The Great Hockey Video Game Debate of 2018

[VoluntaryDom]

I liked NHL 14 but I’m young so idk older games really

 

[Cup or Bust]

NHL 98 PS1
NHL 10
NHL 2k3, 2k5, 2k8
NHL 04 -----Amazing mod community online, rosters and graphics updated regularly.
NHL legacy - Surprisingly good game, better then any game I have played on the new generation, although that is not saying much.

If you have a reasonably powerful PC and looking for something different, I suggest you search NHL 2k simulator. Apparently some guys have been updating NHL 2k11 for the Wii for a couple of years now. It is built to play on PC using dolphin. It has a facebook page and youtube videos. They are actually updating the animations of the game to make the graphics and physics more realistic. It is supposed to release the same day as NHL 19 on September 14th.

 

[Ratboy]

My post is heavily EA inspired as I've just been really into their NHL games for the most part. Kinda sucks seeing how they've turned into a corporate monster, but it is what it is.

Blades of Steel was my favourite on the NES.
NHL 94 for the SNES (or Genesis). Really, one-timers changed EVERYTHING.
Wayne Gretzky's 3D hockey was a lot of fun, kind of like NBA Jam but hockey. Made by the same guys, I think?
NHL 98 for PC really changed the presentation to the point that you actually felt you were playing a broadcast of a game, awesome. 99 did the same but improved upon the gameplay quite a lot.
NHL 2004 was great, I liked how you had to challenge for every inch of the ice and the fight engine was top notch (my favourite to this day).
NHL 07 was cool with the skill stick, but in 09 everything came together with the EASHL and super smart AI. Good times. I think 14 is my favourite overall from last gen.
Last gen was mostly good to great, but this gen has been a let down.

I just went back to try out 95 on PC and its like a suped up version of 94 on the consoles, I'm loving it, but I've got to make the CPU more aggressive and quite frankly offensively capable. Once I figure that out I may just stay there for awhile. Somethings been missing in the newer games, I'm not sure what it is. Heart, fun? Not sure, but I feel like going back to a simpler time so I will.

 

[Cup or Bust]

I just went back to try out 95 on PC and its like a suped up version of 94 on the consoles, I'm loving it, but I've got to make the CPU more aggressive and quite frankly offensively capable. Once I figure that out I may just stay there for awhile. Somethings been missing in the newer games, I'm not sure what it is. Heart, fun? Not sure, but I feel like going back to a simpler time so I will.

I have NHL 95 for PC as well and it is a great game but unfortunately not difficult enough and as you said, the computer is not very good offensively. I actually used an editor on that game with the hopes of increasing the offense and difficulty by changing the computer players skill attributes like speed and shooting, and I decreased the attributes of my own teams players and goalies, but even then I still could not make it difficult enough or the computer offensively skilled enough. I find the original NHL PC game better if you use the editor because the computer players are more aggressive offensively in that game. The same editor can be used for all the older NHL PC games. If you are interested in getting the editor let me know, or you could probably find it online somewhere.​

 

[XXIV97]

The oldest game I own 2005, which was a couple of years after I was born.

 

[Ratboy]

I have NHL 95 for PC as well and it is a great game but unfortunately not difficult enough and as you said, the computer is not very good offensively. I actually used an editor on that game with the hopes of increasing the offense and difficulty by changing the computer players skill attributes like speed and shooting, and I decreased the attributes of my own teams players and goalies, but even then I still could not make it difficult enough or the computer offensively skilled enough. I find the original NHL PC game better if you use the editor because the computer players are more aggressive offensively in that game. The same editor can be used for all the older NHL PC games. If you are interested in getting the editor let me know, or you could probably find it online somewhere.​

Which editor do you use? I've also realized that 94 had a more aggressive CPU to play against, but it's still too easy. Is there a way to make it a challenge? I want to use the Leafs and they were good back then, maybe swapping Potvin out for the crappiest goalie in the game would help? Red Light Racicot!

 

[Cup or Bust]

Which editor do you use? I've also realized that 94 had a more aggressive CPU to play against, but it's still too easy. Is there a way to make it a challenge? I want to use the Leafs and they were good back then, maybe swapping Potvin out for the crappiest goalie in the game would help? Red Light Racicot!

I use nhlinfo...you should be able to find it on nhl94.com. Just look for the NHL 95 section and editing tools. You can change the skill attributes, player names, and a number of other things. I found that editing the attributes in the first pc game seemed to make a bigger difference then NHL 95, but it should improve the gameplay and make both more challenging, plus you can edit the rosters to put today's players in the game if you want.

 

[Ratboy]

I use nhlinfo...you should be able to find it on nhl94.com. Just look for the NHL 95 section and editing tools. You can change the skill attributes, player names, and a number of other things. I found that editing the attributes in the first pc game seemed to make a bigger difference then NHL 95, but it should improve the gameplay and make both more challenging, plus you can edit the rosters to put today's players in the game if you want.

I'm having trouble setting it up
This may exceed my modding ability.

 

[Cup or Bust]

I'm having trouble setting it up
This may exceed my modding ability.

I will respond with instructions in the message you sent.

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

100% this.

2011 was the last NHL game I really truly enjoyed. 2012 was a downgrade, and like you said, it went off a cliff in NHL 13, the worst EA NHL game of all-time IMO.

Last year was the 1st year since 2007 I didn't buy on release day. And I may not buy on release this year either.

NHL15 on new generation consoles were the worst thing EA has put out.

Remember, they skipped NHL14 to work on next generation consoles. So, they had two full years to work on this game, and they put out an NHL with no EASHL, just the bare minimum gameplay and watered down modes. They didn’t even have three stars of the game until a monthly patch

 

[BruinDust]

NHL15 on new generation consoles were the worst thing EA has put out.

Remember, they skipped NHL14 to work on next generation consoles. So, they had two full years to work on this game, and they put out an NHL with no EASHL, just the bare minimum gameplay and watered down modes. They didn’t even have three stars of the game until a monthly patch

I missed that one as I had NHL 15 on PS3 so I didn't get to experience the debacle that was NHL 15 on Next Gen consoles. So your probably right in the sense that NHL 15 on PS4/XB1 was the worst given the total lack of features.

But as far as a normal release across just one generation of consoles, NHL 13 was brutal. Buggy, glitchy, poor implemented skating mechanic which tied into just brutal AI when playing strictly against the CPU.

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

I missed that one as I had NHL 15 on PS3 so I didn't get to experience the debacle that was NHL 15 on Next Gen consoles. So your probably right in the sense that NHL 15 on PS4/XB1 was the worst given the total lack of features.

But as far as a normal release across just one generation of consoles, NHL 13 was brutal. Buggy, glitchy, poor implemented skating mechanic which tied into just brutal AI when playing strictly against the CPU.

I remember two of my friends and I went to a release party in Ottawa, which had Zibanejad playing against people before the game was released. The game looked okay at a glance.

My one friend didn’t have a PS4/XB1 yet, so he bought it for Xbox 360. We went to another store to wait in line for the Destiny release, and the one friend who got it for Xbox 360 drove past with his window down taunting everyone that he already bought NHL.

We got a great laugh when he got home and we got a message saying “wait, the only thing they changed is the announcers. Even the menus are the same.” He played the XB1 version and was expecting that hahah.

 

[KarlssonsGroin]

NHL Hitz