ECCO THE DOLPHIN BETTER ON THE SEGA CD?! | Waz Reviews Ecco the Dolphin (Sega CD)

[@BladedEdge]

Well, yeah, of course it is. Spencer Nilsen's music is amazing. Singlehandedly made Batman Returns playable.

[@tilasole3252]

Saw a Sega CD game at a retro game store with their Easter sale and instantly thought of you. I do not have a Sega CD, nor do I remember the game off the top of my head. 😅

[@JanelleWaz]

Sega CD games are getting harder and harder to find. One of the retro game stores I like going to used to have a couple in stock: now it's rare when they do.

[@tilasole3252]

@@JanelleWaz yes. It's a shame. A Sega CD player is even rarer. I do not have one. One game store hardly had anything of interest to me and a sister store had a lot more. Completely different stores may have stuff you are looking for. So it pays to go to different stores that are reasonably close to you. Half Priced Books you can request them to transfer books and I am sure games, for free that are in the surrounding area, with no agreement to purchase. Anything far out in distance, especially out of state will cost you for them to send it. And although you are still not forced to buy it, the shipping cost is non-refundable.

[@greektexan2637]

I prefer the game gear version of Ecco. But I do have the genesis Ecco on 3DS. I never beat either version but still enjoyed just piloting the dolphin around. Going back in time after meeting the big blue was as far as I made it. I would spend hours watching my older brother play the game. He made it to Atlantis on the GG and he was able to beat the Sega Dreamcast Ecco game too. The 90s were fun times.

[@Silanda]

Chances are that the reason they didn't replace the Ecco sprite is that the new one didn't exist yet. Ecco CD came out in '93. The latest beta of Tides of Time that we have dates to the end of April '94, and it's still using the old Ecco sprite. It looks like the new sprite wasn't finished until relatively late in development. Incidentally, the PC version had completely redrawn high resolution graphics, but did use a retouched Tides of Time sprite if played in low resolution mode.

[@Mirokuofnite]

I'm currently in a nostalgia loop right now. Basically reading my old 90s video game magazines and playing my collection of games of that era. Have you collected anymore vintage games recently? If so which ones?

[@JanelleWaz]

I haven't very recently. I think the last major purchase I made was Goldeneye, From Russia With Love, and Simpsons Road Rage. And then there was the Star Trek Starship Creator that I bought about a month ago that I need to get working. I have one heck of a backlog, not to mention I want to go through Goldeneye on my N64 since I'm not planning to renew Nintendo Switch Online (which I'm hoping will be easier after this recent playthrough).

[@Mirokuofnite]

@@JanelleWaz Yeah, my retro backlog is years long. But I came to terms with the idea that some games will just be in my collection unplayed for various reasons. But I'm not actively collecting anymore. I already got all the games I either loved, wanted, or found out about later. Also didn't hurt that I picked most of my collection up before the retro gaming gold rush took off.

[@GhaleonEB]

Despite having a Sega-CD when I was a kid, I never played the Ecco games. I have all my old Sega systems hooked up and and am going back and playing games I missed, and when it came to Ecco I decided to play them on Sega-CD as I'd been told the soundtracks were great. I chased down a copy of each and great turned out to be an understatement. I still listen to the soundtracks all the time, just incredible work. I did not know this version had new levels when I played it, or which, so I did not notice the pacing change you mentioned. The level with the sunken ships ended up being one of my favorites. Not sure I would have gotten through the game without checkpoints, so I was glad I played this version for all the improvements. Both this and Tides of Time are really special. Fun overview, I'll check out your channel. Thanks for the video.

[@JanelleWaz]

Glad you enjoyed it! I occasionally put the Ecco 1 CD soundtrack on while I write. That soundtrack is exceptional.

[@lordadk31]

yes it is, some graphics part were slighty enhanced, the music of Spencer Nielsen, the additional level in the sega cd version.

[@andrewdowell6474]

I come from an alternate reality where Ecco 32X is the best version. It has an unlockable machine gun Ecco can use.

[@joeyjo-joshabadu9636]

@@andrewdowell6474 can't wait until the third game comes out on the Saturn!

[@miorabbit4262]

I really enjoyed the sega cd version as a kid and the sequel on sega cd. Have you played Novotrade's 32x follow up to Ecco called Kolibri, a hummingbird shoot 'em up?

[@JanelleWaz]

Haven't played Kolibri mainly because I don't have a 32x. I do hear about it a lot on Twitter, and it does look like a pretty game.

[@slimekittenv]

Ive only ever played the 3ds port but its depth slider stuff is a very novel time

[@greenkoopa]

I think it's better, but the load times may put off quite a few people

[@Pingwn]

The answer is BOTH, play both.

[@christopherlively8477]

I beet that game when I was 10 on Genesis. I had more patience in those days🫨

[@Matthamatic]

This game has scarred me. Ecco has everything going for it, until you pick up the controller. Every problem I have with the game boils down to controls. The only other thing I can think of is that bosses don't have any kind of real damage animation or much/any feedback on if they are taking damage, but that is a small issue. Playing this game is a chore, and beating this game is wildly harder than it should be.

[@JanelleWaz]

If it makes you feel any better, the controls are better in the sequel.

[@Matthamatic]

@@JanelleWaz That's good. Maybe one day I will overcome, and give it a proper go.

[@procow2274]

Dolphies

[@Hyp3rSonic]

There is also a gba and game gear version ecco 1

[@JanelleWaz]

I have the Game Gear version, though not the GBA version.

[@normanred9212]

The original Genesis music is the best

[@fusionspace175]

I'm sure you've gotten this joke before but first video I've seen so.... Scott the Woz = Yoda Janelle Waz = Yaddle? The math checks out. Anyway I hate Ecco, but I'll hear you out on how the CD one might be better. I never found a single sega CD game worth buying during it's lifetime, myself, and I rented plenty of them. Can't say as I would play the CD one as I never got past 2 levels in any of the Ecco games, I much prefer things like shadow blasters, Rambo III, x men, and Cyborg Justice, with more freedom of movement and more attacks and enemies.

[@JanelleWaz]

I don't think I've heard that one. 😅 Wait, you actually got somewhere in the X-Men game? I can barely get past the second level! I guess with me and the Sega CD, a lot of it has to do with nostalgia. We didn't have a whole bunch of Sega CD games, but I always had fond memories playing the few games we had. As an adult, I love the cheesy FMV that the Sega CD was known for. It's not exactly Oscar-worthy, but for me it doesn't have to be: they're just fun to watch.

[@fusionspace175]

@@JanelleWaz I have a bit of a tale with X-Men, I was a big fan of the cartoon and it got me into comics along with Batman Animated, so I was super hyped for the game on release day, the announcement of which wasn't a common thing. But I would be at school, so my dear sweet beloved mother went and got it for me. Well, she tried. She brought home Ex-Mutants instead, the cover design and the word mutant having successfully fooled her, but let's give her credit for knowing they were mutants. I got the game soon enough though, and yes, I beat it on console, including a failed run where I died in Mojo World at the reset trick, for which I broke down and called the 900 help line to get the answer. Not the only time I used it for that game, either. Also you HAVE to cheat with Wolverine for a lot of it, find a safe space to heal and wait twenty minutes at several points. Switch between them and use the right ones at the right points. Nowadays you can look up a guide, I did it by trial and error. X Men 2: Clone Wars and Mutant Apocalypse are undoubtedly the superior games, but I'll always have a soft spot for that first one, the first X Men game that even looked like it could be good. I had played Wolverine on NES and the old computer text based one, and even tried the x men phone line game (look up vintage comic book ads to see that one, yeesh). I would say that X men Arcade's Revenge on SNES and both versions of Adamantium Rage are worse games, I still haven't beat any of them. But I have made it a point to play and collect superhero games and movies over my decades of comic fandom, so it's not weird for me, I'm a comics guy, and I'm currently suffering through the worst PC port of X Men III's movie game, for no sane reason I can explain. My framerate on the iceman levels is about 4 per second. Anyway, nice channel, if you want to get into comics at all, check mine out as well, I adapt old stories there. I still play a bunch of retro games in general, and I like your style.

[@JanelleWaz]

And subbed! Glad you enjoy my channel! Admittedly, I haven't gotten into comics, but I know a little bit about them. I remember watching the X-Men animated series growing up (and even binged through part of it on Hulu a few years ago) as well as playing the X-Men and Maximum Carnage Genesis games (though never made it very far in either).

[@fusionspace175]

@@JanelleWaz Thanks, and ditto. I'm a TNG fan and some Voyager (I'm halfway through and stalled out), plus the TOS movies. I'm not that big a Trekkie compared to other things, but I like seeing other people's perspectives on it. You did not miss ANYTHING in Maximum Carnage, that should have been an arcade game, with as little progression as you get, it's the exact same gameplay the entire time. It's more of an endurance match than anything else, though it is reasonably fun for that short initial period. The standouts on 16 bit are Batman Returns and Marvel War of the Gems on SNES, and Spider Man vs the Kingpin on Genesis those have a little more depth and fun to them. The team that made X Men also made a game called Generations Lost for Genesis, and you'll recognize the style if you play that. Though I can't say I got far in it, it seemed interesting, it's a post apoc jungle world with some future tech left over, techno tarzan.

[@JanelleWaz]

Voyager isn't bad, though I do have some criticisms of it. TNG was my favorite for years until DS9 slowly beat it out. I still love TNG even though DS9 beats it by a hair. I remember Maximum Carnage having that level where you climb a building, but most the gameplay I remember was a beat-em-up.

[@AB0BA_69]

>Was Sega so desperate to have FMV? Yes, they absolutely were. FMV and CD quality audio were the only reasons to get a Sega CD so they had to justify the high sales price of these newfangled CDs. I'm a huge Sega fan and it's a shame the Sega CD sucked so much...

[@Mirokuofnite]

I think AVGN said it best that all the junk tied to the Genesis (32x, and CD) was like life support on the system. The money spent keeping it alive could've gone elsewhere.

[@JanelleWaz]

Now now! I won't hear anything bad about the Sega CD. Of course, I'm a fan of cheesy FMV games. 😆 I love the Sega CD, but it's awful trying to collect for it now without going broke. There are games I bought almost ten years ago that have since doubled in price.

[@Mirokuofnite]

@@JanelleWaz Good thing about the Sega CD is you can play copied disc on it with no problem. Not the same as collecting. But if you want to play something that is otherwise unobtainable its way to do so.

[@AB0BA_69]

@@JanelleWazIt's definitely an acquired taste. BTW, I noticed the $9.99 sticker on one of your Sega CD games. Those were good times.... 😅 I doubt I'll ever own an original Sega CD game, but thankfully there's a good reproduction market since stamping CDs is much easier than making cart repros.

[@JanelleWaz]

I got Tides of Time (Sega CD) about ten years ago on eBay, so I think that was just the sticker that was already there and not what the seller was asking. Looking it up, I ended up paying less than $11 for that game. The case isn't in the best condition, but I'm happy to have it. What's even crazier is that I bought both Ecco 1 and Jurassic Park on Sega CD together for $13 around the same time.

[@craigsouthern4793]

Hey Jamelle hows wolfie

[@NovaBombardment]

It is absolutely not better on Sega CD. I played and beat the Genesis, Sega CD, and Game Gear versions, and Genesis is the only way to go.

[@JanelleWaz]

Would you mind explaining why you prefer the Genesis version over the Sega CD version? I've played/beaten both versions myself, but I personally found the Sega CD version a much more pleasant experience, though the load times were a little annoying.

[@NovaBombardment]

@@JanelleWaz The extra levels add nothing to the story, and as a result are pure filler that kill the game's pacing. The new levels on top of everything just aren't very good, so their addition only detracts from the game. People also always say the music in the CD version is so good, but it's only good in a vacuum. The music is fine on its own, but the themes from the original game actually fit what's going on in the game, and thus sound better while playing. None of the new music is actually better while playing the levels themselves, and makes the entire game worse. The addition of checkpoints is cute and all, but it dumbs down the game, and robs it of one of its defining character traits. Ecco is supposed to be a brutally hard game, and so much of the tense atmosphere of the game is ruined by letting you continue if you screw up. The Genesis version is all around a more solid game if you can overcome the difficulty. There's really nothing the CD version does better.

[@NovaBombardment]

Sorry if I came off as a huge asshole, because I was being one. Ecco the Dolphin is a special game to me, and I'm probably just really biased towards the version I grew up with. I shouldn't have even responded since I didn't have anything nice to say. Enjoy what you enjoy, because all of the points you made are true to yourself, and that's the important part. : )

[@JanelleWaz]

@@NovaBombardment No worries. I don't mind differing opinions. I've just been taking longer to respond to comments lately. I do get where you're coming from, though. The new levels don't add much to the game, and even I admitted they were filler. I thought the checkpoints made the experience more pleasant, but they really only get you so far (and are certainly no help in Welcome to the Machine/The Last Fight, arguably when you'd need them the most). The music I'll agree to disagree on: I straight up prefer the Sega CD version. That being said, there's definitely a feeling of accomplishment when you beat the Genesis version. Admittedly, Tides of Time was my first video game and I didn't play the original Ecco until years later. But I think what you feel about the original Ecco I feel about Tides of Time: the Genesis version is the best version hands down. Anyways, we're cool. If anything, we both love the Ecco the Dolphin series even if we prefer different versions of it.

[@NovaBombardment]

@@JanelleWaz I do love me some Ecco. I haven't played the Dreamcast game yet though. I think you're super right too, because while I do like Tides of Time a lot and think it's a fantastic sequel, I do enjoy it less than the original. I say you're right because I didn't mind the Sega CD version of that game, probably because I'm less attached to it. Tides of Time has such a cool ending though. I really hope they never make a sequel, as the way they left it is so good and mysterious.