Okay, so here’s a thing. Ever find yourself waiting for a game that might never appear? Like you’re staring at this maybe-it’ll-happen date, hoping to dive back into the ocean as a dolphin—because who hasn’t, honestly? Ecco’s fans get it. They dream of cruising underwater in that old-school sidescroller vibe. But, spoiler alert, these games weren’t a walk in the park (or swim in the ocean, I guess). Those early levels? Brutal. And then there’s Ecco: Defender of the Future, which takes the dolphin gig into 3D. It’s all moody sounds, creepy critters, and—ugh—a learning curve that’s more like a brick wall. It’s genius, I’m not kidding, but hey, I’ll never actually be a dolphin. Life, man.
But get this—I’m not alone in my dolphin dreams. Annunziata, the brain behind the game (pun intended, maybe?), spilled the beans to Xbox Wire. His muse? Dolphins. Like, they’re the people of the sea or something. He said he’d been dreaming of a game where you live like a dolphin. Makes sense, whales are too big and all.
Here’s a twist: he’s got this deep notion about gamers being all smart and filled with love. Apparently, both traits could save the world. Ocean advocacy and whatnot included. Kind of makes you think about his Pacific Islander roots, right? He sees this world where humans are basically ocean allies, learning the sea’s secrets and rhythms. This is some big brain, utopian stuff—and I’m kind of here for it.
Oh, and news flash: they’re remastering Ecco the Dolphin and Tides of Time with the OG crew back in action. Plus, there’s some mysterious new Ecco game on the way. But no dates yet. Patience, young dolphin padawan.
