have always found, when this type of game is adapted to console, that controlling a cursor with my left hand is as comfortable as being painted red and introduced to a bull. However, in general, the controls are well adapted and accessible once you get used to them.

One of the game's main selling points is the level creator mode. This is a great feature that enables you to create the craziest or hardest level anyone has ever seen. With online capabilities, you can then upload your level to torture fellow Lemmings lovers! You can also download other people's levels, thus increasing the longevity of the game almost limitlessly. However, the process of creating a level is very time-consuming and would be more suited to a PC feature. It is at times very difficult to see what you are building and ultimately difficult to create a coherent and, most importantly, playable level. This is still a great feature and, for those with the patience, a great opportunity to take the role of a designer. For myself, after my pitiful attempts, it actually made me appreciate just how much hard work went into creating the levels contained within the actual game itself!

If I was to have another problem with Lemmings, it is that the Homebrew version has been available for some time, and so Sony really should have made this game more appealing to warrant the price. At full price it is really pushing the nostalgia level for what should be a budget title, despite the quality of the production and addictive nature of the game. The inclusion of more options or even a few photo or video packages of the Lemmings from the past would have been a nice little extra.

Rather than attempt to create 3D Lemmings, which has failed in the past, the designers have gone back to basics, which has brought more charm to the game. The Lemmings themselves are designed well, with the correct balance between walking pixilated blobs and actual 3D characters. I would be lying if I said these are easily identifiable on the PSP's screen, but they serve their purpose and make the game pleasing to the eye. However, on the move things can be difficult to view at times. The levels in the game are visually stunning, with a range of background themes from familiar favourites to all new ones, filled with many visual surprises to keep you entertained as you go

The sound is also basic, with familiar and new music throughout and these range from catchy to irritating themes. There is a feeling that the music goes along with the level; if it is easy, the music seems boppy and playful, but when the game is difficult, the music almost sounds mocking in its tone. In-game sounds effects are limited, however, what's here is all well chosen and the sound of Lemmings digging is like that of someone munching Cheerios. We still get the few Lemmings sounds that we will all remember from the original, including the infamous "Oh no!" that accompanies the unfortunate nuking of the troops!

The level design is fantastic, with multiple problems and obstacles to overcome, often requiring the usage of real tactics and timing - once you've figured out how the hell exactly you think you can get them to the exit safely, that is! Just when you think you have cracked it, say by digging a hole through the floor at a certain point, you realise that the ground below is too far away and all the lemmings impact with a splat! This leads to levels being played over and over again until you solve them. Some games of this nature can push you too far, to the point that it's so irritating that you've had enough. While Lemmings can frustrate at times, it's always with the promise of getting it right next time, and the addiction factor is so high that you cannot help but have another try at saving those loveable but dimwitted little fellows!

Lemmings really is a perfect PSP game. One of the best puzzlers ever conceived has been given a new lease of life. Unlike a lot of remakes, this game does not have a 'cheap cash-in' feel to it, as it retains all the addictiveness and authenticity of the classic original. Although the graphics are basic, this should not be seen as a negative, as simple is often better and, for a puzzle game, it looks great. As such, it really is a must have for on-the-go puzzle game fans and whether you're a hardened Lemmings veteran or haven't heard of it until now, it really is one of the finest games available on PSP. With 156 levels available, plus infinitely more downloadable to play from other fans of the game, there's enough to keep even the most skilled gamer playing until long after the Lemmings come home.

So what are you waiting for? Let's go!

Reviewed by David Simpson for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).