You have to find open ice, get the puck off in the direction of a teammate before that big nasty defenseman levels you, or fire the 'one-timer' as soon as you get the puck. The best players make pin-point passes to breaking teammates without even realizing consciously that they saw them! What the game captures beautifully is the flow of the action. The game is full of split-second decisions and impromptu creativity. That may make it sound like you don't get to do much of anything but the problem lies with the game of hockey is terrifically difficult to simulate. The computer controls your teammates (you are always in control of the player who has the puck), the goalies, the speed and angle of the shot or pass and virtually every other aspect of play, except line changes. Effectively, you have only the following options as the player: skate, shoot, pass. I say thankfully because what made the original NHL Hockey such a delight to play (I was still playing it when the new version arrived) was a simple interface that captured the overall feel of the game of hockey, though it may not have captured every single nuance. NHL '95 features all of the players from the 1993-94 season (Rangers win the Stanley Cup), slick new presentation, improved computer opponents, and (thankfully) no major changes in game play.

Just in time for hockey's lockout this past year, EA Sports unveiled its new upgrade, on CD-ROM only, NHL Hockey '95. Hockey is the second fastest growing sport in America, and the popularity of EA Sports NHL Hockey is just one more indication. Don't even get me started about goalies who catch and stop pucks traveling at over 100mph while huge guys skate around in front of them, trying to disrupt their vision and concentration!.īut it's not just me. Hockey players are some of the most phenomenal athletes on the planet because the sport demands strength, stamina, and flexibility in a way that no other sport does. Hockey combines grace, speed, and violence (I'm not talking about fisticuffs here.but about the bone-crunching checks) into a single sport.

I can't even figure out why people watch any other sports. Before I begin, let me get this out of the way: I am a huge fan of hockey.

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