Do you rememberEcco the Dolphin? If not, that’s perfectly understandable, as this game was released way back in 1992 for theSEGA Genesis. It featured a dolphin (duh!). and was developed by Novotrade International and published by SEGA.
Could we see a return of the franchise at some point? SEGA recently filed a trademark for “Ecco the Dolphin” and “Ecco” in Japan.
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The filing was spotted byGematsu, which also states that the filing was done on December 27, and it was just made public today.
While Ecco the Dolphin might seem simplistic now compared to other adventure games, it was well-received back then. The game followed the exploits of a dolphin named Ecco as he searches for his missing pod. It was originally conceived for the European market, but Ryoichi Hasegawa adapted it to the Japanese market.
The game was known for its high difficulty, simple yet charming graphics, and pacifistic gameplay—a rare thing to see these days.
Ecco the Dolphin was successful enough to warrant a sequel in 1994 titled “Ecco: Tides of Time” and this picks up after the conclusion of the first game, as Ecco travels through oceans and time to save the planet.
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Keeping it retro.
After the sequel, the next game released was Ecco Jr. in 1995, though this was more of an edutainment title, and was significantly less difficult than the first two entries.
In the same year, another Ecco edutainment title, Ecco Jr. and the Great Ocean Treasure Hunt, was released on the SEGA Genesis and the SEGA Pico (an educational video game console). In this game, Ecco and friends explore the ocean and ruins to find treasure, and it even featured stylus control for gameplay.
The last Ecco title that saw release was Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future for the SEGA Dreamcast, which hit retail shelves in 2000. This re-envisions the Ecco mythology in a new Earth with a new premise. It was also ported to the PS2 in 2002.
A sequel, “Ecco 2: Sentinels of the Universe,” was planned but never produced, given that it was in development for the Dreamcast, which was discontinued in 2001.
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Does this mean a new Ecco game is in development? We can’t say for sure, as this could also mean SEGA is re-releasing the old games. Maybe this game is part ofSEGA’s planned Netflix-like subscription service? Or could this be a part of the upcoming XboxDeveloper Direct showthat teased an unannounced game as part of the event? We’ll know for sure once the event kicks off on January 23.
Do you think the current gaming climate will embrace a game like Ecco the Dolphin? Let us know in the comments.
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