Lomax

Finally, a Lemmings game without all that pain-in-the-ass indirect control garbage everybody hated so much. Lomax (or The Adventures of Lomax, but only on the cover) is a fast-paced platforming spin-off which also serves as a spiritual successor to The Misadventures of Flink on the Genesis/Sega CD.

Unused Text
All of the game's text (in multiple languages) is included in the file GAME.TXT in the disc's root. Even the outwardly English-only American release features the full text in French, German, Italian and Spanish, meaning these localizations technically go unused. However, they are used in the PAL version.

Leftover Demo Text
The American and European versions contain what appears to be leftover text from a demo version. On the US version, only the English and German translations are finished, and it was left untranslated in French, Italian, and Spanish. The November '96 date and completed translations suggest this demo was intended for the European market.

Memory Card Loading/Saving
Lomax uses a password save system, but a number of leftover strings imply the game was intended to support memory card saves.

SAVE/LOAD-MENU MEMORY CARD 1 IS UNFORMATTED! MEMORY CARD 2 IS UNFORMATTED! NO MEMORY CARD(S) INSERTED NO MEMORY CARD(S) FOUND SELECT MEMORY CARD 1 OR 2 ERROR CREATE NEW FILE IN MEMORY CARD %d? MEMORY CARD %d REMOVED MEMORY CARD FULL MEMORY CARD %d READ ERROR FILE CORRUPT ERROR WHILE WRITING SAVING... ARE YOU SURE? OVERWRITE EXISTING GAME?

Frame Rate Settings
Among all of the other Options screen strings are settings to allow the user to switch between 50Hz and 60Hz display modes. These strings are translated for each language, but they do not usually appear within the game (even in the PAL version, where they would be most useful).

FRAME RATE 50 FRAMES 60 FRAMES

Debug Features
As in Flink, Lomax has some very simple debug features which are enabled via a button-code in- game: first, hold Down + Start. Release both, then hold Up + Triangle + Circle + X + Square. Release Up, and if entered correctly a tiny number sequence will appear at the center left of screen - it's quite easy to miss that the code has actually worked.

These numbers represent the current level and sub-area. By pressing L1 + Select, the level can be incremented up to 22 before looping back to 1. Pressing L1 + Start will load the selected level. Sub-areas cannot be selected by button sequence, but a free movement feature can be enabled by pressing L1 + Square. Lomax will begin flying, and though difficult to control, is completely invulnerable and can be taken directly to the end of the sub-area. The same button combination will restore control to normal.