A little background first—I work as an editor at the University of Florida. I’m 48 years old, been married for 10 years to a wonderful, tolerant woman and have a 6-year-old son. When I was his age, I liked to watch the Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau when it was on TV, and would run around the house humming its unforgettably stirring theme music. Had an LP of the Songs of the Humpback Whale and used to listen to it over breakfast. I grew up in Connecticut, and at the age of about 13, I asked my parents if I could take scuba diving lessons at the Y, and to my surprise, they agreed. I eventually dove on a couple of wrecks in Long Island Sound, and later made a visit to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park—all cherished memories. As a teenager I had my life path all plotted out—four years as a Navy frogman, followed by a degree in marine biology. Then I would set up house in one of those underwater towns I was certain would be fully established by 1990, would dine entirely on kelp and sea urchins, smoke big seaweed cigars, and never return to dry land.
Somehow none of that happened. In fact—curiously, once I moved to Florida—I never went diving again. Life happened and I forgot all about living by, on and under the sea.
Then last Christmas Santa got us a Wii–ostensibly for the wife and me to exercise with. Now I spend all my time sitting on my arse clicking fish.
I never was a big gamer until this year, and got going with a few Lego games, baseball sims and Legend of Zelda, but nothing really got ahold of me. Mario looked silly no matter where he was hopping, and you couldn’t even pay me to shoot zombies in the dark. Then I heard about a game that was all about paddling around underwater, looking under rocks and doing little tasks with little or no chance of dying within 5 minutes. Sounded perfect.
I had little idea just how all- consuming these little tasks would be. I’ve completed the main story, entered the Chamber of the Gods, from which we made a breathtakingly close escape, stones tumbling down around us, untold treasures and coelacanths regretfully left behind. Since then, I’ve seen Moby Dick, trained a dolphin, opened an aquarium, taken hundreds of fake photographs of fake wildlife, seen innumerable wonderful sights and gone through many, many silly haircuts. Meanwhile poor Link is still trapped in the Goron Mines, and he ain’t never coming out. I’m 48 hours in. I’m committed. I can’t picture myself ever playing any other game.
Now I’m ready to take my obsession to the next level and waste even more time blogging about the greatest time waster in the history of wasted time.
45 year old married mom of two daughters here (we live in Texas). I found your blog through a link on the GameFAQS Endless Ocean: Blue World message boards. I’m a die-hard Arika fan (Everblue 2, Endless Ocean, Endless Ocean: Blue World), and just passed 100 hours on EO:BW this afternoon. Your blog is excellent… can’t wait to read it all!
– Lori
Thank you! I’m excited you found this through the Gamespot message board. I rely on it a lot for tips and background information, but I haven’t had any success in posting to it. Glad you enjoy the blog, it’s almost as fun for me as playing the game.
Actually, it’s the GameFAQs message board, and not GameSpot. DIfferent place. http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/gentopic.php?board=954373
One of our members posted a link to your blog there; we have a very active global community. Check it out sometime!
Great read! I still haven’t reopened the Cavern of the Gods (saving up for 2 million first) but it’s gonna be worth the wait 🙂
Good luck with your dives.
And head over to the boards – a warm welcome awaits!
(kinp)
Thanks Dave. I wish you the best of luck with reaching 2 million. There’s no way I’m going to wait that long—the minute I’ve got 1 mill, I open that sucker up!
Hey, I just got this game a week ago and I’m hooked on it. I came across your blog and it just brought a whole new perspective to the game. I love reading what you come up with, I sort of formulate my own stories now during my time on Nineball Island. Keep us posted! :-D.
Thanks Jacob! I hope this blog doesn’t spoil too many secrets for you. I only started it after I completed the main story, so I don’t talk much about it here.
Hi 9ball Larry,
I just wanted to tell you how cool your blog is. I really love reading these stories that you come up with, and I love the way that you put in little real world things. Like, remember when you were talking about going off to iron clothes while your dolphins trained themselves? Thing is, that could totally be what your little Endless Ocean guy does while you’re not watching. 😉
I didn’t find this blog through GameFAQs, instead I was looking around on Google for tips on the ultimate vinegar, because I couldn’t possibly find the Flamingo. That’s when I found your blog, and the study you did on the sharks. That sure helped me a LOT! Keeping blogging!!
Your reader,
Susan
Thanks Susan, I’m glad the shark report was a help.
Judging from his grooming and slacked-jawed, vacant-eyed expression, I’m afraid my avatar spends all his down time combing his ‘do in the mirror. Whatever, it’s his life.
OMG I love this blog I’m 13and live in Canada and I just got the game sadly between studying for final exams and homework I don’t have alot of time to play but I recently completed the main story then the grandpa person tells me i only need 10 grand and I just stare at the screen in disbeleif!!
As the game shows Canada is a floating landmass of ice AND WE DO NOT LIVE IN IGLOOS!!
I just thought I’d clear up that canadien eh? suff right away and we dont say eh…. ever.
How do I stop buying stuff from nancy? Whenever I play I have a sudden urge to go buy some new bikini or thing for my reef!
And my mom would like to know what the gifts nancy offers under other in her store are exacly for cause they seemingly serve absolutely no particular reason in the main story…
thanks, merci in advance and I will continue reading this blog until it is over
Chantal,
the items in Nancy’s “other” tab are used when you get your final three dolphin partners. You will need to use the items to get the dolphins to join you. Before you can get new partners, you have to put in a lot of time training the two you get through gameplay.
Hope this helps!
Susan
I love this blog! Not only is it very helpful, but it makes me laugh. I’ve just completed the main story, and I need about 500k to reopen the Chamber of the Gods. Maybe if I didn’t buy so many bikinis and didn’t want to do my hair a lot, it would of been open by now. Anyways, keep blogging! This blog is excellent!
-Leah
Thanks Leah! I’ve been off on vacation the past few weeks, so there haven’t been any updates lately. Glad you’re still reading.
If you visit Valka Castle a lot with your multisensor on, you’ll rake up lots of pelagos with each trip, but I found that the most enjoyable way to make money is to take clients on long tours–if show them lots of fish and give them a good time, they’ll reward you with huge tips at the end of the tour. Pretty soon, you’ll be earning so much you’ll be tempted to put the brakes on before you reach 1 million. Shopping sprees will always help with that.
oh my goodness this blog is amazing and sooo helpful! i just got this game for christmas and i cant stop playing! well…couldnt…until now. i found the bluebird the third time in Ciercos Strait on the island, but it never triggered the quest to the Antarctic. is there something else i have to do? because i have no idea and im so excited to dive somewhere else! please help me, because you’re like…the Endless Ocean god! thank you!
Hi Donita!
Thank you for the kind words. I’ve been away from Blue World and this blog for too long. It’s funny you should mention the Blue Bird–after being away from Blue World for months, I went back to Nineball Island over Christmas break and finally completed that quest!
I’ll get off my butt in a while and write about the whole thing, but I’ll give you the short version–every time I’m in that area, I spend a little time topside in all kinds of weather and times of day looking for the Blue Bird. I found it on a windy midnight on an iceflow in the Northeast section of the map around D1. I guess the ‘when the ice dances’ in the clue refers to blizzard conditions.
As for getting to the Weddell Sea in the first place, I can’t recall specifically what triggers it, but keep playing the game and you’ll get there eventually.
Hope this helps–happy hunting!
I actually read your review on Amazon! When I first got the game I read several amazon reviews and when I saw this “About Me” where you said you watched those documentaries I made the connection.
I have often googled an Endless Ocean fish and wasn’t able to find the coordinates and your blog always helped me with funny and I believe unintentional at where something would be. I love this game, and I’ve seen many adults (I’m 13) criticize it in reviews, so an adult who loves this game as much as I do was really cool to see!
I am pretty obsessed with this game as well.
Keep playing!
-Katie
@9balllarry
Can you star a new file or find a VERY dteailed guide of how to get the Ancient Mother? I’ve been searching forever…
I’ve seen all whales and dolphins, have not reopened Cavern of the Gods, have done the Tiki quest…
Please help!
Hi Karsh, sorry about the long silence. I don’t remember all the details about getting to the ancient mother–it was a long time ago. But there are excellent Walkthroughs and guides at this site:
http://www.gamespot.com/wii/adventure/foreverblue2beautifulocean/cheats.html?tag=tabs%253Bcheats
Happy hunting–or if you’ve already found her, congratulations!
Love this blog, especially since all game related sites are blocked here where I work!! I play Endless Ocean in the morning, get stuck, come to work and read your blog for help, then go home and play again with success. I’m hooked on the game!
my sister had got this game like last year some time in july (that is a rugh estimate) any ways her and I have been playing it verry hard and well we almost beet it but some how it got deleted. so we restarted and still been playing hard. but we have hardly gotn any were.lol so her and i love this game. so many things are real like. her and i have learnd much from this game such as the places,the fish, and the shipwrecks. we appreciate this game very much. our little nefew enjoys this game as well. he likes to train the dolfins. so i will be reading more…. keep bloging!
Lost all your data and started right back again? That’s real dedication. I had a scare once when I couldn’t start the game–I was about to send the console back to Nintendo when I discovered I didn’t have the disc in!
I’ve learned a ton about sealife from Endless Ocean. If I were still in school, I’d use it to write a report for an easy ‘A’ (hint…hint!)
Best of luck–and just keep swimmin’!