For a majority of video-game players on campus, their first experience with hockey in video-game format came with “Ice Hockey” for the original Nintendo Entertainment System.
By constructing a team made up solely of fat, medium-sized or skinny players, you could take on the world in a game that had the pace of a geriatric waiting room and the intensity of a muffled sneeze. Regardless, “Ice Hockey” remains timeless, and after vacuuming the dust out of your semi-functional NES, you may be wise to give it another shot.
Time hasn’t stood still in the game market, though. With the advent of better systems and better technology, hockey titles have remained a constant. At the forefront of the hockey revolution is EA Sports and its NHL titles that started as simplistic renderings of what a hockey game should be and have quickly become technological slices of realism appropriate for a brief diversion from the everyday grind.
With NHL playoff fever abound, it only seemed right to give “NHL 2003” a closer look. From the first drop of the puck, the verdict is clear — this is good stuff. EA mixes its smooth, fluid renderings of players with a challenging pace and all the bells and whistles to keep you playing and playing.
New for the 2003 edition is an improved franchise mode, which allows users to delve into the role of GM a little bit more than previous years. Virtual GM’s can make deals and selections in the first two rounds of the annual draft and give players their walking papers. While it would be fun to fire a top player, it’s probably not the best idea if you’re trying to win the game.
As always, the action is smooth and seamless, and the excellent game play lends itself to repeat play. There is still the usual assortment of camera angles from which to view the ice so you can find your comfort zone for playing.
As for the players, they have been enhanced for 2003 in a number of ways. First, they are more lifelike. The user has greater flexibility in controlling players. A large selection of moves and new dekes allow users to string together multiple maneuvers en route to victory.
With the improvement of player skills comes more injuries — and “NHL 2003” is loaded with them. For the players that can’t behave themselves, there are suspensions to keep those gruff scrappers in check.
Goalies are much more intelligent and harder to beat. They align themselves to the puck better and make getting that power-play goal a little more difficult. Even the puck has been improved — it bounces and skids around the ice in a much more realistic fashion.
One interesting addition to the 2003 edition is the Game Breaker mode, which allows players to build up a meter by performing top-notch moves. When the meter is full, users can activate their Game Breaker “moment” where the camera zooms in, the lights dim and time slows down for the opponent so that a player can execute a highlight worthy move. For those who aren’t interested in using this option, it can be turned off or simply not used.
GameStory 2 looks at what is happening in a current or previous game and looks for trends or emerging themes. It then channels that analysis through the announcers and the stats to help relay interesting stories or information that may be developing.
“NHL 2003” has a familiar look but has seen a full renovation of its game play. From selecting players in the draft to game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals, there are big improvements in “NHL 2003” over its 2002 edition. The game still recognizes the Red Wings as tops in the league even though they bottomed out to those pesky Mighty Ducks of Anaheim this year.
Not a problem, though, there’s plenty of time for a rematch and dismantling of the Disney hockey franchise.
Grade: AB
