On the other hand (fin), much of the artwork is just the same graphics from the first 8-bit title, like Ecco’s sprite and the fish. So, to compare both Game Gear titles, Tides looks very drab and lacking in color… It looks all washed-out! Some artwork is directly based on 16-bit Tides, such as the dolphin from the future, who seems nostalgic here because she looks similar to her Genesis/Sega CD models. Disappointingly, Tides seems to have the same exact colors and graphics from the Master System, with no enhancements. The coral and plants are re-drawn to look more realistic, but the scenery always leaves me missing the brighter colors that shine in the first portable title, which shows off the Game Gear’s palette. The fish look about the same as the first 8-bit title, while the rest of the sea creatures generally look more detailed and realistic. Its artwork does look slightly more realistic, though, and this artistic shift is interesting enough. Instead, 8-bit Tides sticks close to the first 8-bit game.

I had been expecting the Game Gear Tides to similarly show some drastic improvements, but it doesn’t, really. In the main series though, 16-bit Tides is leaps ahead of the first game, including all its graphics and colors. Game Gear Tides is built on the first 8-bit title, so mostly, it looks like that. Also, the 16-bit version of Tides has dolphins jumping during the title screen, so the lack of all these effects is just plain disappointing. However, Tides of Time has a silent SEGA logo, and the title screen barely lasts for a few seconds of music, before it switches to the demo sequence. Ecco’s first portable title has whale calls and dolphin cries during its SEGA screen and title screen so it seems magical just to turn the power on.

Unfortunately, it’s disappointing, right away. Players: 1 Released: 1994Īfter swimming through Ecco’s first swim on Game Gear, I dived into its sequel.

Genre: Action Developer: Novotrade Publisher: Sega Ent.

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