Ecco the Dolphin, the iconic cetacean hero of Sega’s 16-bit heyday, is set to make a splash once again. A comprehensive, definitive collection has been announced, bundling classic titles alongside an entirely new game tailored for modern hardware. Developer A&R Atelier officially unveiled Ecco the Dolphin: Complete this Wednesday, confirming that the remastering process is being spearheaded by original members of the legendary Ecco development team.
“This is a project that only we could undertake. The individuals who crafted the world, score, atmosphere, and cryptic lore of the original games are the ones guiding this resurgence,” A&R Atelier stated in a recent press release. “This isn’t an outside studio’s reinterpretation. This is Ecco as it was always intended to be—brought to life by the very visionaries who first imagined it.”
Ecco the Dolphin: Complete will house every version of the original Ecco the Dolphin and its sequel, Ecco: The Tides of Time, both of which debuted on the Sega Genesis. The collection will also honor the franchise’s heritage by including ports originally released for the Sega CD, Game Gear, and Master System. The inclusion of an all-new game is described by A&R Atelier as a “journey into the modern era, threading the franchise’s legacy into a singular, cohesive experience.”
Notably absent from this collection, however, is Ecco: Defender of the Future, the 2000 Sega Dreamcast title later ported to PlayStation 2. It also remains uncertain whether the family-oriented spin-off, Ecco Jr., will be part of the package.
According to the creators, the collection will feature integrated speedrunning support, a robust achievement system, and competitive leaderboards. Players can also look forward to “meta quests” that bridge the gap between the classic titles and the new entry, alongside a custom course builder. This tool will allow users to design personal level sequences using any combination of stages from across the series and share these custom challenges with the wider community.
The project follows years of anticipation, as series creator Ed Annunziata has teased a return to the franchise for some time. His commitment to revitalizing the property dates back to 2013, when he attempted to launch a spiritual successor titled The Big Blue via a Kickstarter campaign, though that specific endeavor never came to fruition.
Currently, A&R Atelier has not provided a specific release window or a confirmed list of platforms for Ecco the Dolphin: Complete.
Source: Polygon
