Together Retro: Ecco The Dolphin

[Ivo]

The cruel part is that it takes about 7 minutes to get through the machine. Thats a LOT of auto scrolling labyrinth to remember.

I think the idea is to memorize the handful of veritable death traps where just your reaction won't cut it, and get good enough to wing the rest of the level on skill and reflexes.

Ivo.

[Ivo]

I looked around and found the CGI videos of the PC CD-Rom on youtube with original sound (the first ones I found had non-original soundtrack put in).
They include spoilers as they are mostly faithful to the progression of the game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sgJHkXx ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccc0jlxK ... re=related

Ivo.

[alienjesus]

you regen? Are you sure? Im pretty sure I didn't get any regen when I took on the boss.

He probably forgot that he enabled "cheat" mode.

You get regen AFTER the first boss, so I think you will have it on the final boss battle after the Machine. I know I had it, coming straight out of the Machine into the boss.

SPOILERS:

The powers you get after returning to the Asterite in the "present" are:
you breathe underwater (the air meter is removed)
your regular sonar can destroy most stuff
you regen health (rather quickly, as long as you are not taking hits those bars replenish rather fast). Without regen, clearing the Tube would be EXTREMELY hard, and clearing the Machine would be practically impossible*. I reckon the final boss without regen would be doable with some practice if you played really carefully.

* Unless you are one of those guys that can do max combos on Ikaruga playing both ships at once or something.


Ivo.

I'm genuinely positive that you don't regen during the final boss, although i know you do in the tube and the machine. In fact, thats why the final boss took me so many tries. the time i beat it, i really took my time, and i remember being on 2 bars of health for a good few minutes.

[Ivo]

I'll try it again tonight as I'm sure I didn't imagine it, I was actually gaining back health - can it be this is another case of the CD version being easier?

It makes little sense in terms of story that Ecco would stop having that power, but I checked a video on youtube and indeed the guy didn't regen during the fight (possibly Genesis version).

I did find something strange though - for me there was no level break between the Machine and the boss i.e. I didn't get a password (this happened to me as well whenever there were time machine sequences). Maybe somehow I continued to regen because the game glitched and thought I was still in the Machine.

Ivo.

[alienjesus]

theres no level intro in the mega drive version either, for when you go into the final boss and whenever you use the time machine.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

Wow, after about five days, and about 70 deaths, I finally beat the machine today! The latter half of the machine stage is easier, and the last minute of it is a pretty straightfoward with no real obstacles.

At the end of the Machine, Ecco shoots off and there's a black screen for a second. I appeared almost on top of an alien. I swam down and saw the queen (or whatever) and started shooting her. She spit some black balls at me and I died instantly.

Then it put me at the beginning of the Machine again. Are they crazy?

Well, I ended up beating the machine two more times, and even though I survived longer against the queen, I still died a couple of more times because I accidently touched her.

In regards to the discussion about Ecco regenerating, yes, he does heal during the fight (I'm playing the CD version) just like in the Tube and the Machine. It didn't help me much because the damage the queen spews can knock out your whole energy meter.

I'll battle the queen some more in the next few days. I don't think it's a cakewalk as I've been led to believe, especially since it sends you back to the Machine when you die during the fight.

[alienjesus]

Wow, after about five days, and about 70 deaths, I finally beat the machine today! The latter half of the machine stage is easier, and the last minute of it is a pretty straightfoward with no real obstacles.

At the end of the Machine, Ecco shoots off and there's a black screen for a second. I appeared almost on top of an alien. I swam down and saw the queen (or whatever) and started shooting her. She spit some black balls at me and I died instantly.

Then it put me at the beginning of the Machine again. Are they crazy?

Well, I ended up beating the machine two more times, and even though I survived longer against the queen, I still died a couple of more times because I accidently touched her.

In regards to the discussion about Ecco regenerating, yes, he does heal during the fight (I'm playing the CD version) just like in the Tube and the Machine. It didn't help me much because the damage the queen spews can knock out your whole energy meter.

I'll battle the queen some more in the next few days. I don't think it's a cakewalk as I've been led to believe, especially since it sends you back to the Machine when you die during the fight.

The key to the whole fight is taking minimal damage as you take out the SPOILERqueens eyes. Once thats done, you can just take it very slowly and carefully for the last part.....SPOILER just make sure you don't get eaten... :p

Also judging from the sega CD version having regenerating health I'd say it's another difference between versions, although I COULD be wrong. I guess we'll have to see if any more mega drive/genesis players reach the final boss so we can find out.

[Ivo]

I just beat the Machine again and kept a save state at the end (for those wondering, I beat the Machine without save states used in the middle). I paid more attention and counted the veritable death traps in the Machine. For me I need to memorize 6 to maybe 8 situations where just reflexes are unlikely to cut it.

And... I regen again at the Queen fight. So I guess CD version.

As I have a save state right before the Queen fight, I was able to play a little bit with her and not be careful. My tip? DON'T. If you so much as touch the Queen when she is sucking in (even if you touch the top) you will be insta-killed as if she swallowed you.

You have all the time you want.
Be very very careful as otherwise you get sent to the start of the Machine (how is that for fair).

Just play it cool. One strike at a time, particularly when you go near the mouth (and you have to eventually). And never ever try to do anything aggressive when the sucking is in effect. That goes for all parts of the fight, from start to finish. When you hear the sucking, play defensively. When you need to go near the mouth, wait until you hear the sucking and strike right after that.

Ivo.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

My tips for the machine:

-Memorize the maze, AND the points where the aliens attack.

-Constantly fire the wave, but not too rapidly, because that shortens their distance.

-In wide open areas, swim in a circle and shoot in every direction. If you try it in smaller enclosures, you'll likely get caught on the scenery and die.

-Draw maps of the toughest places

-Consult a psychologist

[alienjesus]

My tips for the queen, when you have to hit her mouth.

-swim into the right hand wall constantly, at a part with no blob shooters.

- wait for the queen to come nearby

- once shes almost in line with you, she'll breathe in, mash c to survive.

-After that, turn around, charge, and then rush back to the wall whether you hit or missed. You dont get a second chance.