Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (DC)
Full FAQ/Walkthrough
v1.0
written by the highly esteemed: Strangevision


Use of this FAQ and all its contents is permitted (!!) as long as you 
notify me at strangevision@hotmail.com and give me credit for my own 
work. Changing or altering this FAQ in any way is prohibited. 
Copyright "Strangevision" Lucas Gardner 2001.

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Contents
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I. Introduction
II. Walkthrough
   a. Aquamarine Bay
   b. Perils of the Coral Reef
   c. Trial without Error
   d. Four Ways of Mystery
   e. *Bonus* Passage from Genesis
   f. *Bonus* Pathways from Nowhere
   g. Up and Down
   h. Roaring Forces
   i. Atlantis Lost
   j. Shrine of Controversy
   k. Master of Forgotten Skills
   l. Process that Never Ends
   m. Blades in Motion
   n. Perpetual Fluidity
   o. Obscure Ways to Terminus
   p. Sleeping Forces of Doom
   q. Anguish of Death
   r. Entrapment
   s. Caverns of Hope
   t. Lair of Evil
   u. Powers of Levitation
   v. Hanging Waters
   w. Chance of Reckoning
   x. Hatchery
   y. Seeds of Poison
   z. Transfiguration
  aa. Heart of Foe
III. Closing
IV. Credits

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Introduction
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Welcome to my detailed, spoiler-free, printer friendly, walkthrough for 
the Dreamcast installment of the Ecco series. Ecco the Dolphin: Defender 
of the Future is probably the hardest game I have ever played (a tie 
with Tomb Raider III) but no doubt the most enjoyable game I have played 
in years. It has great graphics as well as great gameplay showing off 
the Dreamcast's power. The story is a bit weak but you won't care.

Newbies to the game will want to check out my Aquamarine Bay guide 
below. I will inform you of the basic and advanced moves, sonar, and 
vitalits. Explanations for gifts and songs will be given when they are 
collected. If you have any questions refer to the Closing section (III) 
and send them to me. 

Also it should be known I have not collected all vitalits (has anyone?) 
but I will mention where to get some along the way. There really isn't a 
point to collecting them all.

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Walkthrough
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(a.) Aquamarine Bay

From the beginning you must learn a few basic moves from your dolphin 
pals. Here they are......(with a few added extras from me)

- Sonar (X button)
- Swimming (Press A button. Press repeatedly (hold) to build momentum.)
- Charge (B button)
- Swim Backwards (Hold Y and press back on the analog stick)
- 180 Turn (Hold Y and press left/right on the analog stick)
- Eat Fish (Charge (B) into a school of fish)
- Map (Press and Hold X)

You may also want to learn a few advanced moves too....

- Super Roll (Press Y + Analog stick up)
- Tailwalk  (Press A repeatedly while on the surface of the water)
- Clear Pause Screen (Press X+Y while paused)
- Look Around (Press L,R, or L+R during gameplay)

OK your set. Now here is the walkthrough. Go to where the dolphins are 
gathering and play Fetch the Fish. Charge into the group of fish with 
the same color as instructed and bring it back to the coach. The first 
one back wins. Play this a few times and win your first vitalit. 
Vitalits permanently increase your max energy bar slightly. They are 
usually hidden so keep your eyes peeled. Now that you have beaten Fetch 
the Fish swim around this small area until you stumble upon a Mother 
Whale and her child. Speak to them both using your sonar and head back 
torwards your instructor. Before you reach him you will witness a 
cutscene. The baby whale is now trapped. Speak to the mother whale and 
he will tell she does not know of its whereabouts. Swim left until you 
see a pile of rocks blocking a small cave. Use your sonar and you will 
find out this is where the baby whale is trapped. Swim back and find 
your dolphin friends that you challenged to Fetch the Fish and they 
agree to help you save the whale. Lead them to the place. Now that the 
mother is in your debt speak to her and she will help you by blocking 
the waterfall currents so you can escape to the next level.

For vitalit locations in this level consult your instruction manual.

=======================================================================

(b.) Perils of the Coral Reef

Being your first real level, you may find yourself overwhelmed with the 
steep difficulty level. Get used to it. From the beginning speak to the 
guardian crystal (using sonar) and then speak to the dolphins in this 
circular area. They will ask you to race them but you must first catch a 
red fish. Catch one red fish from the surrounding area and swim in 
between the columns as they instructed. Beat them in the race (Press B) 
and you will win yourself a vitalit. Head out into the next area.

From here you can go 2 directions. Down the right path is a dolphin with 
nonessential information. He tells you about the cave in this area that 
is blocked off by strong currents. When you check it out you will find 
he is absolutely right! Like I said this path is not important for now.

The left path takes you to an area with another dolphin (did I mention 
the sharks in this area. Don't bother with killing them!). Speak with 
him and he will tell you about his brother who is missing. You can learn 
the Song of Shark if you find him so let's be on our way. Go to the 
surface of the water and do a tail walk (press A rapidly while on the 
surface). Look around until you spot a low wall that you can jump 
across.

(checkpoint) This area is littered with sharks. Also in this area is the 
young dolphin we were trying to find. Speak to him and he will ask you 
to help him rescue his pet turtle from the sharks. You must kill every 
shark (B button) refilling lost health when needed. After doing so the 
young dolphin will teach you the Song of Turtle. Go back and speak to 
his older brother who will teach you the Song of Shark.

- Song of Turtle (Turtles will now follow you.)
- Song of Shark (Sharks will be now be confused.)

To use songs aim at the nearest creature and use your sonar. Easy huh?

Now continue past where you saved the turtle and head passage (dodging 
the jellyfish) until you reach an open area with 2 sharks and a dark 
tunnel. Forget both of these and head through the left passage in this 
room that takes you a large area with a hint crystal and 2 dolphins. 
Read the hint and speak to the dolphins. This area has many passages. 
The two caves in this area lead to nothing important so head back to the 
area with two sharks and the cave. Dash through the cave (make sure you 
are at full health) and hopefully the fish won't kill you. This will 
take you to the Great White shark. 

(checkpoint) Don't worry this thing won't hurt you until you provoke it 
with the Song of Shark. First though you must know what to do....

- Use the Song of Shark.
- Provoke the shark into chasing you through the corals.
- Once he gets himself stuck you will obtain the Power of Vigor.

This will probably take you a while so be patient. With the power of 
Vigor you can exit the level.

Go back to the area with the 2 dolphins and crystal. Swim over the low 
wall in this area (it will be to your right from the entry point) and 
swim past the sharks. Collect the power of Vigor and swim into the exit.

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(c.) Trial without Error

This level is shorter than the last and shouldn't take you more than 15 
minutes to complete. Kill all the sharks in this large area and speak to 
the mother dolphin. She says she has lost her 3 children and she wants 
you to find them. I will help you rescue one. The one that actually is 
required to beat the level.

Enter the cave with several hammerhead sharks. Kill *all* of them and 
save the dolphin in the small area past them. He will swim out to the 
large central area and stay by some rocks. Speak to him now and he will 
reveal a few clues. Collect the power of Vigor by the reef and use it to 
push over the rock by the dolphin. This will reveal a new area.

In this dark chasm lives the Giant Octopus who just hates visitors. 
There is a vitalit in this area so look closely. Talk to your dolphin 
friend a few times and he will tell you how to get to the next level. 
When he is captured by the Octopus, you swim past it and exit.

=======================================================================
(d.) Four Ways of Mystery

This level is much harder than the previous ones. It is actually harder 
than the next 5 levels if you want the truth. Swim to the middle of the 
large cavern and speak with the crystal. Also gather a new ability: The 
Power of Air. 

There are a few things to be aware of in this level. Danger lurks in 
every corner....

- Air is very limited. You can use the Power of Air crystals.
- Air can also be collected from underground wells.
- Watch out for the large Moray Eel. You cannot get past him yet.
- The jellyfish are now poisonous.
- Moray Eels cannot be defeated.
- From the entrance there are four paths (Four ways of mystery...)
- Anemones sting. Always dash through them.

Now you are ready to take on this level. The correct path you should 
take is a cave decorated with coral as well as a nasty moray eel. Swim 
down this path and collect an Air crystal. Soon you should see this path 
branch out into three more paths. Take the path that you can see 
anemones in. They look like this. More or less

                O O O O
                 \ - /
                  [-]      (Sea Anemone)- Any of various marine
                  [-]                     organisms with a flexible
                  [-]                     cylindrical body and
                  [-]                     numerous tentacles.

Continue down this path and don't veer off of it. You should arrive in a 
large open area with a dolphin and some manta rays.(checkpoint) Swim to 
the top to replenish your air and then speak to the dolphin a few times. 
He will teach you the Song of Ray as long as you bring him a fish. He is 
indicating a large fish that swims around the central area back at the 
beginning of the stage. Make your way back and take note of an extremely 
fast fish swimming around the support columns. Catch it but watch out 
for the large moray eel that will surely deliver you a fatal bite.

Once you catch the fish take it back to the dolphin who will teach you 
the Song of Ray.(checkpoint) The Song of Ray enables you to use sonar on 
a manta ray and make it swim in a desired direction. The direction it 
swims depends on what angle you ping the manta with your sonar. Now it 
is time to exit this level.

The brown spotted manta must be lead to the large open area at the 
beginning (yikes!) and lead under the giant moray eel. Then you must 
swim under the manta and head out of this stage. The moray won't even 
see you. Of course, this is easier said than done. The manta will try 
constantly try to swim back to where it came from. Therefore you need a 
lot of air and patience. Assault the manta with several pings of sonar 
and you should be all right. Fin.

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(e.) *Bonus* Passage from Genesis

You will actually start in the level entitled Up and Down. You won't be 
in here for long. On the other side of the large central structure you 
will see a small boulder (it is grey and blends in with the sea floor). 
Swim into it and roll it down the tunnel with the strong current. You 
must swim behind it while it blocks the current. 

Now follow the crystals vague instructions and enter a secret level: 
Passage from Genesis.

The main objective of this level is to collect hidden vitalits. The 
level itself looks very cool and I have heard it resembles past Ecco 
games. It is entirely 2-D but is one of my favorite levels. Anyway take 
note that you need to use the Power of Sonar to access hidden vitalits. 
Also take note of the following things:

- Exit the level from where you entered.
- Stay away from the walls. You will probably be stung by anemones.
- There are no enemies. Enjoy it while it lasts.
- There is a low wall to jump over to access a Power of Sonar crystal.

Once you are done clearing this level, return to Up and Down.

=======================================================================
(f.) *Bonus* Pathways from Nowhere

Once again you are actually in the level entitled Up and Down. Use the 
Power of Sonar to destroy the large red structure in the main room. This 
will open a new path in the ceiling. Before you go collect the Power of 
Air and Power of Endurance crystals. 

The tunnel is extremely dangerous. Dash through the tunnel and 
continuely press the B button. When you enter the tunnel you will 
immediately be poisoned. Collect at least one Power of Endurance crystal 
while dashing and your poison will cease to pester you. Exit the tunnel 
with ease.

(checkpoint) Finally, some sunlight. In this small area speak with the 
crystal. It will inform you of a puzzle. Before falling down with the 
waterfall area below, collect hidden pink crystals in this area. Two are 
above the water by the ring and the others are hidden amongst the coral. 
Take five to the ring and you will get a cut-scene. Follow the path 
shown by jumping over a low wall to access the bonus level. 

Believe it or not there is a way to make it back up the water fall if 
you accidentally get caught in the current. Simply jump out of the water 
into the middle of the waterfall to access a hidden area. This area has 
a tunnel similar to the one you went in earlier. It will take you back 
to the top.

Whew! Now I can actually tell you about the level. Pathways from Nowhere 
is very similar to the previous bonus level except much harder. The 
first part of the level you must collect pink crystals and take them to 
a ring. They are hidden amongst the maze. One is hidden in a stone you 
must break with the Power of Sonar.

After collecting enough crystals a new path will open. A maze. Collect 
several vitalits and exit back where you entered and go down the 
waterfall. No wonder the level is called Up and Down!

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(g.) Up and Down

Most of this level has been explained above so you do not have much more 
to do. Use the Song of Turtle on the nearby turtle (really!) and 
position it over the large manta ray on the sea floor. Hit it so that it 
will fall and the manta will move revealing the Power of Stealth. This 
will enable you to move without being seen. It will also help you move 
past a mirror in this level.

Collect the Power of Stealth crystal from this area and speak to the 
crystal nearby. Now stealthily move through the nearby mirror to access 
the next area.

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(h.) Roaring Forces

This level is simple and straightforward and shouldn't call for much 
explantion. Grab the Power of Stealth crystal from the shark-infested 
waters and swim into the nearby cave. And be prepared to swim ahead. 
Fast.

A giant moray eel similar to the one found in level four will chase you 
down a series of winding tunnels. It will try to zap you with an 
electrical current so swim in a zig-zag pattern. The path will branch 
several times but they all lead to the same destination. Be careful.

When the chase ends you will be in a room with several buttons. Use the 
dolphin picture as a clue to which ones to press and proceed through the 
opening in the ceiling. You are now in a large chamber. Swim to the 
center of the room and you will sparkle with an unknown power. Now catch 
the single fish in this room. You will now transform. As the fish swim 
through the rope covered exit.

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(i.) Atlantis Lost

This level is fairly complex. Much like the level Pathways from Nowhere, 
this level relies on your ability to find hidden crystals scattered all 
around. When you find them you must return them to the huge guardian 
crystal in the centre of the area. Here are the crystal locations:

- From the beginning hug the left wall. Continue until you reach an
  area full of blue jellyfish. Swim past them and gather the crystal
  from behind a rock.
- The second crystal is in a large chasm. Push the boulder down the   
  path with the strong current. Collect the crystal you find.  
- The third crystal is accessible by jumping over a sandbar. Tailwalk
  to see where.
- The fourth is inside a door blocked by rocks. Grab the Power of Sonar 
  nearby and grab it from inside.

After collecting these crystals jump out of the water, through the 
purple rings that appeared. This will open the different temples. Swim 
inside each temple and use your sonar on the hologram projections if you 
find any. These will activate the main jump rings in the large chasm 
area allowing access to the fifth crystal. 

To get the fifth crystal you must swim (not dash) through the jump rings 
and break through the surface of the water. You will be high in the air. 
The object is to jump over the main temple and snag the crystal on the 
top. This will take practice obviously.

Now take this crystal to the guardian to end the level. Plus you get two 
movies and a new set of levels.

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(j.) Shrine of Controversy

The next set of levels take on a much darker tone. The water is polluted 
and the dolphins are generally unfriendly. Let's get started. First of 
all you should be familiar with the map. The level consists of a large 
central shrine surrounded by several smaller ones. Torward the bottom of 
the enclosed lake are a few branching paths. There is also a poisonous 
valve wheel to take note of.

From the beginning swim to the right of the shrine and down to come to 
another shrine with a grey, red-finned dolhin swimming around. This type 
of dolphin is called a Crimson. On the top of the shrine is a place to 
regain air and the inside of the shrine holds a Power of Air crystal. 
Speak with the Crimson to find out how distrusted you are. The only to 
gain his trust is by trickery. Swim under the shrine and enter the 
tunnel below. The path ends in a room full of spouting red dye. Swim in 
it and you will become a Crimson (a fake one at that). Swim back to 
where you came from and now speak with the dolphin. He will trust you. 
Lead him back to the central shrine entrance (where you started).

There are a few more dolphins to gain trust of. From the starting point, 
swim now to the left and down. Here there is a shrine and another 
dolphin who dislikes Crimsons. To gain his trust swim under the shrine. 
Here you must shut off the valve that is emitting out poisonous gases. 
Push the handle with your snout for one revolution to shut it off. Hint: 
Righty Tighty Lefty Loosey (^_^) Lead this dolphin back to the central 
shrine as well.

I saved the best for last. From the beginning swim behind the temple and 
down to the bottom. Notice the exit here that you can't go through (the 
shiny sparkly thing). Now swim a little higher and to the right. Notice 
the tunnel here. It looks like a cog with a tube coming out of it. Speak 
with the dolphin swimming around the entrance and he will lead you to 
his mama. She doesn't like you much and will fight you. Hit her five 
times with your nose and she will trust you. Lead her to the main 
shrine.

Now the doors will be open in the central shrine. Swim in and grab the 
harness. It looks pretty cool and you will wear it for quite a while. 
Now speak with all the dolphins once more and head for the exit at the 
bottom of the lake. Open the exit using your sonar.

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(k.) Master of Forgotten Skills

This level isn't too tough. It can be fun as well. At the beginning you 
must locate a floating machine with 3 switches that has a fan on the 
bottom. It looks similar to a small rocket. Hit the switches in the 
correct order (the one with one dot, then two dots, etc).  Once you have 
done so swim to the bottom and get ready for a puzzle.

There are a few things to take note of. First of all there is an air 
reservoir close by for emergencies. Second, There is a large machine 
that resembles a forklift. It can be moved with the sonar to move 
various boxes. Ping it once to go forward and twice to stop. The object 
is to move the boxes so that you can move a box down the to the large 
door. I will leave the puzzle solving to you. It really is not hard.
Now you have completed the level.

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Closing
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More of this FAQ will come as soon as possible. I hope you like it so 
far. If you have any questions, comments, etc. do not hesitate to     e-
mail me at strangevision@hotmail.com. Please put general information in 
the subject box such as "Ecco Help". Thanks again!

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Credits
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- www.gamefaqs.com for hosting my FAQ
- ign.com for helping me through the game
- Appaloosa for making a wonderful game