Top Five EA NHL Games of All Time

[infinityBCRT]

@savoie: First EA Hockey Game to include a full season was NHL Hockey (94) for PC

[mpt117]

Re: Top Five EA NHL Games of All Time

i have every nhl game from nhl 97 to nhl 10, except nhl 04 and nhl 07. my list in no order is:

NHL 98 - this is the first game i remember being addicted to after i got playstation a year or 2 before, i played it all the time when it came out when i was in 4th grade...haha, oh the memories

NHL 2000 - one of the best games in the NHL series

NHL 2002 - i remember playing this game so much when it came out and have recently played it for old time's sake and still to me one of the best hockey games

NHL 09 - havent played too much of NHL 10 yet but NHL 09 is the best hockey game i ever played

NHL 10 - like i said before, i havent played it that much yet. but from what i have seen so far i like it a lot and already on my top 5 nhl games.

[StormJH1]

Re: Top Five EA NHL Games of All Time

NHLPA 93
NHL 94
NHL 08
NHL 2002 (PC)
NHL 97 (PC)

In my opinion, not only is it too soon to evaluate NHL 10, but I really don't think that history is going to differentiate much between NHL 07-10. My favorite from that series, and the one that one me back from 2k ever since was NHL 08. I know that the shot stick mechanic was already in NHL 07, but from what I understand, the A.I. and goalies weren't very good, and I just feel like GoTY awards and other widespread appeal didn't come until NHL 08. You could argue NHL 09 actually had the most significant innovations, with stick lift, Be A Pro, EASHL, and loose puck dekes, but I'll stick with '08.

I don't think anything ever supplants 93 and 94 at the top though. Most people have NHL 94 at the top, and obviously, that's a better product with an NHL license. But I think NHLPA 93 (which was the first to have NHL PLAYERS), was actually the seminal video hockey game. Other than slapping a logo on the ice, I don't see why NHL licenses were significant back then when all you saw was the color of the jersies in 16-bit graphics. Plus, as the dude from Swingers said, '93 had blood on the ice!

[sroz39]

My list:

-NHL 09
-NHL 2004
-NHL 94
-NHL 98
-NHL 10

I put 09 at the top because, personally, the inclusion of the EASHL changed the way I view video games. Now, I look at the online modes first and then I check out the offline Dynasty Modes. The amount of nights that I spent playing on my club till the wee hours in the morning were insane and will never happen again, I don't think.

The other games are pretty self-explanatory, except maybe for 10. I think that this year's game may move up the list as this year goes on, but it's too early to say that yet, as the game is only a week old.

2004 still had the coolest Dynasty Mode, IMO. Having the option to outfit your office was really really cool and so was the Finances system in place.

I forgot to add before that in 98, on top of the gameplay, the really cool part in that game were the pre-game intro fly-bys of the arena. Really neat at the time.

[GaryT531]

Not really a a big hockey fan, but I did play the heck out of the inaugural NHL Hockey game on Sega Genesis when I was a kid. I was blown away by it because it was like nothing I have ever seen before at the time.

This guy's articles "top games", and "top teams" posts are always a good read. Looking forward to your next basketball write up man.

[swil]

Re: Top Five EA NHL Games of All Time

NHLPA 93
NHL 94
NHL 08
NHL 2002 (PC)
NHL 97 (PC)

In my opinion, not only is it too soon to evaluate NHL 10, but I really don't think that history is going to differentiate much between NHL 07-10. My favorite from that series, and the one that one me back from 2k ever since was NHL 08. I know that the shot stick mechanic was already in NHL 07, but from what I understand, the A.I. and goalies weren't very good, and I just feel like GoTY awards and other widespread appeal didn't come until NHL 08. You could argue NHL 09 actually had the most significant innovations, with stick lift, Be A Pro, EASHL, and loose puck dekes, but I'll stick with '08.

I don't think anything ever supplants 93 and 94 at the top though. Most people have NHL 94 at the top, and obviously, that's a better product with an NHL license. But I think NHLPA 93 (which was the first to have NHL PLAYERS), was actually the seminal video hockey game. Other than slapping a logo on the ice, I don't see why NHL licenses were significant back then when all you saw was the color of the jersies in 16-bit graphics. Plus, as the dude from Swingers said, '93 had blood on the ice!

He made little Wayne's head bleed!

93 had the best fighting of all time. I was SO PISSED when mom's started whining and they took fighting out of 94.

[metallicatz]

Re: Top Five EA NHL Games of All Time

People are rating their lists on nostalgia. If anybody actually thinks that NHL94 is a better hockey video game than NHL 09 or 10 then you need to turn in your controller for good.......or get your head examined.

[Eddie1967]

Re: Top Five EA NHL Games of All Time

Sorry I only have one and it's NHL 2004:

1. Dynamic Crowd attendance
2. Awesome GM mode
3. Great AI
4. Outstanding Stanley Cup Celebration
5. Different AI in regular season and playoffs (playoff games were much tighter).
6. Fighting engine was the best of it's time.

And last but not least the best soundtrack of any sports game I have ever played.

[aBiNeR]

-NHL 2004 PC tops NHL 2004 Xbox/PS on my list and best of all time
-NHL 95 Genesis 2nd

That's as far as my list goes for "best" of all time.

[dubbs88]

Re: Top Five EA NHL Games of All Time

NHL 94 for the PC was unreal in its day with allof the features that were ahead of its time I could not get enough of it.

NHL 2004 was great on the PC especially with all of the mods, this game was also good on the console versions

Other than that NHL 2009 and 2010 have been a great time.

Keep up the good work EA!

[catcatch22]

Re: Top Five EA NHL Games of All Time

1. NHL 98 - This was my favorite EA Hockey game until...
2. NHL 08 - Definitely brung me back to playing the series.
3. NHL 09 - Got me addicted to OTP.

Unfortunately I thought the "other" companies had better hockey games that measured up better in my opinion. Faceoff from sony, championship from fox and others.

[clarkerots]

Re: Top Five EA NHL Games of All Time

1. NHL 98 - This was my favorite EA Hockey game until...
2. NHL 08 - Definitely brung me back to playing the series.
3. NHL 09 - Got me addicted to OTP.

Unfortunately I thought the "other" companies had better hockey games that measured up better in my opinion. Faceoff from sony, championship from fox and others.

Championship from Fox. I played the hell out of that game. I remember getting real excited about what they could build on, and then they disappeared.