Ecco the Dolphin

Ecco the Dolphin for Sega CD is a single-player action-adventure game from 1993, developed by Novotrade International and published by Sega. This Sega CD edition revisits the underwater quest that began on the Mega Drive/Genesis, placing players in control of Ecco, a bottlenose dolphin separated from his pod by a mysterious waterspout. What begins around a peaceful coastal bay expands into an unusual journey through oceans, ancient ruins, distant eras, and the realm of an alien threat.

Swimming is the heart of Ecco the Dolphin Sega CD. Ecco moves freely through side-scrolling underwater spaces, building momentum to dash through the water, ram hostile creatures, or launch himself into the air. His air supply must be watched: as a mammal, he needs to surface or locate breathable water sources before the meter runs out. A separate health reserve is depleted by attacks and danger, and can be restored through food and certain helpful objects found during the adventure.

Ecco's song is as important as his speed. Used as a form of sonar, it can reveal the shape of nearby surroundings and help him communicate with other sea creatures or activate the game's enigmatic Glyphs. These large crystals can provide information, open routes, or require Ecco to find a matching key before he can continue. Later abilities expand the song's usefulness in confrontations, so exploration, observation, and careful use of Ecco's natural tools sit alongside direct action.

The adventure follows Ecco as he searches for the vanished pod and seeks guidance from figures including the ancient Big Blue and the Asterite. Their clues lead him through reefs, caverns, a sunken Atlantean city, and time-travel episodes connected to the recurring phenomenon that disrupted the sea. The story ultimately reveals the Vortex, extraterrestrials whose harvest threatens ocean life, giving the game a science-fiction direction far removed from its opening dolphin playground.

Rather than simply reproducing the cartridge game, the Sega CD release includes added and redesigned areas, making it a distinct route through Ecco's first adventure. It also uses the system's CD audio for a separate score composed by Spencer Nilsen. The result is an early Ecco entry that combines navigation puzzles, survival management, and a surreal aquatic setting, while establishing the series' mix of dolphin behavior, cryptic world-building, and time-spanning fantasy.