ESPN NHL Hockey

by Kush Games

Product Features

• Can be played ONLINE
• 1-2 Players. (Multitap up to 8 Players)
• Digital Control
• Analog Control
• Vibration Function

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000ACP8V
• Item Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: September 16, 2003
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,832 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Platform: PlayStation2

This game puts you on the ice. Take Roenick Down! Enhanced Graphics. Skills Competition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Long-time EA Sports NHL fan happy with this game, October 27, 2003

By 

JRK "jkunz" (N.H.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ESPN NHL Hockey (Video Game)

I've been playing the EA Sports NHL series since 2000. With both user and critic reviews for NHL 2k3 and now NHL 2k4 (a.k.a. ESPN NHL Hockey) outpacing EA Sports, this was the year I made the switch. I am very happy.

I can sum up the difference between the two games with one sentence: the more you enjoy playing video game hockey true to the actual game of hockey, the more you will enjoy ESPN NHL hockey. Let me illustrate with a few examples. Passes will bounce of defender's skate and do so quite often if you don't learn to create passing lanes. You won't reverse skating directions instantaneously, so don't miss that body check on the guy with the puck or you won't catch back up to him. You won't be able to score on a spinning slap shot from the point with two defenders on you, so dump the puck instead. If it doesn't happen in real hockey, it won't happen in ESPN NHL hockey. And this is one of the greatest things about this game.

I can't really compare to NHL 2004 because I haven't played the game, but here are some things that I love about ESPN NHL hockey over NHL 2003:

1. Compete with others and download updates to roster information via Xbox live.
2. Pin a guy against the boards. This is essential to the game of hockey.
3. Puck and players can hit and interfere with refs. Very cool.
4. Penalties seem more accurate and justified. The game correctly identifies when I've personally charged a guy into the boards.
5. In general, gameplay just feels better. I can try to take a slapshot without really having the puck on my stick. You can't shoot a backhander nearly as hard as a shot from the forehand. Each time I ram into the boards, they give and there is a loud bang. Again, more realistic to the actual game of hockey.
6. Gameplay sliders allow you to adjust the game as necessary. Increase or decrease puck friction, pass completion, game speed, etc. I always love video games where the game developers realize that sliders/options give gamers customizable freedom.

Here are the two disadvantages I have found:

1. Rookie and Beginner are incredibly easy. I started winning 7-0, 8-0, 6-1, doing tons of scoring with my third and fourth lines. Then I upped the level to Pro. I'm losing 3-1, 4-0, 3-0. So there is a very big difference between these two settings. Hopefully as I become more skilled I can compete on the Pro level. But I'm still waiting for my first tie or "breakout" game on Pro.
2. The commentators are okay, comments do get repetitive and I'm not exactly sold on Gary Thorne. Sometimes he sounds like a drone. The comments beat EA Sports attempt at color commentary but I liked the announcers of EA Sports better. Sounded more natural.

Compared to EA Sports NHL 2003 offering, I'm very, VERY happy that I made the switch.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost Perfect, September 23, 2003

By 

Mason M (STL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ESPN NHL Hockey (Video Game)

I love NHL 2k3 last year and I was so excited for this year's edition. In general I think everything bad about last year's game was fixed in this one. The new added features are a lot of fun and give you something new to try. The commentary is just amazing and is the biggest upgrade. Slicker graphics also make this game amazing. The gameplay was HARDLEY touched, but there is still one major problem (see below).
However, I still feel as if there are a few huge things missing. The online play is horrible. Every game I play seems to have a bad connection,and I'm on a good broadband connection. Also, the goalies are impossible in the higher skill levels. In 2k3 I would win about 75% of the games on Hall of Famer level and now I struggle to get a goal on All-Star. The goalies are too good as you can rattle off amazing shot after amazing shot and still fall short. Even turning down the CPU goalie skill doesn't do much. They have to fix this for next year as the skill levels offer to much of a jump.
Overall I like this game a lot and it's a good improvement from 2k3. Also, ENOUGH WITH THE SHOULDER!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars GREAT, but could be better, September 17, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: ESPN NHL Hockey (Video Game)

I waited with high anticipation for this game, especially after I found out that they got Gary Thorne and Bill Clement to do the play-by-play and commentary. though very pleased with the final product, there are some things that dissapointed me greatly. Some of the uniform graphics are not as smooth or as good as last year's game. But Gary Thorne and Bill Clement make for that in a big way. Thorne's play-by-play is enthusiastic and involved, and consistant. He doesn't repeat himself and comments on even the little details going on. Even commenting on the fact that the team I was playing against was changing its defensive pairings. Bill Clement is just as enthused and smooth.
I was dissapointed by a few things. Puck control. Sorry, but it is frustrating to watch my players skate round and round trying to pick up a lose puck or even ignore it when it's sitting right in front of them. The player will just sit there completely immoble staring at it!!!!! They could have done without the skybox feature. I think it was a great idea to put some of the old uniforms from even defunct teams in the game, BUT FOR CRYING OUT LOUD just let me have 'em. Don't make me go through unlocking them with endless challenges that I have to complete to get to 'em. Ok, that was my rant. In short; Keep Thorne and Clement(greatest play-by-play and commentary in hockey or any hockey game ever!) go back to last years puck control and passing, dump sky box and the challenge features and just give me the past teams and or uniforms. Yea, it's not as good as last years, but still worth when held up to NHL Face Off and NHL 2004.

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