Ecco the Dolphin Revival: Remaster and Sequel Breathe New Life Into Classic
33 years after the release of the original, Ecco the Dolphin is being brought back to life. The classic game tasked players with playing, as the name implies, a dolphin, who is attempting to rescue the sea from aliens. The game received multiple sequels, including Tides of Time, but the last of these games was released 25 years ago, in 2000. Finally, the original creators are coming back together. Not only are they remastering the first two entries for modern consoles, but fans are even getting treated to a third, brand-new sequel entry as well.
Ecco The Dolphin Pulls Fans In With Wacky Plot
Ecco the Dolphin is a cult classic game that was released back in the early 90s for the Sega Genesis. The bizarre plot line was so unique that it became a bit of a cult classic. The series has players control the protagonist, which also happens to be an adorable dolphin, Ecco. Through a series of events, the dolphin ends up going on a time-traveling escapade, searching oceans over the years, with the goal of stopping an alien takeover. Yes, really. The sequel, Tide of Fate, even allowed Ecco to shapeshift and become other animals, and utilize sonar as a multi-directional attack.
Over the years, several more Ecco the Dolphin entries were released, but by 2000, the series faded. Annunziata attempted a Kickstarter reboot in 2013 to no avail, but a previous leak in January pointed to the possible announcement, when Sega filed a trademark for “Ecco”. That rumor has become a reality, as Xbox recently interviewed franchise creator Ed Annunziata, who confirmed the exciting news.
“Me and the entire original team are going to Remaster the original Ecco the Dolphin and Tides of Time games. Then we will make a new, third game with contemporary play and GPU sensibilities. Stay tuned.” Annunziata also shared the reason behind the original concept. “I wanted to create a game that sparked curiosity and respect for the ocean.” The creator encourages fans to follow news of the games on the official game website, eccothedolphin.com.
Final Thoughts
As of now, the only thing on the site is a countdown timer, delineating the Ecco the Dolphin upcoming release. It is currently at about 8,400 hours as of this writing, which equals a bit under one year from now. Fans may be disappointed that the wait is so long, something that seems far longer than most countdowns that game developers use. Given the series has been dormant for 25 years, though, one extra year does not feel quite so bad.
Until the release, players with a Nintendo Switch can access the original game through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass. The countdown will hit zero on April 25, 2026, and hopefully, by then, we will have a brand new opportunity to enjoy the charming franchise. It is unclear what systems or what elements of the project will become available at that time, but hopefully, fans can get both a remaster and a new entry all at once. Stay tuned for more information as it comes!
