Each level presents a scrolling side-view landscape with a release point, an exit, hazards, and a required number of survivors. Lemmings walk continuously, so the player must alter their behavior by selecting skills at the right moment.

Available abilities can make a lemming climb, float, block others, build bridges, bash through walls, mine downward, or dig vertically. Levels are organized into themed difficulty groups with limited skill supplies and increasingly strict survival requirements. The goal is to rescue the required quota before the time limit expires.

Study the entire route before spending a skill. Blockers, builders, and diggers often need to be used in a precise order, so avoid assigning an ability merely to stop an immediate problem.

Keep track of the required survival percentage and the time limit. When possible, create a safe route first, then release or redirect the remaining lemmings. A sacrificial lemming can sometimes reveal the correct timing for a dangerous section.