Firstly since some ecco fans are not computer experts I suppose I better explain what exactlly the 'beta' version of Ecco: The Tides of Time is... When software (programs/games/etc) is written, the program when it has just been started and is very incomplete is refered to as being an 'Alpha' version, after more development is done and the program partly works it is refered to as a "Beta" version, after the program is finished is called the final version. Well what the beta version of ecco:ToT is, is the game from when it was only part complete - the graphics are different, the levels are different etc, this gives us fans a chance to see various things that were not included in the final game and how various parts of the game were before they were completed. The beta version was found as ROM (the program contained inside a game cartridge which has been copied to a computer) by PsySonic who informed me about it... If you want to look at the beta rom you can download a copy of it from here if you need emulators (programs the simulate a Mega Drive on your computer) so you can run the ROM try emux.com. If you can't run/download the roms emulators read on and I'll give some details on what exactlly is in the Beta version...
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The game starts straight into the introduction sequence which has slightlly different graphics to start off with and for some reason the storyline text doesn't appear as lot of odd charcters in the emulator like it does with the final version rom...
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After the words in the introduction stop you see a sequence with the vortex queen flying through the atmosphere towards earth...
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After the introduction you have a sequence like the start of Ecco the dolphin (Mega Drive) where ecco and several other dolphins swim along and then ecco swims around and jumps in and out of the water in one place.
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The game then goes straight into a demo of the level 'tube of medusa' (no title screen), the level looks about the same as it does in the final version.
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After the 'tube of medusa' demo the games goes into a demo of what appears to be an earlly version of the dark vortex future. The level appears to be all underwater with no air gaps between tubes. The usual electric bolts are everywhere but also there is a spike that extents and retracts trying to impale you, you can hit some of the vents covers with your sonar to release clouds of bubbles similar to the 'shelled ones' (shellfish/clams) from the previous game, at the end of the level there appears to be a metal dolphin as a boss fight but the demo ends before you get much of a chance to look at it.
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After the vortex future demo ends the game just repeats through the demos, after you press start you are taken straight to a normal looking level, there a few odd things though like the bubbles coming from the seafloor not filling up your air meter. You have to complete a simple enough puzzle of following another dolphin to complete the level and get taken to the first 3D stage.
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After the first 3D stage you taken to a early version of the level 'two tides' various parts of the level are slightlly different, you experience an earthquake (like 'fault zone') when you get near the key glyph, you have to find a fish for a dolphin and there is no Trella at the end of the level, instead you have another 3D stage.
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Now the 3D stage looks very similar to the final version's 3D stage, but there is no ring meter instead your air bar steadilly decreases and every ring you pass through flys up and lengthens it, after a long time the stage ends.
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You then arrive at the level 'Moray Abyss' which looks like the final version's level except that the moral eels at the sides aren't damaged by your sonar, you can swim back up after you reach the bottom (which starts the level again), and the transport ring is off to the side rather than being at the top.
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After you enter a level that looks similar in rock type to the level "The Eye" from the final version. There are two of the asterites's globes in part of the level but you can't do anything with them and there appears to be no way to exit the level, but if you let ecco drown back in the 'Moray Abyss' level due to a bug you may get sent to another level...
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The level you get sent to if you drown in Moray Abyss appears to be a 'good future' type level, there are a lot of diagonal passages going down to the bottom of the level but they don't have anything interesting in them. if you proceed right you find four glyphs together that can be moved if you push them backwards and forwards with your sonar fast enough (like 'Crystal Springs' from the final version), take one of these crystals right to where three other glyphs are orbiting around a flashing star and then a time warp with lightning will start, a dolphin will come out of it, then ecco touches the dolphin and a time warp opens, ecco and the dolphin travel to the level just after "Moray Abyss" (The one mentioned above this that has the Asterites globes in it..), when you arrive the dolphin tells you "You are now in the good future."
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The remainder of the levels are only accessable via the debug menu that can be brought up by pausing the game while ecco is facing you and then pressing the C button 8 times. I will look over all the levels one by one...
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Firstlly on the level list are levels "-5" to "-1", these are the various 3D stages in the game, they are all very similar except for slightlly different backgrounds and different enemies.
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Level "0" is the level you go to after "Moray Abyss", (The one you are sent back to via the time warp with the other dolphin.
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Level 1 is early version of the level "Globe Holder"
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Levels 2 and 3 don't appear to exist, nothing is loaded when you select them from the menu...
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Level 4 is the first level that you play when you start the beta (Home Bay?)
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Level 5 is the same level as 4 but to start off you are shown ecco's pod swimming around and then three dolphins talk to you, it appears to be the ending sequence...
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Level 6 is a very early version of the level "The Eye", it has very rushed graphics but you can use a teleport ring to take Asterites's globes to the level '0' (you know the level after Moray Abyss...), after you take some globes back you can pass some barrier glyphs like in the final version, after you collect all the globes in the level you exit through the last passage to level "0" again...
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Level 7 is an early version of the level "Skylands", you use glyphs instead of bubbles to bounce yourself up to the floating ponds.
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Level 8 is mainly a large open pool containing lots of the crab with tails type enemies but there is a orca in the level that shows you the Asterite death sequence which is the same as in the final version but the Vortex queen uses stars to attack the Asterite and there is a baby orca than you can follow around in another part of the level, but it doesn't actually take you anywhere.
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Level 9 is the good future level that has the time warp with another dolphin back to level 0.
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Level 10 consists only of a large cavern with the Asterite in it (You can't talk to the Asterite.), the only feature of interest is that the Asterite looks different from normal.
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Level 11 is the level "Tube of Medusa" shown in the demos, if you fall out of the level you go back to level 7.
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Level 12 doesn't appear to exist, nothing is loaded when you select them from the menu...
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Level 13 is the level "Moray Abyss"
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Level 14 is a very small level that contains the Time Machine in Atlantis, the graphics in this level look slightly odd, ecco and his health/air bars have a yellow tinge and the time machine is red, if you use the time machine you go to level 0.
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Level 15 is the "bad future' level shown in the demo, there isn't much more in the level than is shown in the demo, the dolphin boss simply consists of the crab trying to drop containers on you and the dolphin getting a drill on the end of it's nose and trying to hit you, after you defeat it nothing happens.
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Level 16 is a very small early version of the level "Dark Sea", there is some rocks and a few vortex structures, plus a vortex drone than takes you to level 15 if you let it grab you, if you touch the right side of the level you go into a 3D stage.
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Level 17 is an early version of the level "Vortex Queen", there is no background and the queen eats fish rather than the balls she eats in the final version.
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Level 18 appears to be a early version of "Trella's Bay" but there is no collision detection implemented (i.e. you can swim through things).
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Than is all the levels in the beta version...
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