Ecco: The Tides of Time

"Flipper, eat your heart out..."

Very few people are familiar with the overwhelmingly unpopular, yet fantastic Ecco series. You play the role of a dolphin named Ecco (a ''super dolphin'' of types...) to save the world from a marine-alien called Vortex. This game takes place after Ecco comes back to Earth after delivering a vicious beatdown to the Vortex. Little does he know that the Vortex was only weakened, and now it's back...and rather angry...

Graphics - 9/10

The Graphics weren't overwhelmingly great, but they were superb for their time. I remember first getting this game, and staring at the wonderful seascape in awe. The game sprites are nicely made as well. Then again, the ''alien'' creatures just plain creeped me out at first...

Sound & Music - 10/10

The sounds in this game were a VAST improvement over the original. The noise that you make when you're harmed isn't as annoying as the previous game, but it still doesn't sound QUITE like a dolphin. The only reason I'm giving this a 10, is because I believe the music fit the mood of the game PERFECTLY. Not only that, but the somewhat trancy/techno-ish tunes are catchy as well.

Gameplay - 9/10

Ah, the real meat of the game here. Don't expect to sit there and get through this game in a matter of an hour. This game is VERY challenging, and will take you at least a week or two of sitting in front of your Genesis. This game is a mix of a platform and puzzle game that will keep you on your butt in front of the TV for hours on end. However, for those who get frustrated easily, the puzzles hard, even at their easiest. I wouldn't suggest this game to anyone who gets frustrated easily.

Controls - 8/10

This is the only thing about the game that I had a little bit of an issue with at first. It takes about a good hour to adjust to the controls and how Ecco moves. The hardest thing would be trying to line Ecco up to ram himself into an oncomming shark. All in all, you'll get the hang of it after a while, but it's a little frustrating at first.

*Buy or Rent?*

Well, seeing as this game came out on Genesis years and years ago, I'd say you might as well go out and buy it from your local game store. Probably won't cost you more than $5, and it'd be worth the money with all the time it would keep you busy. I must say, it's one of the few unique games that the Genesis had to offer, and I was quite happy with the outcome!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/20/03