The creator of Ecco the Dolphin, Ed Annunziata, has shared exciting news about the future of the beloved and challenging action-adventure series. In a recent interview on Xbox Wire, Annunziata not only announced remakes of the original games but also revealed plans for a new "third" installment. The original team is set to remaster both Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco: The Tides of Time, followed by a fresh game that promises contemporary gameplay and graphics.
It's worth noting that there already exists a "third" game in the series, Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future, released on the Dreamcast in 2000. However, Annunziata was not involved in its creation. A planned sequel, Ecco 2: Sentinels of the Universe, which was intended to follow Defender of the Future, was unfortunately canceled.
Fans have expressed their excitement and nostalgia. One fan remarked, "I just want to finally be able to enter my secret password from the end of Tides of Time. I still have it written in the codes section of the game manual," while another reflected on the series' unique narrative, saying, "I wonder how many people know how completely bonkers the plot of the games are."
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While Annunziata did not provide a specific timeline for the release of these projects, a countdown on the official Ecco the Dolphin website indicates that we have about a year to wait, as it is set to expire in 8,508 hours.
Ecco the Dolphin first hit the scene in 1992 on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, with its sequel, Ecco: The Tides of Time, following in 1994. The series also includes "edutainment" titles like Ecco Jr. and Ecco Jr. and the Great Ocean Treasure Hunt, released in 1995, aimed at younger audiences as learning tools.
In Ecco the Dolphin, players guide the titular dolphin through a devastated underwater world caused by a swirling gust of air and water, navigating treacherous tropical reefs and freezing polar ice floes to reunite with his pod. The 2000 remake received mixed reviews; IGN's Ecco the Dolphin review in 2007 stated, "Ecco the Dolphin is a classic from SEGA. But sometimes classics should stay in the past. For those who have played Ecco before, there's really no reason to come back to it. There are no extras offered and the Achievements are junk. If you've never played Ecco, then you may want to give it a go. It really is one of the more innovative titles of its time. But, again, that time has long passed, and Ecco's gameplay doesn't stand the test of time like Sonic's."
In contrast, the last mainline game, Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future, was more favorably received, earning a 7.6 from IGN's Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future review, which praised its "amazing visuals and an engrossing story," encouraging players to "defend the ocean that is rightfully yours."
