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'Big Blue' from Ecco the Dolphin team makes a splash on Kickstarter

David Hinkle — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:20:00 EST

Some of the original Ecco the Dolphin team are reuniting in the hopes they can create a new adventure game through Kickstarter funding. Big Blue is an oceanic adventure game set one million years in the future, in which players can control every creature in the game world - even many creatures at once. There will also be a breeding mechanic, necessary to complete certain quests.

The Kickstarter campaign for Big Blue also promises a dynamic music engine that will run continuously in the background as you play. "Parameters and player's interactions will drive music and keep it fluid and in emotional context with the visuals and events that occur in the game," creator Ed Annunziata says in the Kickstarter post. Spencer Nilsen and Bear McCreary will team up to handle the score.

April 22, 2014 is the planned launch date for Big Blue on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. "If we exceed our goal by 50% the game will get multiplayer, cooperative game play. Players will be able to share environments, creatures, and complete quests as teams," Annunziata says. "If we reach 2X our goal we will be able make the Big Blue an MMO." Annunziata added that once "the first version" of the game is complete, he will approach Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo for possible console ports.

'Big Blue' from Ecco the Dolphin team makes a splash on Kickstarter originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ecco the Dolphin creator to meet with Sega

JC Fletcher — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 10:15:00 EST

There may be more terrifying dolphin time travel adventures in our future. Ecco the Dolphin creator Ed Annunziata announced on Twitter that he's meeting with Sega to talk about plans for the series. Annunziata has even convinced composer Spencer Nilsen to join up with the unspecified effort.

Annunziata is enthusiastic about the prospects - "now chances of a new Ecco the Dolphin x100," he said. Whatever happens with the Ecco games in the future, we're certain it will be digital.

Ecco the Dolphin creator to meet with Sega originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ecco the Dolphin: unexpected terror in the deep blue sea

Heidi Kemps — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:20:00 EST

It's Halloween, the day we all turn our attention to all things spoooooooky. In honor of this occasion, Heidi Kemps makes a convincing case for the secret scariness of the seemingly non-horror-oriented Ecco the Dolphin. Later, the Joystiq staff will share their own picks for unintentionally frightening games. We'll just leave you in suspense for now (boo!)

Dolphins! Every adolescent girl on the planet loves dolphins, but being a fan of marine life in general, I really liked dolphins. I was certainly among the many, many girls with Lisa Frank school supplies emblazoned with imagery of brightly airbrushed, neon-colored dolphins, but I was far more into porpoises than even that, with plenty of other themed baubles in my possession. So, of course, when Ecco the Dolphin came out for the Genesis, I was excited to check the game out, especially with the rave reviews it had received in magazines at the time.

Little did I suspect the horrors Sega and Novotrade had in store for me.

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Ecco the Dolphin: unexpected terror in the deep blue sea originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phantasy Star 2 released for iPhone; other Sega games on sale

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:30:00 EST

Sega is temporarily dropping prices of its iPhone games in honor of kids going back to school. You know, it's been a long time since our GameBoy Advance was confiscated for illicit Pokémon Fire Red playing, but we're pretty sure you're still not allowed to play games during class. Oh well -- it's the thought that counts, Sega!

Additionally, Phantasy Star 2 launched today on the App Store with a sale price of $2.99 (normally $4.99). See the complete Sega sale details after the break.

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Phantasy Star 2 released for iPhone; other Sega games on sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sega Genesis Classics rising from their graves, hitting Steam and other PC platforms [update]

JC Fletcher — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:30:00 EST

POWER UP in our gallerySega is bringing a Virtual Console-like experience to PC digital distribution platforms. Sega Genesis Classics is a series of individual Genesis games available for download via Steam and additional, unspecified download services.

On June 1, PC users will be able to download Golden Axe, Ecco the Dolphin, Comix Zone, and Vectorman, "from $2.99." We don't yet know how the prices will vary per game, but even if just one is that cheap, it's quite a savings over the $8 Virtual Console price.

The screenshots sent out by Sega also include images of Gain Ground, Altered Beast, Space Harrier, Crack Down, Sonic 3D Blast, and Shadow Dancer, so we can expect to see those games from the distant past on PC in the near future.

Update: Sega's blog post about the collection clears up the launch lineup: all of these games will actually be available June 1.

Gallery: Sega Genesis Classics (PC)

Continue reading Sega Genesis Classics rising from their graves, hitting Steam and other PC platforms [update]

Sega Genesis Classics rising from their graves, hitting Steam and other PC platforms [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 May 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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