Together Retro: Ecco The Dolphin

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

It sounds like I'm ahead of everyone else. From what I understand, the Sega CD version is easier because it has checkpoints. If you die, you start again at the last barrier glyph. Other differences include new music, better sound effects, a couple of enemies are easier to get by (the seahorses and trilobites), glitches from the cartridge version have been removed, there are two glyphs (crystals) that show full motion video of dolphins, and there are six additional levels.

My journey highlights:

Ice Zone
Big scenery change from what's been seen up to this point. Lot's of ice and giant King Crabs. The music for this level is the best music I've ever heard on the Sega CD. Now, I could not figure out what to do at first, until I figured out you can jump onto the ice and slide. Sweet.

Hard Water
This level pwned me. I died so many times. Why? Well, it turns out that a dolphin's worst enemy is the ice cude. These things are floating back and forth in certain areas, and if they hit you the right way, you die instantly. Fortunately, every time you die, this game puts you back in the action immediately. In fact, it's faster than any game I know. There are no death animations, no death music. You just hit A to continue the level, and you're on your way to the same spot.

Cold Water
Just another ice level, but you get to talk to a giant whale, whose home is a small cave with no air.

Open Ocean 2
The first of six Sega CD exclusive levels. All I did was hop and swim all the way to the end.

Not even half-way through the game!

[noiseredux]

It sounds like I'm ahead of everyone else. From what I understand, the Sega CD version is easier because it has checkpoints. If you die, you start again at the last barrier glyph.

glyphs are the gem things right? I've heard that the GBA version is actually based on the SCD version. This point seems to back that up. There seems to be similar checkpoints involved as well in the GBA port.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

It sounds like I'm ahead of everyone else. From what I understand, the Sega CD version is easier because it has checkpoints. If you die, you start again at the last barrier glyph.

glyphs are the gem things right? I've heard that the GBA version is actually based on the SCD version. This point seems to back that up. There seems to be similar checkpoints involved as well in the GBA port.

Yeah, the glyphs are the crystals. I didn't know the GBA version is based on the SCD. I read that there are 28 levels on the GBA instead of the 33 on the SCD version, so I don't think every aspect of the SCD game was copied. My info could be wrong though.

[noiseredux]

I think what I read was that it's CLOSER to the SCD than the Gen version. Not a direct port. Um... hang on...

EDIT: I Guess what I remember reading is THIS (from wiki, which is never wrong. )

Game Boy Advance
Sega Smash Pack
Developer(s) Sega
Publisher(s) Sega
Platform(s) Game Boy Advance
Release date(s) September 9, 2002
Genre(s) Compilation
Mode(s) Single player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: E (Everyone)
The fourth and most recent Sega Smash Pack, simply called Sega Smash Pack, was released in 2002 for the Game Boy Advance. It featured three games, two of which had been in previous Smash Packs. These two games were Golden Axe and Sonic Spinball, and the third game was Ecco the Dolphin, which seems to be based on the Sega CD version as it contains the system's start up sound. This collection was criticized for several technical issues and lack of cooperative multiplayer in Golden Axe. [3]

The three games are:

Ecco the Dolphin
Golden Axe
Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball

[Betagam7]

Hmm...not a fan of games where taking a hit is unavoidable as with the solution to escaping level 2: bad design imo.

The music and general ambiance of the game helps soothe the frustration though.

[alienjesus]

Its perfectly possible not to take a hit on level 2.

From what noiseredux is describing, it sounds more like the GBA version is based on the Japanese mega drive version of ecco, Which had a couple of extra features such as saving at barrier glyphs, but only one extra level as far as I know. I would be very interested to know if that level is in the GBA version, but its not until RIGHT before the end, so it could take a while.

Also, The guy who did hard water, thats one of the harder levels of the game. Feel sorry for the genesis players who had to restart the level upon dying!

[Betagam7]

Its perfectly possible not to take a hit on level 2.

Even when getting past that final spike trap? From the video that was posted earlier it looks like you have to absorb a hit or two, hence all the fish to eat at the other side.

[alienjesus]

Yeah, its not easy, but its perfectly possible. it helps to get a run up and swim at it as fast as possible as high up as you can go. There's one in a later level called dark water that's got a current aswell,but if you swim through fast enough, you can skip half of the level. Its very helpful for mega drive/ genesis players, as Dark Water will send you back to the start of the level a LOT and its one of the longest and hardest levels in the game.

[Ivo]

Just cleared Hard Water, here. It's not hard but it is very frustrating. On the weekend I should have more time to play.

Ivo.

[noiseredux]

Good thing he's a bottlenose, cuz that'll make it easier for Ecco to suck my ass! Seriously y'all, I'm STILL in the Undercaves! And I REFUSE to use a code to just skip to the next level. Either I beat this level on my own, or I just get my ass handed to me for a month...