The visionary behind Ecco the Dolphin, Ed Annunziata, has stirred excitement within the gaming community by announcing not only remakes of the classic games but also the development of a new, third installment. This revelation came via a concise post on Xbox Wire, where Annunziata discussed his passion for ocean conservation and his journey as a game developer, before dropping the exciting news.
"Me and the entire original team are going to remaster the original Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco: The Tides of Time games. Then we will make a new, third game with contemporary play and [graphics] sensibilities. Stay tuned," Annunziata shared. It's worth noting that there already exists a "third" game in the series, Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future, released on Dreamcast in 2000, although Annunziata was not involved in its creation. Plans for a further sequel, Ecco 2: Sentinels of the Universe, were abandoned.
Fans expressed their excitement and nostalgia online. One fan wrote, "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 reminded us, "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 release date, a countdown on the official Ecco the Dolphin website suggests fans have about a year to wait before reuniting with Ecco.
Ecco the Dolphin first splashed onto the scene in 1992 on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, with its sequel, Ecco: The Tides of Time, following in 1994. The series also saw educational spin-offs with Ecco Jr. and Ecco Jr. and the Great Ocean Treasure Hunt in 1995.
In the original game, players guide Ecco through dangerous waters to reunite with his pod after a devastating storm. Reviews of subsequent releases have been mixed. The 2000 remake was described as "okay" but with a sentiment that "classics should stay in the past." In IGN's Ecco the Dolphin review of the 2007 remake, it was noted, "For those who have played Ecco before, there's really no reason to come back to it... 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."
The last mainline entry, Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future, fared better, earning a 7.6 score in IGN's review. It was praised for its "amazing visuals and an engrossing story," and for offering players a chance to "defend the ocean that is rightfully yours."
