Hockey!

[Menegrothx]

I have a long box NHL 97 (I think) for PC that I have never played, but I did recently buy a Sega Genesis game lot from the US and one of the games is NHL 96. I'll definetly try it out even though I'm not a sports game fan at all. I think I would enjoy a "fantasy/scifi hockey" game more. Something along the lines of Projectyle (Amiga), Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe and Brutal Sports Football (Jaguar). Any suggestions?

A nonfunctioning wood panel Atari 2600 (like there was an Atari that doesn't work ) could be a niece piece of furniture though.

[retrosportsgamer]

Are you looking for the best from each year or a complete set? There is a NHL '98 for the Genesis also if so.

The PSX versions really got awesome in '98 though.

[FiftyDollarCurse]

Are you looking for the best from each year or a complete set? There is a NHL '98 for the Genesis also if so.

The PSX versions really got awesome in '98 though.

I'd love the add NHL '98 for the Genesis just to complete that set (and I will if I find it), but if we're being honest with ourselves 1998 is way late for the Genesis. I'm sure the game is good (I've never played it) but am also pretty sure it's more of the same. The PlayStation version is more indicative of where the series and the developers behind it were and where they were going at that point.

I think I would enjoy a "fantasy/scifi hockey" game more. Something along the lines of Projectyle (Amiga), Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe and Brutal Sports Football (Jaguar). Any suggestions?

Mutant League Hockey for the Genesis is the most similar to those games and is very well known. If you're into later generation games the NHL Hitz series is outstanding and extremely fun if you're into the high scoring arcade style sports games like NBA Jam or NFL Blitz. NHL Rock the Rink and Hit The Ice are earlier examples of the same idea but aren't quite as well refined.

[Breetai]

Here is what I currently have. I need another copy of Hit the Ice in some fashion (I think I like the Genesis version the best), and some representation on the SMS. Of course I am still missing a TON of stuff. I just buy it as I see it. Strangely, it is really hard to find PS1 stuff locally...


Some of my newer (2000s) NHL games might look different to those of you not in Canada. The Canadian (and sometimes various European nation) covers feature different players than the US versions.

[retrosportsgamer]

NHL Rock the Rink and Hit The Ice are earlier examples of the same idea but aren't quite as well refined.

Midway also put out NHL 2 on 2 Open Ice Challenge - which was their NBA Jam clone. PC and PSX only (arcade of course) - late '96 for the psx vers.

I happened to find one of those at a Goodwill in great shape...the day after I purchased one on Amazon. I had never before nor after found games like that at this particular Goodwill.

[Breetai]

Any of yous ever play TV Sports Hockey for TG-16? I might check that out.

I have it. It kind of... sucks.

Blades of Steel on the NES is amazing. Ice Hockey is also pretty fun.

For the person who recommended NHL '94 on the SNES; have you not played the Genesis version? It ABSOLUTELY blows it away. Seriously, the cut out like half the frames on the SNES version. It doesn't compare at all.

Mario Lemieux Hockey on the Genesis (and also the Temco Genny/SNES games) were pretty fun arcade style games, much like Blades of Steel. They are a nice supplementary style to the NHL series (but do not match it).

The Sega CD version is the same as the Genesis version, but with better music and load times. I guess it's a trade off.

The Face Off series was pretty good in '98 and '99. Of the PS1/PS2 era NHL games, I'd say NHL 2000 is very nice on the PC. They changed the whole style for 2001 and 2002 games. Then changed it again in 2003, making it more arcade-like. So, from 2003-2006, I definitely think the 2K series was tops. It was the hockey KING from 2K3-2K6. Then EA redid their style for '07 (I think it was '07), where they added the dual analog controls and pretty much blew everything else away. From '07 until now, EA is the best IMO.

[bretthorror]

For two player action, Blades of Steel and Ice Hockey for the 2600 are the most fun, but the real king of the castle is NHL '95 on Genesis. Less cheap goals than other 16-bit era games, more fluid motions and occasionally outrageous physics in regards to bodychecking. Unfortunately, there is no fighting, but the game is so good, it's easy to overlook since you can devastate so much with the hitting. I'm also a big fan of NHL '06 on PS2. But, I don't like the fact that the computer will randomly score on your goalie constantly at the end of games sometimes and ruin your record with cheap goals that had no business going in.

I can't seem to do the whole dual stick controls they have now, though.

[retrosportsgamer]

I finally picked up the Sega CD version of NHL '94 yesterday at the Too Many Games convention. The case was pretty beat up but I have ones to trade up with. I offered a buck for it and the guy went for it.

Breetai hit the nail on the head with the 2k vs. EA stuff from the last decade. I really enjoyed the 2k hockey engine from that time and gave up on EA.

[Breetai]

For two player action, Blades of Steel and Ice Hockey for the 2600 are the most fun, but the real king of the castle is NHL '95 on Genesis. Less cheap goals than other 16-bit era games, more fluid motions and occasionally outrageous physics in regards to bodychecking. Unfortunately, there is no fighting, but the game is so good, it's easy to overlook since you can devastate so much with the hitting.

I found it extremely easy to score in NHL '95. Well, all of them. In all honesty, NHL '97 or '98 are probably the "best" of the 16-bit series. They had it fully refined by '97 ('96 actually, but they did add a few things in '97). Fighting was also in by '96. I can't remember the differences between '97 and '98. Roster update of course, and I think some minor things. Really though, all they did was tweak things from '96 - '98.

That being said, I think I prefer the look of '95 the best of all the 16-bit NHL games. I have the most nostalgia for '92 (NHL Hockey), '93 and '94 though. When I play some 16-bit hockey, 95% of the time it is NHL '94 on the Genesis or Sega CD.

[bretthorror]

For two player action, Blades of Steel and Ice Hockey for the 2600 are the most fun, but the real king of the castle is NHL '95 on Genesis. Less cheap goals than other 16-bit era games, more fluid motions and occasionally outrageous physics in regards to bodychecking. Unfortunately, there is no fighting, but the game is so good, it's easy to overlook since you can devastate so much with the hitting.

I found it extremely easy to score in NHL '95. Well, all of them. In all honesty, NHL '97 or '98 are probably the "best" of the 16-bit series. They had it fully refined by '97 ('96 actually, but they did add a few things in '97). Fighting was also in by '96. I can't remember the differences between '97 and '98. Roster update of course, and I think some minor things. Really though, all they did was tweak things from '96 - '98.

That being said, I think I prefer the look of '95 the best of all the 16-bit NHL games. I have the most nostalgia for '92 (NHL Hockey), '93 and '94 though. When I play some 16-bit hockey, 95% of the time it is NHL '94 on the Genesis or Sega CD.

I still haven't played the 96-98 Genesis NHL games, but what I meant was in NHL '95, you couldn't score from your own end with a one-timer and such. Sure, you could use the old go-around-the-net trick where the D-man trips up the goalie and doing a spin around the circle and skate to the blue line and shoot, but that's at least something replicating a real goal.

Has anyone ever wrapped the scoreboard in NHL '95 besides me? In one 60 minute game back in my prime (it's pretty much the only game I played for a 7ish year span when I didn't game at all), I scored at least 130 goals. After you get to 99 goals, shapes appear in place of numbers. I wish I could have had that game on tape because scoring that many goals in such a short amount of time would be tough for anyone to ever replicate. I think, at least. I suck at games compared to a lot of people.