Alright, so here’s the thing. We’re talking about this old-school game, Ecco the Dolphin. Honestly, if you’ve never heard of it, maybe now’s the time to get what all the fuss is about. Some folks — and I’m one of ’em — just dream of diving across the ocean as this pixelated dolphin. How rad is that? But, fair warning, just surviving those first few challenges is a whole thing. Like, seriously tough. I swear, Ecco: Defender of the Future can push your patience to the max. It’s got this whole eerie vibe, right? Haunting music, weird creatures creeping in the dark… it’s like a crazy dolphin thriller or something. I mean, the game’s cool and all, but it left me with this weird wish of actually becoming a dolphin. Yeah, I know, sounds nuts.
Annunziata — the mastermind behind the game — well, turns out he wasn’t all that different in his thinking. “I started dreaming of what it’s like being a dolphin,” he mentions somewhere (Xbox Wire, I think). He picked dolphins because they’re smart, kind of like people — but I guess with more fins?
He’s got this big brain, no doubt. And he’s said gamers (like us, yay!) are these super-quick thinkers with a huge dose of love to change the world. Maybe that’s why Ecco hits different. It’s aimed at this whole “save our seas” goal. Makes sense, with Annunziata being all about his ocean connection as a Pacific Islander. He’s all, “Imagine living where the ocean’s just part of your daily.” I mean, people and oceans, holding hands? Kind of neat, makes you rethink that beach holiday.
Anyway — oh wait, there’s more — those games? Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco: Tides of Time? They’re coming back, folks! Same crew, too. No, seriously, the original bunch. These remakes (or remasters? Whatever they call it) don’t have a drop date yet, though. So, patience is a virtue or whatever.
Gosh, if dolphins had calendars, maybe they’d know when.
