Endless Ocean

Nintendo exclusive

Endless Ocean is a game based on the exploration of an underwater world. The main focus of the game is exploring the game world and cataloguing the various species of animals found there.

Released: 2 August 2007
Platforms: Wii
Genres: Adventure Simulation
Developers: Arika
Publishers: Nintendo
Series: Endless Ocean
Modes: Single-player
Perspective: First person Third person
Themes: Non-fiction Educational
Country: Japan
Age ratings: USK 0 ACB G PEGI 3 CERO A ESRB E
Languages: English, Japanese
Time to beat: 10hwith extras

About

Endless Ocean (known as Forever Blue in Japanese) is a scuba diving adventure game developed by Arika and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It is considered a spiritual successor to Everblue, another scuba diving adventure game series also developed by Arika. It was released in Japan on August 2, 2007, Europe on November 9, 2007, and North America on January 21, 2008, after originally being scheduled for release in October 2007.

A sequel, Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep was released in Japan on September 17, 2009, in Europe on February 5, 2010, and in North America on February 22, 2010, under the name Endless Ocean: Blue World. A third game in the series, Endless Ocean Luminous, was released on the Nintendo Switch in all regions on May 2, 2024.

›Story

As a scuba diver drawn to the warm, sunlit waters of the fictional Manaurai sea in the South Pacific, the player sets out to explore one of the most beautiful and mysterious stretches of ocean on Earth. Guided by a supportive assistant named Katherine, they descend through coral reefs, sunken shipwrecks, deep trenches, and shadowy caves, cataloging the astonishing marine life they encounter. From tiny reef fish and playful dolphins to manta rays, whale sharks, and towering whales, every dive reveals new wonders to identify and befriend, with discovered creatures able to fill a personal aquarium back at the dive base. Beyond the joy of exploration, a deeper mystery gradually surfaces.

Katherine shares the story of her father, who once vanished searching for a legendary and elusive whale known as the White Mother. Together, diver and companion set off across the sea, hoping to uncover the truth behind the fabled creature.

Keywords

exploration
photography
shark
pets
custom soundtrack
scuba diving
camera
swimming
day/night cycle
aquatic
polar bear
character creation

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

In Endless Ocean, the player plays as a scuba diver exploring the Manaurai sea, a fictional sea in the South Pacific, in search of sea life and sunken treasure under the guidance of their assistant, Katherine Sunday. In the sea, they will encounter several marine species, ranging from smaller fish and penguins to whale sharks, manta rays and sperm whales, as well as dolphins and other cetaceans that can be trained to perform certain behaviors and become companions. Species such as sharks are also present; however, they pose no threat to the player. The player also has access to a large aquarium, which they can populate with species they have identified. The sea's various locations provide a means for the player to experience diving, cave diving, deep-water trench exploration, wreck diving, and other activities that might not otherwise be possible in a single real-world setting.

Late in the game, Katherine tells the player that in the past, her father set out in search of a unique whale called the White Mother, but never returned. The player and Katherine set out to find the White Mother, which entails seeking out the four types of whales present in the game, humpback whale, North Atlantic right whale, sperm whale, and blue whale, and placing motion sensors on different points of the map. Eventually, one of the sensors is set off, and the player witnesses the White Mother, a large albino blue whale, as Katherine remembers her father.

Reception

The game received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 10/10, 8/10, 9/10, and 8/10 for a total of 35 out of 40, praising the open-ended exploration aspect of the game, the scale of the play area and its soundtrack.

Endless Ocean had sold at least 50,000 copies in Japan.

Legacy

A sequel, Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep was released in Japan under the name Forever Blue: Call of the Ocean on September 17, 2009, and in Europe on February 5, 2010. It was released in North America on February 22, 2010, under the name Endless Ocean: Blue World.

Another entry, Endless Ocean Luminous, was announced on February 21, 2024, and was released on Nintendo Switch on May 2, 2024.