News Post

NHL 2K9 Demo Available on the Marketplace

11:07 AM - August 21, 2008 by Steve_OS

2K Sports Announces Free Demo of NHL® 2K9 Now
Available for Download on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace

Xbox 360® gamers to receive an early opportunity to preview highly anticipated hockey title

August 21, 2008 – While dedicated hockey fans eagerly anticipate the first puck to drop for the start of this year’s NHL season, 2K Sports today announced that a free demo of NHL 2K9 is now available for download on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The demo will provide fans an early chance to experience the new simplified controls and relive the excitement of this past season’s thrilling Stanley Cup™ Final for a brief three minute period as either the Pittsburgh Penguins or Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

NHL 2K9, developed by Visual Concepts, brings the fun back to hockey video games with all-new features including user-friendly controls, an exciting Zamboni® mini-game, playoff beards, a revamped fighting engine and much more exciting action than ever before. Complete with fresh new in-game commentary, improved franchise mode, and upgraded online features, NHL 2K9 is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and older by the ESRB, and will be available on September 9 for Xbox 360, Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. For more information about NHL 2K9, please visit www.2ksports.com/games/nhl2k9.

NHL 2K9 screenshot gallery - Click to view

Game: NHL 2K9Reader Score: 7/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS2 / PS3 / Wii / Xbox 360Votes for game: 15 - View All

NHL 2K9 Videos

Member Comments

# 61 Eddie1967 @ 08/27/08 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoie2006


	Actually I hadn't either until recently.I'll forewarn ya though,it's a bit of a pain at first,but once you start getting some upgrades(after a certain amount of kills),it gets better.GT=savoie06

I loved call of duty 2 and 4 was great but way too short. I'm amazed they couldn't add more scenarios to a game like that.

# 62 Eddie1967 @ 08/27/08 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoie2006


	Yes it's true,08 is the better overall game.Eddie and Saint Patrick will try to tell you differently,but they are a small minority.

LOL, Now if Realm had made that comment it would be on!!!!!!!! Just kidding. Unfortunately that's true as far as myself and saint patrick being in the minority. I think this year it will be different as I see a lot of people jumping on board with 2k9 seeing as how improved the game looks. Having said that, NHL 09 looks and sounds very good too so I think that game will continue to have a large following. I'm getting both this year. Lucky me!

# 63 Eddie1967 @ 08/27/08 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daflyboys


	Oh, God....please don't go there again..... you'll get so many sphincters around here tightening up.....lol.

LOL!

# 64 MizzouRah @ 08/27/08 11:09 PM

For me, it was a close race last year.. I liked a lot about both games as each was very different in how they portrayed hockey.

# 65 nyisles16 @ 08/28/08 02:24 AM

Just DL'd the demo myself, and must say that it basically feels the same as 2k8. I do like the team intros on center ice, but the gameplay feels slow to me for some reason - just seemed guys were "sitting around" for a bit before they reacted.

I'll play some more, but from what I've seen, this looks to be a rental game for me.

# 66 TheMatrix31 @ 08/28/08 06:33 AM

Since no one responded to my post in the Wii Controls thread, I figure I'd ask it here. I suppose it's the same for all consoles, so, I just wanted to know how long (in minutes) a full game takes to play.

# 67 Money99 @ 09/01/08 11:21 AM

Just got done playing a few more games of 2K9. I'm really enjoying the demo.

Like 06 said, there's a real loose feeling to the gameplay. I love the puck physics and because of it you'll see some very unpredictable goals.

I also love how you can hit your own players or even the ref. Poor little Jiri Hudler got run over by the official during my last game.

Having played both the PS3 and 360 demo versions I've noticed the offensive AI for the CPU is much better on the 360's. I don't know if that's any kind of indication but in 5 games against the CPU on the Xbox it scored 6 goals. Not bad when you consider it's only 5 periods and shortened ones at that. Compare to that to 0 goals in 8 games I played on Rudes PS3.

A few of things I still don't like though:

1. Hitting is still a bit too over the top. It's better than 2K8 but it still needs some toning down. Particularily from players who rarely hit.
2. While I like the new Pro Evolution stick control it still leaves something to be desired. I still don't feel like I have total control and I don't like how I have to press button-combo's to get a canned-deke. At times I'd love to do a toe-drag but I have to press a thousand buttons to do so.
3. Flip-passes are bad. Your player stops skating to load up a flip-pass. It's unrealistic and can kill some chances.
4. Not enough lateral movement. On a breakaway with Hossa I would have loved to shift from left to right to deke out Fleury but there doesn't appear to be too much of it.

All in all though, I don't think any of the above will kill the game for me. There's a lot of good in it.
Crosby scored a beauty against me where he toe-dragged around Lidstrom and fired it past Osgood. It brought a big smile to my face. I'm sure the full version will do the same.

# 68 Behindshadows @ 09/02/08 02:38 AM

Let me take back my comments about the graphics. I went back and popped 2k8 in, and then played more of the demo of 2k9.

Graphics don't suck, they are different styles, you can see Kush was going for that realistic look with skin textures and things like that. That is why people considered it to look so nice in HD that is.

2k9 with Visual Concepts doing it, has a more animated style to it, more like those of the first scene in the animatrix. Where the player models are very well done, and the jersey's have thread textures to the numbers and the stitching. Also the crowd looks great and so does the ICE in HD. With tons of splashing ice, and streaks in the ice during skating. I think the animations are a bit stiff and weird in the demo when the players are turning around, but many others are fine.

Love the introduction, during loading screen and before the game, nice presentation I can see coming in this game.

Overall I look forward to the final version before being too hard on Visual Concepts about their first attempt since Kush is gone.

HD Video Coming Soon, for spectators who don't have the demo.

# 69 Eddie1967 @ 09/02/08 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money99


	Just got done playing a few more games of 2K9. I'm really enjoying the demo. Like 06 said, there's a real loose feeling to the gameplay. I love the puck physics and because of it you'll see some very unpredictable goals. I also love how you can hit your own players or even the ref. Poor little Jiri Hudler got run over by the official during my last game. Having played both the PS3 and 360 demo versions I've noticed the offensive AI for the CPU is much better on the 360's. I don't know if that's any kind of indication but in 5 games against the CPU on the Xbox it scored 6 goals. Not bad when you consider it's only 5 periods and shortened ones at that. Compare to that to 0 goals in 8 games I played on Rudes PS3. A few of things I still don't like though: 1. Hitting is still a bit too over the top. It's better than 2K8 but it still needs some toning down. Particularily from players who rarely hit. 2. While I like the new Pro Evolution stick control it still leaves something to be desired. I still don't feel like I have total control and I don't like how I have to press button-combo's to get a canned-deke. At times I'd love to do a toe-drag but I have to press a thousand buttons to do so. 3. Flip-passes are bad. Your player stops skating to load up a flip-pass. It's unrealistic and can kill some chances. 4. Not enough lateral movement. On a breakaway with Hossa I would have loved to shift from left to right to deke out Fleury but there doesn't appear to be too much of it. All in all though, I don't think any of the above will kill the game for me. There's a lot of good in it. Crosby scored a beauty against me where he toe-dragged around Lidstrom and fired it past Osgood. It brought a big smile to my face. I'm sure the full version will do the same.

Interesting, Thanks for the impressions. I think you may know a little more about those negatives that you mentioned then I would, but glad to hear they are not game killers. I guess I'm just giddy to have something better then 2k8.

# 70 bjackets @ 09/03/08 11:00 PM

I played 2k7 and 2k8 very little but enough to know I didn't like them much at all and had pretty much given up on 2K hockey even though it used to always be my favorite.

I played NHL 2008 a bunch and enjoyed it and was really looking forward to 09....that is until playing this 2K9 demo.

Wow what an unexpected surprise! I've never been into demos but have been really enjoying it. I've been very surprised how different each game feels with the same two teams each game.

People can critisize all they want but this game feels totally different than previous versions and does seem rebuilt.

2K9 has a great hockey feel to it...hard to describe but it nails skating and a lot of the other nuances.

There is a huge difference in player abilities.....and i've seen more goal variety in this demo than any other game to date....even saw some blasts from the blueline go in clean.

Goalies are done very well....sometimes they are hot and save everything and other times they give some goals up.....they seem very human like.

There is a lot of hitting but I don't think it's going to be too awful bad this year and I have a feeling that if the penalties are implemented correctly things could even out out in a risk/reward way. I've seen an awful lot of trips that will get called in the full version so if roughing gets called as well we should be fine here.

The one big improvement besides overall feel to me is that you can actually cycle the puck now at a realistic pace...but it isn't over the top easy like in NHL 08 where there wasn't any pressure by the AI defense.

Like Money99 pointed out.....I'm not a big fan of the deke system either and would like this area overhauled but the number of checking animations etc really are well done.

I'm back on the 2K bandwagon

ohiost

# 71 mkharsh33 @ 09/04/08 01:17 PM

^ agreed...

# 72 Eddie1967 @ 09/04/08 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pierzynski 12


	2k9 is terrible. 09 is getting my money next week.

I'm so happy that comments like this are getting noticed by the mods. Makes for a much better atmosphere in here when posters like this are penalized.

# 73 MizzouRah @ 09/04/08 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laettner32


	Just got my copy of EGM in today, and I have a quick question. In the review they mention, if you don't like the controls, got to NHL '94 and you have the controls..." Does this mean that like Madden Collectors edition..a playable version of '94 is in the game, or that the controls have been simplified to match NHL 94'? Thanks.

Wrong forum.. but I think it means you can use the controls similar to NHL 94 in NHL 09.

# 74 MizzouRah @ 09/04/08 11:34 PM

After playing both hockey demos.. I'm still really psyched about 2k9.

They fixed alot of little things that really bugged me. I'm so ready to play a full game with my Blues!!!

# 75 Klocker @ 09/05/08 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MizzouRah


	After playing both hockey demos.. I'm still really psyched about 2k9. ...

yep me too... I'm more a casual for hockey games but these demo games are fun, always different and give you a great amount of control over more than just the stick.

I am really enjoying what this game is doing

# 76 Eddie1967 @ 09/06/08 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MizzouRah


	After playing both hockey demos.. I'm still really psyched about 2k9. They fixed alot of little things that really bugged me. I'm so ready to play a full game with my Blues!!!

I couldn't agree more.............Can't wait to take control of my beloved New Jersey Devils.

# 77 MizzouRah @ 09/06/08 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie1967


	I couldn't agree more.............Can't wait to take control of my beloved New Jersey Devils.

Yeah.. that first game with my Blues.. seeing the intro for the first time.. I'm psyched!!!

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