Ecco the Dolphin
Sega GameGear
Version - 1.0
By Okuraorca
Foreward
Ecco the Dolphin was one of the first games I ever owned on the Sega
GameGear, so its only fitting that the first FAQ I ever write be based
on this game. In ways, I found this version of the game a little more
enjoyable than the Genesis version (though the PC version of Ecco is by
far the best version of them all), as certain levels that frustrate
people (IE - The Machine and The Tube) were more fun than frustration
and a few of the music tracks (even with the awful GameGear sound card)
were a bit more interesting to listen to than the Genesis songs.
Even today, I sometimes drag out the old GameGear to play this game,
(Something that doesn't happen with the old Sonic games, I assure
you...) and I enjoy the mix of action and puzzle in the game, that makes
the Ecco series so unquie.
I was a bit amazed to have found no walkthrough for the game, due to
the tough nature of the puzzles (block ones in particular). So I decided
to be the first to write a FAQ.
Contents
1 - Story
2 - Controls
3 - Game Items
4 - Block Puzzles
5 - Enemy Listing
6 - Walkthrough
7 - Level Codes
8 - Cheats
9 - FAQ
10- Copyright
1 - Story
Ecco was a bottlenosed dolphin, who lived happily with his pod (family),
playing under the waves. To him, life was an adventure; and he did not
intend to miss a bit of it. Upon his forehead, five star marking shone
in the sunlight, forming the star sign of Delphineus upon his head.
One day, in the bay his pod called home, a fierce storm struck. But it
was unlike any other storm the young singer had ever seen before. Rather
than winds blowing, they sucked towards the vastness of space. Every
living creature of Ecco's home bay, bar himself was swept away into the
sky.
Confused and frightened at what had just happened, Ecco left the safety
of the bay to sought out answers and help to free his family.
2 - Controls
The Sega GameGear has four buttons, a d-pad, 1 and 2 buttons and a
Start button.
All of these buttons are used in order to play the game. There is no
pause on this version of the game. If you must leave it for a few
minutes, enter the sonar map.
Move Ecco - D-Pad. Up will send Ecco upwards, left towards the left,
etc...
Ecco will swim slowly when you use these. Combine with the B button
in order to move faster.
Charge - A button. This is Ecco's main attack. Charging speeds you up
past your top speed for a few seconds as you ram things. Ramming most
enemies will kill them, but some require more than a ram to be defeated.
Using it at the surface can also allow you to jump higher than you
normally would.
Speed Up - 2 button. This will allow Ecco to move faster as he swims.
Hitting enemies while using this only allows you to get hit. Swim
round in circles, hitting this button in order to build up speed for
high jumps.
Sonar - Start button. This will fire a wave of sonar out in the
direction you are facing. Use this to talk to other dolphins, orcas,
etc... and to the crystal glyphs. Once you have earnt the Jellyfish song,
you can also use it to attack.
But the most useful use of the sonar is the map. Hold down the Start
key and the wave will return to you and a map of the surrounding area
will appear. This can help find air, shells and solve block puzzles.
3 - Game items
No game is complete without power-ups to obtain. And Ecco has a few
unqiue power-ups to be earnt.
Small Fish - These are quite common. Charge them to regain health.
Air-Pockets/Surface - Poke your head out of these to refill air bar.
Shells/Sponges - Sonar these to get a bubble that refills both your air
and health to full.
Statues - Sonar these to access shortcuts or refill health and air.
Glyphs - There are three types of glyphs in the game; Hint glyphs, Key
glyphs and blocker glyphs. Each has a different property. Hint glyphs
will give you a hint on how to solve the level if you sonar it. Key
glyphs are yellow and give you a 'key-song' when you touch it which
you use on the blocker glyphs, which block access until you obtain the
key-song to pass.
4 - Block Puzzles
In practically every level, there is a block puzzle that must be
solved before you are able to progress. Often, it will be between you
and the exit or perhaps the key glyph. Spikes often also need to be
destroyed before you are able to progress as they block your path. To
destroy the spikes, simply push the blocks over them. The most dangerous
thing about the block puzzles however, is the fact that you must trap in
a fish that is extremely nasty if you mess up and try to shoot past it's
den. If the fish comes after you, you are most likely dead, but sometimes
he will give up the chase after a few seconds and you'll live. However,
the cost at starting the level again is not worth the risk. I've done my
best to explain how these puzzles are solved, but it's almost impossible
to describe the enviroment. It's best if you first scope out the area
and then read through the walkthrough for guidance.
One major important note about the puzzles is in you should mess up.
Whenever you enter the puzzle, you'll hear a 'ping' sound. This sound
means the blocks have reset themselves (but the spikes you destroy
remain gone). To reset the blocks, leave the general area of the puzzle
and then re-enter it. If you hear the 'ping' you'll know you are fine.
To let you know when the puzzle is complete, you hear a 'ching' sound.
DO NOT ever assume you have completed a puzzle until you hear this sound
or else you will be in trouble.
5 - Enemy Listing
Jellyfish - These are everywhere and zap your health if you touch
them. They simply swim upwards without a care. A simple charge or the
Jellyfish song when you earn it defeats them.
Blowfish - These appear from time to time and are quite quick to
attack. Charging them rids you of them. Jellyfish song works too.
Crabs - There are many types of crab, all nasty. The smaller ones are
harder to hit, while the larger ones are more annoying. Sonar them with
the Jellyfish song or charge them.
Octopus - This guy is large and in charge. It is impossible to
destroy him, so you must just pass him. Slow right down and swim slowly.
If you swim too fast, he'll strike you backwards and zap alot of health.
Sharks - Not too much to be said here. These only appear in Open Ocean,
but they make up the level's challenge. Charging rids you of them, but
avoidance is a much safer idea altogether.
Stingray - These are rare and require two hits of either charge or
sonar to kill. They swim straight at you slowly, so you'll always see
them coming.
Crystals - These appear in Atlantis, attempting to impale you. They
move either horizontally or vertically and a charge destroys them.
Troliobites - I'm not very good at spelling, so forgive me if I spelt
it wrong. These are annoying. They are quick and hunt you down. Sonar
them or charge them before they get too close.
Seahorse - Three charges in the gut will kill this weakling in Dark
Water. It doesn't even move to attack, but the babies will hurt you.
Vortex - These are a pain. In the Machine and the Vortex, they
relentlessly track you down. Sonar them once to knock off their body,
again to destroy the head, which will still come after you to attack.
DO NOT let a Vortex touch you. If they touch you longer than 2 seconds
you will be dead.
6 - Walkthrough
Home Bay
This is identical to the one on the Genesis/Mega Drive version of the
game. Two stone blocks on the right hand wall bar you from accessing
the open seas. Build up speed by swimming in circles hitting the speed
up button and let it rip (add a charge for extra height if you need it)
at the surface. If you jump high enough, the storm will kick in and
abduct all other life but you. At this point, the blocks are wrenched
out and you can leave from this gap on the right wall.
Medusa Bay
Songs of an orca are heard from the small maze of caverns.
At the start, you are confinded to a dinky little pool with one other
dolphin, a few jellyfish (medusa) and fish. Jump the small island to
the right and dive straight down, following the left wall down. You
will soon come to a cave leading left. Go into it and swim up, there's
an air-pocket and an island. Leap over the island into the next area.
There is another island to leap, but ignore it, it's a red herring.
Instead, swim down the gap in the floor, and when the path splits, down
again.
As you go down the second corridor, you should hear a 'Ping' sound. This
is important to solving the block puzzles (See the section on the block
puzzles). To solve this puzzle, swim down, past the stone block on your
left and underneath the platform it sits on. You'll appear on the other
side of the block. Push it to the right and go back the way you got
behind it (underneath the platform). Then push the block to destroy
the spikes. Once you get into the open chamber however, do not stop
pushing until you trap the fish on the other side, (You can tell
he's trapped by the 'Ching' noise) then, you may explore.
An orca in this chamber (how'd he get in here anyway?) tells you to
search for Big Blue and the Key Glyph (the yellow crystal just above
the trapped fish) will give you the key-song to exit the level. Fill
your lungs and head all the way back to the ocean's surface. Follow the
surface to the right wall, jumping an island, and follow the far right
hand wall down. You will come to a glyph blocking the exit. Seeing you
have the key-song (If not, you've got a bit of back-tracking to do),
just sonar it and it'll float away and you can exit the level.
Undercaves
A deep maze of caverns with no surface to the dry side.
Songs of the sea sing of great danger in this place.
A key glyph is behind you. Touch it to get the song and swim to your
left, sonaring the blocking glyph as you go past. Swim down, underneath
the next section as the top has an unpassable current. You have to do
this stage a little more quickly than the last, as air is scarce here.
Charge the spiked shells to pass and as soon as you can, swim straight
up (there is a hint glyph a little more to the left. It reads 'Some stars
can eat through stone') and keep going up until you hit the roof. Then,
swim to the right; you'll notice three starfish rotating in a circle,
remember these. Once you hit the right wall, swim down and into the first
cave you see. When the path goes up, so do you to refill your lungs with
air, but another prize awaits at the top of this air-pocket... the
key-glyph. Build up speed as you swim from the bottom to the surface, you
may wish to add a charge as well, but it's optional. Once you get the key
song from the glyph, leave this cave and swim down a little more, hugging
the right wall and you'll see another cave. But this one is blocked off
by stone blocks. Go back and get the starfish, pushing them with your
sonar until they hit the stone blocks. The starfish will destroy the
blocks and you can proceed. A blocking glyph bars the way (now aren't you
glad you got that key-song beforehand?). Swim down the hole in the floor
straight after the glyph, the right only leads to another hint glyph
('Swim slowly pass eight arms').
This is yet another block puzzle. Push the block to the left, over
the first gap. If the block falls down this gap, you're stuck, so
swim out until you hear the 'ping' noise and return to restart.
Once over the gap, *carefully* nudge the block off the edge. If you
shove it, you need to restart. If the block is far enough to the
right, you'll be able to push it, destroying the spikes and trapping
the fish again.
Swim upwards and refill your air supply in the air pocket. Swimming
to the right again, you'll see a split. Go up, swimming slowly past
the octopus and into the next chamber. The key-glyph is at the far
left end of this corridor, get it and return to the split, this time
going down. Knock the blocking glyph out of the way and you'll pass
*another* blocking glyph over the finish. Swim to the left and you'll
encounter another orca that'll tell you to go north to find Big Blue.
The key-glyph is behind him, touch it and return to the blocking
glyph, knock it away and you're finished!
*Whew*
Ridge Water
Giant cracks in the ocean floor have strong upward currents
of warm water.
To pass Ridge Water, one must have great knowledge of the sea.
Again, you start in a small pool, leap the island to your right
and into the larger area. Here a dolphin explains that her pod is
lost below. Saving them reaps rewards, so it's worth the effort. And
besides, they're on the way to the finish as well. After talking to
this dolphin, dive down and you'll find a hole in the floor nearby.
Keep swimming down, slowly past the octopus, until you reach a wall
of sharp shells. Instead of breaking them, take the pathway on the
right above them. Here's one of the two lost dolphins. Talk to the
dolphin and then swim in front of it to get it to follow you. It may
take a little time, but there's an airpocket above you. Return it to the
first one and she'll give you the jelly-fish song. This destroys
jelly-fish, but also some other creatures, ie - blowfish, trolibites. As
soon as you get the song, return to where the spiked shells are, but again,
ignore them and go to the left. This leads to a split. Go down and you'll
arrive in a large circlar area with a large platform in the middle. On
the bottom right is an orca, but she only tells you a hint on how to do
the block puzzle ahead.
The block puzzle is through the corridor on the middle left side. This
puzzle is a little tougher than the last, but still, you can handle it.
Swim to the bottom, past the blocks and underneath the platform with
the block on the right. Push the block into the middle gap (the one
you just swam down) and then return to the bottom and push it so it
sits underneath the far end of the left platform with the block. Push
the other block so as it lands onto the top of the first block and
push them both slowly to block in that blasted fish again.
The key glyph sits directly above the fish's cave, with an air pocket.
Swim up the vertical corridor, ducking into the *second* passage on
your right. Here's the other missing dolphin. Get him to follow you
and keep going up. You'll arrive at the surface on the far left of the
level. Swim down to get past the first island in a small cave under the
island, but the next two require you to jump. Return the last dolphin
to the original dolphin and you'll be given a song to confuse the
sharks. Too bad the sharks are in only one level and the next one is it.
Oh, and the song also has NO EFFECT! Oh well, you did a good deed
nonetheless, swim to the right wall, go down and here's the blocking
glyph with the exit. Hope you remembered the key glyph or you've got a
lot more adventuring to do here. For the rest of you, onwards to...
Open Ocean
The open ocean is cold and dangerous
Do I really need to explain this? Oh well, the shark song you
picked up has no effect, so don't worry about using it. Just keep
swimming rightwards... Swimming in a zig-zag pattern will help
you avoid most sharks. The sharks are rather slow at climbing
upwards, but they dive like falcons. Any below you are no problem
unless they are very close. Ones above you are trouble. Keep
hammering the speed up key and swim in a zig-zag and you should
be fine. If you don't waste time, you shouldn't need to breathe,
but if you do surface, you are likely to take a hit. Also, a
simple charge with kill a shark, but simply charging through
the level leaves you more open for attack than anything else.
You have be warned...
Cold Water
Quiet songs of wisdom sing about the hard water called ice.
The Big Blue is near...
From the start, you have no access to the surface, so you must be
quick. Swim to the left and then down. Keep going downwards for now.
If you go fast, the crabs will not be a problem. In the last part
going down, cubes of ice are moving from side to side. Getting
caught means restarting the level as you are crushed into oblivion.
After the moving cubes, at the end of this corridor, it splits. Keep
going up and you'll find a gap in the ice where you can breathe as
well as access the rest of the level by sliding on the ice. Leap to
the left for now, that's where the key-glyph is. A crab resides in
this new pool, dispose of him before trying for the glyph. An island
of ice sits in the centre of this pool's surface, the key glyph on
top of this. Make the jump right and you'll get the key-song. Now,
head back to the right, bypassing the pool you started ice sliding
from, into the next one on the right. In this new pool, air is
*extremely* scarce, so you must be VERY quick, first go to the right,
then down. You'll hit the blocking glyph, knock it out of the way
quickly. Avoid the crushing blocks swiftly and continue down until
you hit the block puzzle.
You get only one chance at this until your air goes kaput, so listen
up. Push the block on the right off the right edge of it's platform
(Two blocks, two platforms again) and follow it down. Once it hits the
bottom, shove all the way to the left until it falls into a crack on
the ground. Then return and get the left block, pushing it off the left
edge of it's platform and then shove it all the way to block in that
blasted fish again.
Hurry straight up until you hit the roof, follow it left and you'll
hit an air-pocket to refill your dying lungs. From here, swim around
the island and down and there he is... Big Blue. The whale tells you
that he doesn't know about the storm, but he does tell you to seek
out the Asterite in the Deep Water zone. The key-glyph is at the back
of the chamber, near his tail. After obtaining the key-song, return
the way you came (careful not to get caught by those blocks. To die
now would be a real pain in the ...), use the key-song to knock away
the glyph and return, sliding along the ice all the way to the far
left, obtaining the first key-glyph you got, then slide all the way
to the far right. Swim downwards, using the key-song on the glyph and
continue down until you see a passage to the right, guarded by a crab.
Kill the crab if you must, but just get into that corridor, 'cause it's
the exit.
Open Ocean - Revisited
This is no different from before, except in the fact that you are now
going from right to left this time. If you're still having trouble
with this level, how you got to the second is beyond me, but see the
same strategy as the first version of the level above.
Deep Water
Ancient breath-less passages run so deep that no songs
of this place have yet been sung.
Start this level by leaping the island to your right and
going straight down. Air is quite scarce here, so you have to
do this at a pretty fast pace. Race down the vertical tube and
take the first right you come to. There are a bunch of
jellyfish, so the song from Ridge Water certainly helps. This
leads to yet another vertical tube, with the exit going left.
Follow this and you'll encounter three holes below you. The
first houses a large crab, the second is empty, but the third
has a shell. Refill your health and air here. Swim a little
more to the left and then straight down another long,
vertical tube. When it widens out, you'll be in an area with
a couple of large crabs. The path to the right is just a
dead end. The first hole (directly below the tube you just
came down) houses a crab, while the far left also has a
crab, but a shell as well. The second hole leads even
futher down the level, take this one after using the shell.
Follow it straight down, don't take any other pathways
other than down. At one point, spikes poke out of the
walls, navigate around them safely and continue down.
After hitting the sea floor, shoot as fast as you can
rightwards (unless you need air, in which case there's
an air-pocket just to your left) and you'll arrive in
a chamber with the impressive Asterite. It'll agree to
help you, but first, you must get the missing globe of
it's entity. And unfortunatly, it lost the globe 55
million years ago! Once it's finished talking, exit the
way you came. (Through the final horizontal corridor. You
don't have to do the entire level again... thank goodness)
The City of Forever
Into Atlantis, the puzzles take a serious climb upwards.
However, there are a few sneaky shortcuts one may take...
I'll tell you of these little sneaky hints only, as it's not
worth playing the rest of the level. If you must do so, you
can figure out the rest of the level alone. It's way too
much of a hassle to play the whole of the level. From the
start, head to the right. Ignore the glyphs on this bottom
section, they only tell you part of the story of Atlantis.
The moving crystals however hurt you, charge to get rid of
them. When you see the crystal moving from side to side
along the top, take that passage. This passage splits
four ways, the left is the usual path through the level,
so ignore it. Straight up leads to a *seemingly* dead end.
The right leads to a statue, that, when sonared, allows you
to access the secret shortcut that is straight upwards from
the split, the seemingly dead end. This shortcut takes you
right outside the block puzzle for this level.
The puzzles from here get rather hard to explain, so
I'll try my best but no promises. Start by going beneath
the first block (the left) and up between the platforms the
two blocks are on. Shove the second block (the right) off the
right hand edge of the platform, then push it left, into the
hole. Follow it down until it hits the bottom, then push it
to the left, destroying the spikes, get on the other side
and push it back, so it sits directly below the tube that
you followed it down. Return to the top and push the left
block off the right edge of it's platform. Return around
and push it into the hole where the other block is waiting.
Follow it down, so they land on each other and then
backtrack, using the second route to the bottom and push
it against the current.
Follow the pathway up, but as soon as you can go right, take
that pathway, or else you'll be back at the start of the block
puzzle. Follow this passageway until you pass a statue that
is above you. Sonar it to open the shortcut directly in front
of you on the left. You can now swim straight through the wall.
Jump over the small steps that reach the surface in this
airpocket and continue along the set path until you reach some
chains (you will pass a glyph, but the Asterite uses it just
to say good luck). Charge the chains and enter the next
chamber. Here, you must use the glyph to power up the time
machine ahead. Once you recieve the glyph's message, go up
to the two dishes on either side of you. Simply sonar one of
them and it's off to the Jurassic Park Aquarium...
just kidding...
Origin Beach
Fifty five million years before all this ever happened and
it's just made part of the future. A dolphin in the past, hmm?
Not good. Anyway, if you want to chat to Ecco's ancestors, they
are in a small area to the right from the start. It looks a
little different from the sea bed, fossils and such like. Sonar
the floor and they'll talk to you, just like in the Genesis version.
But, to get on with the level, behind you, to the left of the
start is a glyph. It'll give you a song to call a pteranodon to
help you over the large wall. Just sonar in the air and the
prehistoric bird will rush to you. Once the pteranodon drops you,
go straight down and to the right when possible after the first
split. This'll lead you to the key-glyph. From here, go up a
little and to the left, which shall lead you to the block
puzzle.
This puzzle is a little tricker however, not to mention risker.
Skip the block next to the sponge thing that acts as a shell,
but use the one beneath it. Push this block off it's platform
to the left, backtrack and continue to push it off the edge. Now
is the risky part, you have to go near the fish's grotto, but
if you go too close, it'll attack. Push the block right just
enough to destroy all the spikes underneath the large platform,
then push it back out, under the edge of the platform, so the
next block will fall on it. Return for the first block and push
it into play. You have to go back around, behind the block that
is in place and push it onto that block from behind. Then, go
back round and *slowly* push it, because it drops a little and
if you push too fast, they come apart and fishy attacks.
If you solve this, go upwards and use the key-song you picked
up earlier to cast aside the blocker glyph. Go straight down
from and follow the path until you reach a three way split.
The route to the left is to the key-glyph, centre is a dead
end, while the right leads to the finish. Get the key-song,
take the right hand path, knock away the blocker glyph and
finish the level.
Dark Water
Dark water contains many dangers.
This level is a little tougher though. Start by diving and
going underneath the first island to your right, but then
you have to jump the next. Once here, I'd hate to tell you
this, but it's a little maze. Even I don't really pay much
attention to where I'm going, but if you pass a blocker
glyph, you're on the right track. When you reach the bottom,
head left and you should see the key-glyph. Get it and
return to the blocker glyph. Seeing as you're no doubt short
on health and air, go up after the glyph and you'll find one
of those sponges that help you out. After the sponge,
backtrack and go down to get the key-glyph before the block
puzzle. As you go down, you'll encounter a large sea-horse.
Three charges will kill it, but you will get hit, so don't
try to be a hero. After you kill the seahorse, go up. That's
where the key-glyph is, and down is a dead end (there are a
lot in this level). Return to the block puzzle, refilling
you're air and such like before you shift blocks about.
This ones a real brainteaser, but here goes... First, there
are the top and bottom blocks this time. Push the bottom block
to the right, just enough so you can get behind the top block
and still be able to push the bottom block back afterwards. Now
push the top block to the left, it'll go over the gap. And then
return around to continue pushing it to the left. Once it goes
down the hole, go down one of the other tunnels and push it
again to the left. Once it falls down this gap, follow it and
push it near the edge, but not off it! Return for the bottom
block now. Push it to the left and into the hole the top
block went over. Go around and push it to the right slowly
so it destroys the spikes, but isn't over the edge. If it's
teetering on the edge or falls, go and restart, but the
spikes will be gone. Go around and push the block into the
hole, then push in the next one to create the usual two block
tower and go all the way around to push it from behind and
trap that nasty fish.
Swim up, using the key-song to cast the blocker glyph aside
and you'll see the Asterite. However, this time you need to
attack it. Hit three globes of the same color with a charge
in order to defeat it and return to your time.
Deep Water - Revisited
This time, the only difference is that you must herd the
Asterite's globe back to him. Other than that, this level is
identical to last time. But, for a handy shortcut, send the
globe through any of those extremely small passages you happen
to see. To herd the globe, sonar it in the direction you want
to go. It sinks with time and cannot go out of the water.
Just remember the rule that 'The globe can go where the dolphin
cannot and the dolphin can go where the globe cannot.' If it
gets stuck, sonar it into a wall or something and it should
bounce back out to you. If you need air or health, you can
leave it alone. It won't go back to the start or anything
unless you die. Once you get it the Asterite, he'll give
you the powers you need and tells you to use the time
machine again to return before the storm and be taken
with your pod.
The City of Forever - Revisited
This is exactly the same as last time, except for the block
puzzle, which I shall detail below.
As this is the final block puzzle, you can expect something
really brainteasing. Start by swimming down the gap, ignoring
the top block, use the bottom block, shoving it into the
hole on the right. Use the other tunnels to get to the blocks
left side and push it to the next gap on the right,
destroying more spikes. This part requires a little skill
however, let the block fall, but do not follow it. Instead, get
underneath it, swim up the tube until you can see it falling
and shoot down the tube and to the right, so you can push it
leftwards into another gap. Get to the bottom layer where the
block is now and push it to the left to destroy the spikes, but
not all the way so you can't retrive the block. Get behind this
block and push it to the right so it sits just underneath the
last tube before the current (the second block drops down this
one at the end, but you need the room to squeeze between this
block and the wall) and return to the top for the other block.
Push this block off to the right gap and then to the right gap
again after it lands. You must go around and squeeze between
the block that is in place and the wall and appear on the second
block's right. Push it left, only enough to rid yourself of the
last spikes and return to the left side of the block, push it on
top of the other block through it's gap on the right and then
shove both into the current to pass. (I would also like to
point out that in this level, you still need to breathe, even
with the Asterite's power and that the time machine requires
you to still use the glyph before it in order to fuction)
Home Bay
Welcome back before the game ever started... isn't this time
travel just twisting your mind about? Any way, this is just
like before, leap high in the air to proceed. But this time...
you are taken with the others and the real enemy shall finally
challenge you.
The Tube
This level has the screen continualy scrolling upwards and you
must keep up. Walls of grey attempt to hold you back, which
will kill you, so avoid them altogether. I've also encountered
enemies, but these don't always appear. I've played this level
many times before without any enemies. If you should see anything
moving towards you, sonar it and if it's a foe, it'll be
destroyed. All in all, this level is reasonably easy and as it's
got random cycles, I can't give an accurate walkthrough of this
level.
The Machine
Now this is tougher. Just like in the Genesis/Mega Drive version,
this level is completely random scrolling. If you get jammed
between a wall and the screen, you die and must restart the level.
Memory, quick reflexes and trial and error are the skills you
require for conquering this level, although a quick sonar will
certainly help dispose of the Vortex drones that attack you.
Sonaring them once knocks off their body, but the head will still
come after you. Sonar it again to get rid of it for good. Once
the screen stops scrolling, there should be a tube going down.
That's the exit.
(If enough people request it, I may try to make an accurate
walkthrough of which direction to go where. If you want it, email
the contact details below)
The Vortex
Here is the final battle. A few little bonus' that the Genesis/Mega
Drive version doesn't have that this does is that your health refills
with time and if you should die, you don't need to restart at the
Machine. But, the Vortex Queen her-self is a bitter disappointment in
reguards to the one in Genesis/Mega Drive, for this one doesn't attack.
Rather, she sits there, taking the punishment you dish her out. Really,
the only threat are the Vortex drones, but they are easily taken care
of. Sonar each eye a few times and it'll pop out and you then take
care of the other eye. Afterwards, start ramming her jaw. Four charges
will knock it out, but it'll regrow twice. Once it doesn't grow back,
sit back and enjoy the ending sequence (personally, I found the Asterite
more of a boss than her!
7: Level Passwords
At the start of the game, you begin in a cave. Heading right, takes
you to the start of the game. Heading left takes you to the password
screen. Passwords allow you to access another level instantly...
Medusa Bay : UOBVV
Undercaves : WNVKC
Ridge Water : USDNF
Open Ocean : KOGME
Cold Water : WCSYF
Open Ocean 2 : SOWMG
Deep Water : OOOAH
City of Forever : KWGYI
Origin Beach : YUJOW
Dark Water : COOSK
Deep Water 2 : CCSKL
City of Forever 2 : EEMSS
The Tube : GGGKO
The Machine : CWGWP
The Vortex Queen : IMQSS
8: Cheats
Debug Menu
You can get to the Debug Menu from anywhere in the game.
To activate it press START to active the sonar map. Then press the
following buttons: RIGHT, 1, 2, 1, 2, DOWN, 2, UP. You will be in a
menu where you can select any level, get Invincibility, play music
and a lot more!
(Credit to www.cavernsofhope.com for this)
9. FAQ
Got any questions? Email me with them, and I'll post them here...
Q: Is this the same game as the Genesis?
A: Yes, with changes to many levels. The GameGear wasn't as powerful as
the Genesis, but this game proves to be almost as great as the Genesis
version. Personally, I like this a bit more, with a little more catchy
music and slightly less challenging gameplay than the Genesis (Truth is,
Ecco games are VERY tough to play usually). But other than cut levels,
downsized levels and graphics and a different soundtrack, it IS the
same game...
Q: What is the deal with the Shark song?
A: No idea. The shark song has no effect, so you can flag getting it if
you must. However, both dolphins are on the way to finishing the level,
so why not save them anyway?
Q: What challenge is there in playing as a dolphin?
A: If there wasn't challenge, why is this FAQ so long?
Q: I heard there is a Master System version of the game? Is it true?
A: Indeed. That is true.
Q: Will you write a FAQ for it?
A: No. The Master System version is identical to this game. The only
differences are the keys...
Button 1 : Sonar
Button 2 : Swim Fast
Button 1+2 : Charge
Other than that, the game is exactly the same.
Q: Where can I download this game?
A: Not telling. Roms are illegal.
Q: What's the deal with Ecco's 'ancestors' you mentioned?
A: In the Genesis version there were two hidden glyphs, that replied
with the same messages. Dolphins and whales evolved (if you believe in
evolution) from land based mammals that took to the sea and eventually
evolved into what we know them as now. In the Genesis version (and
maybe this version, I never bothered to check) a dolphin in the Home Bay
asks Ecco, "If we live in the sea, why do we breathe air?" This was to
explain Ecco's ancestors entering the sea to live because of Ecco...
History lesson over.
(Information here credited to www.cavernsofhope.com)
Q: Is there a sequel to this game on GameGear?
A: Yes. Ecco - The Tides of Time.
Q: Will you write a walkthrough for that?
A: Perhaps. That game was awful compared to this in my opinion however.
Tides of Time on Genesis was a hundred times better.
Q: Is it on Master System too?
A: No.
Q: Will there be an Ecco 3?
A: Who knows really? Defender of the Future on Dreamcast and PS2 is NOT
Ecco 3. Rather, it is a totally different game with the Ecco license on
it. None of the events in this game apply to it. Ed Annunziata, the
creator of Ecco keeps his ideas to himself, in case he will ever get to
make the game someday, though he does not work with the owners of Ecco
anymore...
Q: How many Ecco games are there?
A: A few. Several different versions of each one really...
*Ecco the Dolphin*
Genesis/Mega Drive
Mega CD/Sega CD
GameGear
Master System
Sega PC
*Ecco - The Tides of Time*
Genesis/Mega Drive
Mega CD/Sega CD
GameGear
*Ecco Jr.*
Genesis/Mega Drive
*Ecco Pocket Adventure*
Handheld Game
*Ecco - Defender of the Future*
Dreamcast
PlayStation 2
Q: What is your favourite Ecco game?
A: Probably Ecco PC. It had the movies from the Tides of Time game on
Mega CD, and an AWESOME soundtrack by Spencer Nilsen. Plus the graphics
were from Tides of Time, in the game of Ecco 1...
Q: I heard rumors of an Ecco soundtrack...
A: Ecco - Songs of Time. VERY rare and hard to find soundtrack, with the
music from the Sega CD games by Spencer Nilsen...
Q: Do you have a copy?
A: You bet I do!
10 - Copyright
This FAQ is copyrighted to Okuraorca, 2005. The following sites may
host it without any issues:
www.cavernsofhope.com
www.gamefaqs.com
If you wish to host this FAQ, email me at...
[email protected]
Make sure to put 'Ecco GG FAQ' in the title, or the message will be
deleted along with other spam.
Ecco the Dolphin is copyrighted to SEGA.
