I'm new to the series and I thought I'd check one of them out. I can't decide between the original or tides of time. I'll probably only get one.

I'm new to the series as well so I can't give a good recommendation. The reviews on this site and ign.com should help. If you have a Playstation 2, just get Sega Genesis Collection for $20, it has all 3 Ecco games plus over 25 other Genesis games. Sonic's Ultimate Genesis collection for PS3 and 360 is only $30 and it has both Ecco I think, if you have one of the systems, you should get that instead of spending $8 for one game on the VC.

The first Ecco was a lot of fun in the intro playing in the lagoon part, but the actual game gets really hard and frustrating.

By all accounts Tides of Time is the better game, but I've yet to check it out myself; apparently it's got a more balanced difficulty curve.

Tides of Time quickly tosses some unbelievably annoying levels where you swim through magic levitating water at you, and failure at these (ie "touching the wrong part of the level and instantly die") can send you several LEVELS back. Plus, the 3D levels you're forced into every now and then are boring as all hell.

Nah, the original Ecco is far more balanced. I suggest getting that.

The Ecco games are both quite challenging, but you get infinite lives and frequent checkpoints, so they're managable.

I did play the original on the Megadrive collection for the GBA and once those "ride behind the rocks down into the depths" levels started coming that's when the game was over for me. Nothing like going down a series of tunnels forever just to move slightly and get forced back up out of the shaft. If the sequel is that tough then the closest I'll get is Dolphin for the Atari 2600!

That's your problem right there - the Megadrive GBA ports were terrible, with Ecco in particular being horribly done.

There's a surprisingly deep story to the series, so I'd recommend starting with the first game. For all intents and purposes they're functionally identical - Tides Of Time has some pseudo-3D stuff and a couple of alternate forms, but they're more icing on the cake than anything else. They're both good games with some frustratingly difficult sections that many newer gamers probably won't have the patience for, but there's nothing else like them on the VC.

I'm an older gamer and I don't have the patience for them!

I remember playing it on my friend's Genesis in University and I absolutely loved the control interface and swimming around in the lagoon. Once the game proper started I lost interest because it started becoming a platform game without the platforms and lots of swimming around in mazes with everything you touch hurting you. If they had a game that was just the lagoon bit and socialising with other sea creatures a la Animal Crossing I'd be all over it!

Well there is Ecco Jr. which I forgot to mention - it's a kid-friendly game which is far, far easier (I'm talking "over in half an hour with no real way to lose" easy). Lots of item collecting, whale-spotting, that sorta thing. Very laid back.

I'd say none. I don't like the Ecco series.

Hmmm, maybe I'll check that out, though I had dismissed it as a "kiddie game" from the sound of it maybe that's what I really want!

Well I've only played the first one on megadrive when i was younger and agree with Sean Aaron that the first bit is great. You begin and think wow this game is really cool just swimming around and jumpin over rocks and stuff plus the graphics when it was first released were really good but then the game begins proper and AARRRGGGHHHHH the nightmare begins one of the most frustrating games ever and I've played a lot of games but this one is not for me.Just my opinion of course. But i would never play an Ecco game again. Although that kiddie one sounds ok !!LOL.

If I do get it it'll be on the Japanese Wii; no way I'm taking a chance for 800 points!