Last Lemming^*

Last Lemming is a cheeky trick-taking game by Marco Teubner for 3 to 6 players aged 10 and up. Push your lemming toward the cliff edge, but not over it.

What's it about?

Ravensburger bills it as "a trick-taking tragedy in four acts". Ancient Romans meet lemmings on a 24-space track that ends at a cliff. Each player guides one lemming. You want to get as close to the edge as you can. Go one step too far, though, and your lemming takes the plunge.

How it plays

Every act follows the same pattern:

1. You are dealt 12 cards and pick 8 of them for the act.
2. The lead player plays a card. You must follow suit if you can.
3. The highest number in the led suit wins and leads the next trick.
4. Lemmings move forward or back as the rule cards dictate.
5. After 8 tricks the act ends and the next one begins.

Cards run from -5 to 12. There are also X cards, which you may play at any time, even when you could follow suit.

What makes it stand out

• Four rule cards per act change how the lemmings move.
• Sometimes you want to win tricks, sometimes you want to dodge them.
• Only one lemming fits on a space. Land on someone and you shove them one space ahead.
• Fall off the cliff or into a hole and you return a victory point and rejoin the queue.

After four acts, the player with the most victory points wins. A game takes about 40 minutes.

Who is it for?

It suits groups who already know trick-taking games and enjoy a little spite. The shoving brings plenty of laughs, and a few groans too.

Conclusion

Last Lemming takes classic follow-suit play and bolts a nasty little race on top. The shifting rules keep each game fresh. Trick-taking fans will have a great time. Players who prefer calm planning without take-that chaos may find the pushing too random.