NHL 2K9

Rating: E

Score 8.0/10

It’s hockey time and all the hockey teams are gearing up! Are they as good in game as on ice? This game is available for the Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii.

The past few years of ice hockey gaming have been overly complex, to say the least. The series now, thought, is taking a different approach. They’re going back to their roots with pick up and play controls. You can choose from multiple play controls, though, so it is still satisfying for core players.

The core hockey is still what it has always been. Everything from slap-shots and passes to more complex and tricky moves return in NHL 2K9. There’s even a Zamboni driving game (I kid you not). It’s more fun to laugh than actually play.

Fighting has been in hockey for decades and it’s in this game too. Fighting is simple; you use three buttons. One button balances you, one button is for weak jabs, and one is for a strong uppercut. That, plus the hockey rink PA system is blaring “Bad Boys”, and you know it will be a hockey fight to remember.

You won’t fight much, unless you can’t help but set the fighting to a high chance. You can also set different penalties like that. It’s useful, since you can avoid the penalty box every time you elbow the guy with the puck. Likewise, you could set it so that you had Super-Ref – the referee that sees all penalties and acts on each infraction.

The one thing lacking about this game is that there’s nothing to do but play hockey and drive a Zamboni. Yes, I know that’s hockey, but there are no minigames nor are there any extra little things to do. Hockey is fun, but a little extra to play would have been nice.

For a straight hockey game, it’s a great game – pick up and play controls with everything you would want in a hockey game all included. If you’re a hockey fan, check this game out. Even if you’re not, you should try it, the new controls might hook you.