Ecco the Dolphin

Nintendo have Mario and Zelda. Sega have Sonic and Ecco.

Resurrecting the Saturn’s biggest game, Ecco is now the ‘defender of thefuture’ and out to somehow save mankind from itself by playing fish fetch,performing tricks, helping the big blue whale by finding his little ‘un andkilling sharks by ramming into them. Alternatively, leave Ecco alone andhe’ll turn to face you and ‘cheep’ at you.

The graphics are stunning at first and move at a fantastic rate, particularlywith the 60hz option, but you soon get bored finning about and telling talesfrom topographic oceans, while the soundtrack is a cross between theFree Willy theme and those new age instrumental CDS that cost £15 in’Feng Shui’ shops.

Parents may buy this for their kids because there’s not an uzi in sight,but when you have to collect songs to progress in later levels coupled withscores of bizarrely-named levels like “Sleeping Forces of Doom” and“Obscure Ways To Terminus”, someone’s clearly been on the wacky baccywhilst listening to Yes and Pink Floyd‘s 1970’s back-catalogue.

GRAPHICS
SOUND EFFECTS AND MUSIC
PLAYABILITY
ORIGINALITY
ENJOYMENT



OVERALL