The only thing on my schedule for today, is Ecco the Dolphin..

I ordered my game 2 weeks or so ago, a game I had myself back in 00' for Christmas where I can recall sneaking out to my mom's cadillac and sneaking it out of the trunk and back in the house because I had to play it.. Years went by, two of which when I had it put up because I couldn't get past the first level.. Then, digging it up to beat it, needing the help of a walkthrough.. And let me say, this walkthrough is one of the strong factors of why I'm doing a walkthrough myself.. But anyway, I remember printing out the pages for it, all in green ink because my printer was outta black.. And reading at the end of the walkthrough, after beating the final boss, the author saying "Give yourself a pat on the back, you've just beat one of the hardest games ever made" and laughing a bit.. So I can proudly say, to this author I was unable to relocate these years past, that he/she will get notification in my walkthrough..

Speaking of which, I started playing last night, fairly late.. I spent a little time dusting off my dreamcast, undoing the cables and setting it up.. I opened the brown envelope which had been under my pillow since I got it, and took the game out of the bubble wrap.. Powered on the Dreamcast, it beeped, and the game pissed me off right away.. Not so much the game as I was "Roman Games" corp. for sending me a dud but I rebooted it and it was fine.. And let me tell ya.. I went back in time.. Seeing the loading screen, "Press Start Button" and listening to that beautiful main menu tune.. The bubble sounds my controller made as it scrolled through the options, and the logos and such on the memory card screen.. "Loading" with bubbles around it being the first one.. I loved it, and it really took me back..
And like a greatly held circumstance where one would open an elderly bottle of wine or champagne, I had been saving a gallon of lemon-line gatorade, and contomplated opening many times pre-gameplay of ecco but I was able to withstand it.. And with the main menu up, I opened the gatorade gallon jug and took a good swig, and it was savored as a great moment.. :)
I did not however, play the game.. I looked into my past history by running through the game chapters, and my memory files, but ultimately got a fine meal and watched a movie after this wonderful experience.. So for today, I plan on starting my walkthrough, which has already gotten an appropriate blue notebook and labeled front page so I'm ready to go.. I'll keep my ecco replay experience updated, and how the walkthrough is coming..

~DarkKar