In the early 90s, when the Sega Genesis was at the height of its popularity, Ecco the Dolphin showed up as a rather odd bird among the stable of Genesis games. While there were action games like Altered Beast and Strider, as well as sidescrolling speed demons like Sonic the Hedgehog, Ecco came along as the antithesis of those games: ponderous, languid, yet somewhat eerie and unsettling. Ecco the Dolphin was a side-scroller with no platforms, no-power-ups, and no weapons; instead, it featured puzzles, checkpoints that required problem-solving to pass, and maze-like underwater passages that threatened to drown your wayward dolphin if you didn't find air in a timely fashion.
Ecco the Dolphin begins with you as Ecco, blissfully swimming in your lagoon and conversing with other dolphins using echolocation. Suddenly, a unexpectedly terrifying gale whisks your fellow lagoon inhabitants up into a whirlwind, leaving you alone. From there, the game begins with you leaving your lagoon, asking questions of any passerby that you encounter, and progressing from stage to stage by pushing shells with your snout, vanquishing jellyfish or other baddies with said snout, and navigating through tight spaces and wide expanses whilst shooting up to the surface (or into a convenient air pocket) occasionally to replenish your air supply. All of this occurs with the overriding goal of trying to find out where your fellow lagoon compatriots went and why they were abducted.
As a character, Ecco possessed abilities that offered the promise of fun and excitement for the gamer: he could swim at high speed, thump enemies with his snout, execute some cool jumps out of the water, and communicate with a high-pitched blast. Yet, Ecco the Dolphin was strikingly different from many games of the time because of its languid pace and somewhat somber tone, as well as the emphasis on overcoming impeding obstacles. In some ways, this game evoked a feeling that was somewhat similar to some of the zones in the original Metroid on the NES, where you had to search continuously to find that hidden power-up or that passage that would take you to another area, but at a slower, more deliberate pace. Thus, despite the potential for action, the emphasis of Ecco the Dolphin is on your ability to successfully navigate through zones to find answers to questions that become more apparent as the game progresses.
When I bought Ecco the Dolphin in the early 90s, I didn't know what to expect; I just knew that there was much hype about this game on TV and in the magazines I read. After I bought the game and played it for a while, I was impressed by the vibrant graphics, the detailed sprites, and majestic, albeit dated, synthesized music that evokes an unnerving feeling I came to associate with games like Myst. Sure, Myst was a point-and-click game with stills and embedded puzzles, but that uncertain feeling of not knowing where I am going or what I was supposed to do was the same for both games. At the time, I didn't have the patience to complete this epic game, even though it had a password system which would allow me to return to the game later. Nowadays, with a family and a full-time job, Ecco the Dolphin is way down the queue of things I want to do, even on the list of games I allocate time (if I have time) to play.
I recommend this game if you are looking for a game that immerses you (literally) in a strange underwater realm which you must explore armed only with your wit and a boatload of patience. For kids, this may also be a good game because the game requires problem-solving, the violence is only for survival (such as when smacks of jellyfish drift into your path), the focus on marine life may spark an interest in the sea and its flora and fauna, and the pace isn't a sugar-soaked, frenetic one. If anything, Ecco the Dolphin compels you to appreciate the nuanced graphics and sound inherent to the game. My only caveat is that (spoiler alert!) aliens play a role in this game; if you are wary of the concept of the supposed existence of aliens, you may want to speak with your children before playing Ecco the Dolphin.
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