NHL 2001 [E]

by Electronic Arts

Product Features

• 1-8 Players
• Multi Tap Adaptable
• Analog Control
• Vibration Function
• RATED "E"

Product Details

• ASIN: B00004W4QO
• Item Weight: 8 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,394 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

GameSpot Review

Hockey is a sport that inherently translates well into the realm of video games. The sport's breakneck pace and aggressive nature make for a level of excitement that, when done right, is hard to beat when it comes to sports games. EA has been doing hockey right for years, and one thing you have always been able to count on is buying the latest version of NHL with confidence. It seems EA has delivered again, as NHL 2001 is one hockey game that's hard to stop playing. NHL 2001 gives you just about every gameplay option any hockey-head could dream up. Along with the full roster of teams from last year, the expansion Minnesota Wild and Columbus Bluejackets make their first bids for video game stardom. You have the option of playing head-to-head exhibition games, a full season, the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a shoot-out, or a fully customizable tournament in four different difficulty settings. You may also create a player, sign him, and then develop him into a cup-hoisting powerhouse. Taking a cue from its Madden franchise, EA has included a challenge mode, where achieving certain criteria - such as four goals in a game or shutting out the opposing team - awards you with points to use to beef up your created player.

The controls in NHL 2001 are sweet simplicity. Anyone can pick up the Dual Shock and skate, shoot, pass, and score. But for those who like to spend those quiet hours mastering the finer techniques, NHL 2001 does not disappoint. In addition to the usual one-timers and spin-o-ramas, you may load up for a cannon shot, perform a super deke, or control the trajectory and speed of your shots with the utmost accuracy. On the defensive side, you may send an opposing player to the bench for some freeze spray with a super check, take one for the team by laying down to block a shot, or poke-check the puck away for one of your teammates to scarf up. The more hours you log playing the game, the more the thinking behind its control scheme becomes apparent.

The NHL series is better known for its gameplay than its graphics, but NHL 2001's graphics are nothing to scoff at. The way the players skate and wind up for slap shots is very convincing, and there are so many different ways that they react to hits and changes in the game that it's almost impossible not to get pulled in. The play flies along with nary a stutter, almost to the point of excess. Things happen so fast that the camera sometimes gets left behind in an ice spray - blocking the view of the player trying to score from top to bottom. Ever since NHL 98's bothersome frame rates, EA has gradually dropped the number of polygons per player each year in an attempt to free up some valuable PlayStation processing power. NHL 2001 is no exception. The players appear even more squared off than last year, and some of their animations seem to have lost a few frames. In return, EA has rewarded players with a game that's lightning fast and plays like a dream.

Like other EA Sports games of this pedigree, NHL 2001 is full of nuances that set it apart from the competition. If you rush the opposing goalie after he's trapped or gloved the puck, his teammates will come to his rescue and scrum about the net. Banging a shot off the post causes the goalie to jerk his head wildly looking for the ricochet. If you pressure the computer while it's trying to bring the puck out of its own end, it will skate behind the net and reset the play. If you manage to mount a solid rush of offense or bust someone up with a check, your momentum meter grows. If your meter reaches its threshold, your next chance almost always results in a goal. This is a new feature to the NHL series, and while the idea behind the momentum meter is true to game of hockey, it sometimes spirals out of control. Once you get a couple of quick goals, they just keep on coming. What you end up with is a snowball effect that results in many a lopsided score. Fortunately, the feature can be disabled. Fighting has returned again this year, but the winner is normally determined by the player who mashes the buttons with the most fervor. On the auditory front, NHL 2001 shines. The crowd reactions to the on-ice events are deadly accurate and trigger right on cue. The play-by-play does its best to keep up with the action, and ESPN's Bill Clement barks out the color commentary, which provides an air of authenticity to the game. Like most sports video games, however, extended periods of play give way to the same snippets repeating constantly.

While it's not the most beautiful hockey video game, NHL 2001 comes through where it counts - the gameplay. The amount of control you have over your players, coupled with the game's tight execution, guarantees that this is one game you can pull out of closet years from now and still enjoy playing. NHL 2001 makes all the right compromises on its way to becoming the PlayStation's best hockey game.--Shane Satterfield--Copyright © 2000 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited.

Product Description

NHL 2001 is real hockey, live the experience. High-flyin', hard hittin', intense powerplay hockey action is back with EA SPORTS NHL 2001. Lace up the skates and play with or against all 30 National Hockey League teams including the new expansion Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild. NHL 2001 invites the world to play with the addition of 20 International teams including Ukraine and Latvia. Feel the full hockey flavor by building a custom team with the jersey editor, logo importer, and customizable city and team names. EA SPORTS puts you 'in the game' with the 'Face in the Game' feature -- witness fans throw their hats on the ice in your honor after a hat trick. With a variety of game modes including Quick Game, Season Play, Career Mode (PC and PSX only), Playoffs, and Tournaments, all the goals are a slapshot away. NHL 2001 is home to the Stanley Cup on the PlayStation 2 console, PC and the PlayStation.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, September 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: NHL 2001 [E] (Video Game)

Absolutely and amazing game. Big improvements over NHL 2000 in terms of graphics and special effects. Updated with all the new rookies including Gomez, Boucher, Gagne, and many others, a must for any hockey fan. By far the best hockey game out there.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good game but flaws, January 5, 2001

By 

Josh (North Haven, Ct) - See all my reviews

This review is from: NHL 2001 [E] (Video Game)

Ok first of all i am a big fan of the Ea Sports hockey games. I have every game from 94' on accept for 99 because i didnt like it. First of all this is a playstation game, sure i have seen many games with much better graphics but in this game the are very choppy. One thing i think they shouldnt have changed is that in nhl 98 the players were big and viewable, then in 2000 and 2001 the players are so small i can barely see them. If u look close there faces are just a few of peach dots. you cant determine any features except in the upclose shots. second, there isnt a big difference from 2000. Same basic idea no new buttons. it looks like just a update of rosters and 2 addons. Last, im not even going to emphasise on these two things. The fights last less than 5 literal seconds, and i have played a game where the score was 8-0 me at the end of the second period. I think ea could have made the goalies a little more lifelike. The only way u can score in the game is if u use the deek button. Ok enough with the bad into the good. This game is fun to play, beside the graphics and the unrealisticality(is that a word)Franchise mode is very fun to draft and deal with a typical season. The challenge is cool it needs more stuff to do. and the momentum meter is the only reasitic part in the game. But once again besides the flaws this game is plain fun, and a good buy. I regret buying it for playstation and not playstatioin 2 because i didnt know i was getting it. But only because of the graphics. Still i love the game. To anyone else they would love this game, i like it also but i have every single hockey game so i have seen better. nhl 98 is probably the most realistic, but it has its flaws too.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars GREAT GAME, FEW FLAWS, January 2, 2001

By 

waddellm (mary esther, fl United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: NHL 2001 [E] (Video Game)

I have really been looking for a decent hockey game for the last few years. NHL 2000 was the closest I had come, but after a couple of seasons, I was on pace to win 78 games in one season. With EA sports latest effort, 2001, it seems they have corrected that flaw. At the end of of the season, the team records look about as realistic as they should, usually with some surprises (Calgary Flames in the playoffs), if you're lucky, you can have the league's leading scorer on your team. All of the statistics are fairly realistic. You can still run away with a game, but it rarely happens. I have been playing with the Stars, which are rated the best team in the game, and I have only scored 7 goals in one game. Don't be disappointed, the computer sometimes returns the favor. I have noticed that you can be beaten by any team. Your team goes through winning streaks, and slumping streaks. Your stars get hot and then cold. Overall, the realistic feel of the game is great. There's no scoring 75 goals with one player in a season unless, of course, you have it on one of the easier levels. Some of the problems left untouched from last year are the amount of breakaways, shorthanded goals, penalty kill percentages, and your goalie save %. There are way too many breakaways, which you can't always score on, but nonetheless, unrealistic. A player can sometimes have 15 - 20 shorthanded goals in a season, your penalty kill percentage is somewhere around 60%, your powerplay % is somewhere around 35%, and your goalie's save % is somewhere around 85. Unrealistic. Gameplay is fantastic, graphics are equally as impressive, and most of all, you don't blow away the competition. Also, the game allows you to create players. You can give them anywhere from rookie to all star status. As you take this player through the seasons, he improves or gets worse depending on his age and productivity. Players retire and the computer creates new players the longer you play. I have only played a 29 game season so far. I played with the stars. After some key injuries, slumps, and winning streaks, I finished 18-9-2, which is dead on for a first or second place team. That would be on pace to win about 45-50 games in an 82 game season. It doesn't get any more realistic than that. I finished 2nd in the Western Conference, 7th overall, and 1st in Pacific Division. I'm having trouble in the playoffs after Phoenix took me to game six and vancouver is giving me fits. It can be somewhat easy getting to the playoffs with some of the best teams in the game, but watch out, you can get knocked out of the playoffs as easy as you got in. That's where the real challenge is. Chances are, if you try to take a subpar team through the season, you will not make it to the playoffs unless you create some superstars and make some killer trades to beef up your lineup. That's how challenging this game is. If you want a fun and competitive hockey game, try NHL 2001. After reading the reviews on this site, I decided to rent the game before I bought it. Turns out I wasted 5 dollars renting the game. Just a great game with a 10 star fun factor.