Ecco The Dolphin: Defender Of The Future

Very pretty, even after six years. Nobody else has really done anything similar that I’ve seen, so it’s not got any competition.

However, after the first training area I got completely lost. I just didn’t know what to do. I did a race, which didn’t seem to get me very far. I got told that I should catch a big fish, but couldn’t see one anyone. I tried fighting some sharks, but kept dying. In the end I just gave up.

Cannon Spike

Yes!

I set my Dreamcast back up after tearing my flat apart looking for its s-video cable. I finally found it in the last place I looked… the Dreamcast box. Oops. Most of VMUs seem to be missing, but I did find a NEW! SEALED! VMU and an equally NEW! SEALED! vibration pack, so that’s nice.

Anyway, I put Powerstone 2 to check it worked, then when it booted I turned off and went and had a bath. After that I dug out all my old games. Annoyingly, I couldn’t find my boot disc, so I can’t play any of my UK or JAP games. No Ikaruga, Cosmic Smash, etc. Hmpf.

Not there’s a shortage of DC games for me to play. But the one I was gagging to play was Cannon Spike. Not sure why, but it always comes to mind when I think about the DC. I don’t think I even played it that much. Anyway, I’ve just been back and played a game with each of the characters (including the barely secret Megaman and B. B. Hood)… And then I played another game as Cammy, just for good measure.

It’s rather good and still looks good. Not state of the art, but good. No glaringly horrible textures, no jagged lines, no framerate issues. And it’s nice and simple to play, despite using all four face buttons for various attacks, the left trigger for a special attack and the right trigger to lock on.

I didn’t use any continues. You’d think I’d myself now after all these years, but I’m still playing them the hardcore way.

Xbox 360

There’s a new game on Live Arcade called Feeding Frenzy. You steer a fish around eating small fish and avoiding big ones. Seems okay, actually. I played through a couple of times. Would have bought for 400 points, but 800 seems a little much.

Then I flicked between Morrowind (see previous post) and Crystal Quest all evening. I beat my previous best score. And James’s best score. I am once again king.