Ecco the Dolphin was released for the SEGA Genesis in August 1992. This was a time when I felt SEGA could do no wrong. I had rented Ecco for a day or two then, but I didn't play all of it until March of 1993, when much of the USA got hit with the winter "Storm of the Century", as it came to be called. I had purchased Ecco on Friday, and we got snowed-in over the weekend. Fortunately for me, we never lost our electricity, because I had nothing else to do except play my new game Ecco on my Genesis all day Saturday and Sunday. I got aggravated that I couldn't figure out one level, or get over a wall in another, but I persevered, and I was hooked on the Ecco experience. I really enjoyed the theme, level design, and the puzzles. I eventually did beat the game. I will never forget the DIFFICULTY of the alien levels , including "Welcome to the machine"!

Yes, fortunately for me we didn't lose electricity with the blizzard. It was unfortunate for the wife, because Ecco's shrill sonar sound drove her crazy , and to this day I don't dare play Ecco in her presence without the implied threat of extreme duress.

Later, I played Ecco the Dolphin CD , which had some new levels , some FMV (the cool kind - CG graphics video, which was similar to the game's style, and well within the SEGA CD's color and resolution limitations), and a very atmospheric new CD soundtrack. Pumping through my old-school Fisher stereo system w/15" woofer speaker cabinets, SEGA games really sounded sweet.

So when the Dreamcast debuted, I eagerly picked up the new version of Ecco the Dolphin in 2000, and lately I've been replaying it in 2015. On the first night I played for a while, but only reached the 2nd area, which actually has one of the most exciting parts of the entire game - Ecco vs a Great White Shark.

The plot goes on to involve things we'd seen in the 2D Ecco games, like time travel and the aliens and trying to jump from water bubbles up in the sky (similar to Ecco Tides of Time). Atari Age member Maurice Molyneaux (Big Mo) scripted some of the plot, as I recall. I beat it back in the day, but I can't recall the ending. I'll have to beat Ecco: DotF again this fall as time allows.

Concerning the game itself - my opinion of it hasn't changed since I first played in in 2000/2001. The game's goals are often obtuse and the gameplay is too difficult. I didn't mind it back when the game was new, but it is now annoying trying to enjoy some levels in a more limited time frame. It takes me at least an hour to familiarize myself with the level, its objectives, to hunt for Vitalis thingies, and to stop getting turned around and lost. I guess I should check out a FAQ or Guide. Mind you, the Genesis Ecco games were also just like this - obtuse goals and high difficulty. But they were in left-right-up-down 2D and hence not as hard to make progress as in this version. In stage 1, I spent at least 10 minutes just trying to line-up Ecco and then forcefully jump out of the water to grab a floating Vitalit. I could see it! But in the 3D space, the game engine is merciless and will not guide you towards the Vitalit, not even a few pixels (erm, Polygons...). Imagine playing Mario 64 and you had to spend 10 minutes trying to jump up and grab a Star that was just above you.

It is interesting to observe how developers take a historically 2D game series and make a 3D-movement sequel. For example, much praise has been written about how perfectly Nintendo translated 2D Mario into 3D Super Mario 64. I agree with that. What a well-crafted game, Mario 64. It had far higher quality and was more accessible and enjoyable in its nature than any of the other 3D-space platformers that were around back then. I could also mention the phenomenal job that Retro Studios did with Gamecube Metroid Prime, converting 2D gameplay into not only 3D, but also into a first-person-perspective game.! Awesome job with Nintendo's trademark quality control and playability.

To a lesser degree perhaps, but I was also impressed with SEGA's attempt to bring Sonic into 3D with the Sonic action stages of Sonic Adventure, on the Dreamcast. The design and artwork in Sonic's action stages was a perfect translation of 2D Genesis games to 3D Dreamcast stages; but the execution wasn't perfect. You'd fight the camera, you couldn't easily control Sonic's direction at fast speeds, sometimes you'd fall through the 'floor' and die.

Getting back to Ecco: DotF, I am very impressed by the 3D engine and the translation of the 2D gameplay mechanics into this 3D world. The design here seems very well thought-out and apt, the visuals are often stunning and beautiful, and the game is exciting and scary a lot of times. You can really have fun just exploring each level.

But the execution has problems when it comes to gameplay. The biggest problem is how easily it can be to get 'turned around' and lose what direction you are facing. The sonar map is not very helpful in this version. I have read that the PS2 port of Ecco had an improved sonar map, so the developers must agree with me! Even in stage one, I often can't tell which dolpin is the master and which are the players, and I get turned around and can't tell where to go. If you think it's bad there, wait until you have to travel through pitch dark caverns with deadly puffer fish attacking from left and right, and in your urge to escape, you inadvertently turn around and end up at the opening of the cave again. Or, get stuck against the cave wall and get killed.

My comments serve only as a warning to you, if you want to try out Ecco on Dreamcast. Know what you are getting into. If you enjoyed the Ed Annunziata Ecco games on Genesis, you will likely have a big smile on your face each time a new stage loads! Whether the smile lasts depends on if you have the time to invest to gain the familiarity and skills to progress to the end of the game.

Also check out my 'review' of the game for a Digital Press contest, back in 2002... sorry for using the word 'retard' in it, I was quoting somebody from Sling Blade you see ....

http://www.digitpress.com/reviews/ecco.htm