Games SEGA DREAMCAST ECCO THE DOLPHIN-DEFENDER OF THE FUTURE User Manual
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Thank you for purchasing Ecco the Dolphin! Please note that this software is designed only for use with the Dreamcast
console. Be sure to read this instruction manual thoroughly before you start playing Ecco the Dolphin.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
P ro l o g u e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Starting Up.................................3
The Game Screen.......................4
C o n t ro l s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
M a n e u v e r i n g . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The Sonar.............................9
The Camera.......................10
Pausing the Game..............11
O p t i o n s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
The Save System.......................12
E n e m i e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 3
The Songs..................................14
The Gifts...................................15
Vitalit Crystals..........................16
Gift Crystals.............................16
Information Shards..................16
Walkthrough o f
Aquamarine Bay.......................17
Ti p s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0
The Authors..............................21
N o t e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3
Ecco the Dolphin is a memory card compatible game [Visual Memory Unit (VMU) sold separately]. In order to
save game files, the VMU to be used must have at least 8 memory blocks of free space available.
Saving and loading to and from your memory card occurs automatically. Make sure to insert the memory card into
Expansion Slot 1 of the Dreamcast Controller that is connected to Control Port A. Do not remove the memory
card or controller during loading and saving.
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PROLOGUE
At the dawn of the 30th century, after five hundred years of unity and fellowship,
dolphin and man set out from the Earth to explore the great unknowns of space.
But where man and dolphin founded a civilization of peace, others based theirs on
strength, conquest, and domination. And, even as man and dolphin went out from
the Earth, a sinister Foe cast envious eyes upon it. For the Earth was a prize
beyond measure, a pristine world to be cherished or exploited.
But the Earth was not defenseless. The mighty Guardian -- the greatest creation of
dolphin kind -- shielded it with its power.
Undeterred, the Foe persisted, probing for a moment of weakness they were certain
must come.
It was in this time that a dolphin named Ecco arrived to the Isle of the Guardian,
seeking to learn from the scholars of peace, but destined to be the only hope and
champion of the Earth.
STARTING UP
Title Screen
Once the Title Screen appears, press the Start Button and the
SELECTVMU SCREEN will appear.
Select the VMU you wish to use to save your game(s).
Save Files
Ecco the Dolphin is a memory card compatible game
[Visual Memory Unit sold separately]. You must have at least
8 blocks of space to save.
After selecting a VMU with the appropriate space, you will
be taken to the SELECT AGAME screen. Here you can select
a new game by inputting your initials. Once you’ve entered your
initials and selected [END], you will be taken to the MAIN MENU.
Main Menu
START GAME* Start the game
LOAD GAME Allows you to select a level that you’ve
OPTIONS Change controller setting, language, or
VMU MENU Select VMU and Ecco file or delete an
*If a file is selected, or once a game has been started, CONTINUE
GAME will appear instead of START GAME. CONTINUE GAME
allows you to start at the level that you last left off at.
If none of the controllers plugged in has a VMU, a warning message
Uwill alert you. If you do not plug a VMU into the controller, you
will still be able to play, but your progress will not be saved.
The VMU MENU allows you to come back to this option and thus
indicate at any moment on which VMU the game in progress should
be saved.
already accessed.
audio parameters.
existing Ecco file.
2
3
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THE GAME SCREEN
This is what you’ll see when playing
Ecco the Dolphin. In the upper left
corner of the screen are two bars.
The top bar represents Ecco’s
health; the one below
represents Ecco’s air
supply.
Health
When Ecco is attacked or touches a harmful
object, Ecco loses some of his health.
To replenish your health, you can charge
into a school of fish to have a yummy feast.
But beware, not all fish are edible and some
may cause undesired effects. Be observant
and remember what you learned from your
experiences. Knowing your food well could
be vital information in perilous situations.
Besides losing health to enemy creatures
and harmful objects, if Ecco is on land for
an extended amount of time, Ecco will
gradually lose health.
Air
Ecco is a dolphin, and, like all mammals, he needs
air to breathe. To get air you can rise above the water
surface. If you can’t find a water surface nearby,
look for alternative sources of air. Some sources are
plainly visible but some are hidden and not so obvious. Observe your surroundings and remember to
keep track of your Air meter.
When your Air meter is at half, 1/4 and 1/8 levels
left, Ecco will make a squeak noise as a warning to
the player. If Ecco has no air, Ecco starts to lose
health.
CONTROLS
Connect the Dreamcast Controllers to Control Port A.
Dreamcast Controller
Analog Thumb
D-Pad
Start
To return to the Title Screen at any point during the game, simultaneously press and hold
the
A, B, X, Y and the Start Buttons.
Do not touch the Analog Thumb Pad, or the Triggers while turning the Dreamcast
power ON. Doing so may disrupt the controller initialization
procedure and result in malfunction.
X Button
Trigger
L
Trigger
Y
B
A
R
4
5
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CONTROLS
The configuration displayed is the default configuration. In the Options menu, you can choose
between two types of controller configurations.
BASIC SWIMMING CONTROL
Analog Thumb Pad andBehavior
Dive
Climb
Turn Left
Turn Right
Look Left (camera)
Look Right (camera)
Accelerate
Charge
Use Sonar
Special Maneuver Button
Never touch the Analog Thumb Pad or Triggers L/R while turning the Dreamcast power
ON. Doing so may interrupt the controller initialization process and result in malfunction.
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UP
DOWN
LEFT
RIGHT
Trigger L
Trigger R
A
B
X
Y
SPECIALMANEUVERS
Super Roll
Slow Down/Reverse
180 degree turn left
180 degree turn right
Roll Left
Roll Right
ACROBATIC CONTROLS OUTOF WATER
Roll Forward
Roll Backward
Spin Left
Spin Right
Roll Left
Roll Right
Slower Rotation
Faster Rotation
Chirp and Smile
Stop Rotation
CONTROLS
Analog Thumb Pad andBehavior
Y + UP(While Ecco is in motion)
Y+ DOWN
Y+ LEFT
Y+ RIGHT
Y+Trigger L
Y+Trigger R
Analog Thumb Pad andBehavior
UP
DOWN
LEFT
RIGHT
Trigger L
Trigger R
A
B
X
Y
7
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