Ecco the Dolphin is a series of action-adventure video games developed by Appaloosa Interactive (previously known as Novotrade International) and published by Sega. They were originally developed for the Mega Drive/Genesis and Dreamcast video game consoles, and have been ported to numerous systems. The story follows the eponymous Ecco, a bottlenose dolphin, who fights extraterrestrial threats to the world. The games are known for their high difficulty.[1][2] Ecco was created by Ed Annunziata,[3] who also produced Chakan: The Forever Man, which was also released in December 1992.
| Ecco the Dolphin | |
|---|---|
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
| Developer(s) | Appaloosa Interactive |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Creator(s) | Ed Annunziata |
| Platform(s) | Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Microsoft Windows, Game Gear, Master System, Virtual Console, Cloud (OnLive), Steam, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 3DS |
| First release | Ecco the Dolphin 23 December 1992 |
| Latest release | Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future 16 June 2000 |
Games
edit| 1992 | Ecco the Dolphin |
|---|---|
| 1993 | |
| 1994 | Ecco: The Tides of Time |
| 1995 | Ecco Jr. |
| Ecco Jr. and the Great Ocean Treasure Hunt | |
| 1996 | |
| 1997 | |
| 1998 | |
| 1999 | |
| 2000 | Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future |
Ecco the Dolphin
editReleased in 1992, the original game followed the exploits of a young dolphin named Ecco as he searches the seas, and eventually time itself, for his missing pod.
Ecco: The Tides of Time
editReleased in 1994, the sequel follows Ecco's exploits after the conclusion of the original game as he travels the oceans, the past, and the future in his quest to save the planet once more.
Ecco Jr.
editReleased in 1995, this title was intended as edutainment and was less difficult than the previous two titles in series.
When Ecco and his friends find out Big Blue, a wise and famous whale, is nearby, they must do favors and break crystals in order to pass the stage and find him.
Ecco Jr. and the Great Ocean Treasure Hunt
editReleased in 1995, an edutainment game similar to Ecco Jr. on the Sega Genesis, this title was released on the Sega Pico. In this game, Ecco and his pals explore the ocean and the ruins that lie within to find various treasures. This game distinguishes itself by utilizing stylus control for the gameplay.
Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future
editReleased in 2000 for the Dreamcast and later ported to PlayStation 2, this title re-envisions the Ecco mythos in a new Earth with a new premise.[4]
Ecco II: Sentinels of the Universe (cancelled)
editA sequel to Defender of the Future was in development in 2001, but was cancelled due to the decline of the Dreamcast. A playable build of the game was leaked online in 2016.[5][6]
Ports and related media
editEcco the Dolphin and Ecco: The Tides of Time were both re-released for the Sega CD, Master System and Game Gear, and Defender of the Future was originally released for the Dreamcast and later re-released for the PlayStation 2. The Sega CD version of Ecco the Dolphin was ported to Microsoft Windows in 1995. Ecco the Dolphin was also re-released on the Game Boy Advance as part of the fourth Sega Smash Pack. Ecco the Dolphin, Ecco: The Tides of Time, and Ecco Jr. can be found on the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable game Sega Genesis Collection. All of the Mega Drive games have been released on Valve's Steam platform,[7][8][9] as well as being ported to Nintendo's Virtual Console[10] and the first game was ported to Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade.[11]
Two six-part comic book series of Ecco the Dolphin stories based on the first game were featured in Sonic the Comic in 1993 and 1995. Series one was written by Woodrow Phoenix the first two issues were drawn by Chris Webster, Steve White provided art for the remainder of the series. Alan Mckenzie wrote series 2.
Legal dispute and aftermath
editIn late 2016 series creator Ed Annunziata reached a settlement with Sega regarding the legal rights to the franchise. The attempt to regain the intellectual property rights, in part, arose from Annunziata's unsuccessful attempt to make a spiritual successor called The Big Blue funded through Kickstarter which could not use the Ecco name. Although the exact details of the settlement were unclear, it was believed by media outlets including Venture Beat that it could pave the way for a new installment in the franchise by Annunziata.[12] Soon thereafter, Annunziata himself talked about wanting to revive the series for the Nintendo Switch.[13] In a 2019 interview he addressed the Big Blue project, commenting "I still very strongly believe in the story and the mechanics, but it really can't be a spiritual successor to Ecco, it has to be Ecco! One thing I can say is in the future, people are playing this game. I never give up!"[14]
Soundtrack
edit| Songs of Time | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Soundtrack album by | |
| Released | September 3, 1996 |
| Genre | Electronica Ambient music |
| Length | 64:17 |
| Producer | SegaSoft |
Ecco: Songs of Time is a soundtrack album which contains the original soundtrack from the Sega CD versions of Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco: The Tides of Time.[15] It was released on September 3, 1996. The music is composed by Spencer Nilsen. The music is atmospheric and ambient, heavy on high-quality synthesizer, low-frequency percussion and various samples, including dolphin squeaks and squeals.[citation needed]
Track listing
editTracks 1–11 from Ecco: The Tides of Time, tracks 12–18 from Ecco the Dolphin
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Abyss" | 4:41 |
| 2. | "Botswana" | 3:14 |
| 3. | "The Desert Below" | 2:43 |
| 4. | "Deception" | 2:04 |
| 5. | "Deep Marjimba" | 3:14 |
| 6. | "Blue Dream" | 3:25 |
| 7. | "St. Gabriel's Mask" | 4:30 |
| 8. | "Heart of the Giant" | 2:39 |
| 9. | "Transcended" | 3:18 |
| 10. | "Mountains Below" | 3:36 |
| 11. | "Treefish" | 3:48 |
| 12. | "Aqua Vistas" | 4:24 |
| 13. | "Lonesome Search" | 1:49 |
| 14. | "Friend or Foe" | 6:09 |
| 15. | "Motion E" | 4:08 |
| 16. | "The Machine" | 3:25 |
| 17. | "Sounding Echo" | 3:10 |
| 18. | "Time Forgotten" | 3:59 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Goldstein, Hilary (2007-08-17). "IGN: Ecco the Dolphin Review". IGN. Archived from the original on 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
- ^ Thomas, Lucas (2006-12-13). "IGN: Ecco the Dolphin (Virtual Console) Review". IGN. Archived from the original on December 14, 2006. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
- ^ "Interview with Ed Annunziata". The Arkonviox Network. Archived from the original on 2009-12-26. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
- ^ "News/Ecco II - Sentinels of the Universe (Ecco month part 1) - Hidden Palace".
- ^ "15 years later, new Ecco the Dolphin game leaks onto Dreamcast". 21 June 2016.
- ^ "News/Ecco II - Sentinels of the Universe (Ecco month part 1) - Hidden Palace".
- ^ "Ecco The Dolphin on Steam".
- ^ "Ecco - The Tides of Time on Steam".
- ^ "Ecco Jr. on Steam".
- ^ "SEGA games for Wii's VC found on ESRB website". Codename Revolution. Retrieved 2006-09-12.
- ^ "Ecco the Dolphin - Game Detail Page". Microsoft. Microsoft. 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-08-23. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
- ^ Takahasi, Dean (17 December 2016). "Ecco the Dolphin creator settles lawsuit with Sega, possibly paving way for series' rebirth". Venture Beat. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
- ^ George (February 2019). "Ecco the Dolphin creator wants to make new Ecco, Mr. Bones and Three Dirty Dwarves entries on Nintendo Switch". Sega Bits. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
- ^ "What the Creator of Ecco the Dolphin Did Next". February 2019.
- ^ "News Bits". GamePro. No. 95. IDG. August 1996. p. 17.
