Customer Reviews

NHL 2006

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

PROS

- Much better skating. Smaller guys can dipsy doodle and bigger guys are less agile. Players actually push the puck ahead while skating hard.

- Better offense. You can actually work at setting up a play in the offensive zone.

- Puck factor. Goalies and players can be phased if they get in the way of a hard shot, even resulting in injuries.

- Stick handling is BACK! No longer do you have to use some seperate joystick just to stickhandle, now you stickhandle with the same analog stick you use to skate.

- Despite all the off-season movements, the rosters are probably the most accurate they've ever been in the NHL series. The rosters are as current as the middle of August, it appears (although no rookies, which is understandable).


CONS

- Nothing new in Dynasty mode, same ol stuff.

- NO WIDESCREEN SUPPORT!! Very frustrating for HDTV owners, especially considering that the Madden series has supported this since 2001.

- Sloppy interface design. There are times when the only way you can sort through a list of players is alphabetically. It's annoying when you're looking through a list of 40, it's especially annoying when you're looking through a list of hundreds. Just sorting through anything is slow...there is a 1-2 second delay just to scroll to another team.

- Playing on 'Difficult' with sliders adjusted, the game is still way too fast! The computer can make tape to tape passes and fire a one-timer for a goal pretty easily. With Shot Power turned all the way down, players can still release a 111mph wristshot. I've seen the glass break 3 times in one game (corny!).

- Meaningless attributes. Maybe it's just because I have it on difficult, but the player attributes seem to mean nothing. Everybody has a hard shot. Everybody is about the same speed. The computer was rushing the puck with what should have been a slow moving defenseman, and yet my forward with 98 speed and acceleration was unable to catch up to him on the backcheck.

- Goalies have no unique characteristics other than their own helmets. You wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Garth Snow from Dominik Hasek in this game. EA still ignores one of the most important positions. If you think about it, you only need 3 types: Butterfly, Stand-Up or Unorthodox.

- Create-a-player is weak. There are all sorts of adjustments you can make to the polygons that shape the face. But once you're done with that, you have only 3 skin tones to choose from, 8 hair styles, and 3 hair colors. So on one hand, its extremely customizable, and on the other it's EXTREMELY basic. The hair looks like something you'd see in a 1998 PS One game...


OVERALL

Great game for the price. On the PS2 version they have included the "retro" version of NHL 94. There is no rhyme or reason as to why this was included, other than maybe this is the feel the developers were trying to bring back to the NHL series.

The game could be slower and the shot speeds are wildly arcadey, but overall this is a good game. It improves upon some of the weaknesses of NHL 2004 and probably makes the game more fun to non-hockey fans...

Let me start off by explaining what I mean by calling EA's NHL 2006 the Anti-NHL 2004. NHL 2004 was an awesome game--extremely realistic, tight checking/defense. NHL 2006, however, is NOT the super-tight checking/defensive game. It is, though, an awesome hockey game to own--but gameplay is a little on the arcade side, though. The lack of a simulation feel keeps the game from getting a perfect score.

When I played it the first time I thought it wasn't going to be all too realistic with it being such an "open" game. Which in many ways, it isn't too realistic. The game does, however, have its realistic points--From pucks hurting players, players having personal realisms (small guys can turn on a dime where the larger player are less agile, but can knock over players just by you skating into them), hockey arenas are near perfect, skilled players have skilled deke moves, updated rosters (to mid August) and the new NHL rules. The more open game is true to how it is this season in the NHL. I have watched many games and the game is very open now--much less clutching and grabbing.

This game isn't perfect, though. The goalies aren't very tough to beat, and the AI seems to score a ton of bogus one-timer goals and wrap-around goals--your goalie moves away from the post and then does a belly-flop dive way too late to make the save (goalies are far too aggressive and they over-play the puck on a constant basis). The other problem is when you play the game on difficult, every single player on the AI's team plays like they have attributes of a 99-rating. No matter how fast a player you have, the AI has faster players--and they score at will. The game just becomes too arcade-ish. The sounds of the game are perfect, but the play-by-play needs to be changed (just turn it off and enjoy all the sounds at the rink).

The game comes with the retro NHL '94 version originally on the SEGA Genesis and SNES. It's nearly a perfect clone, however, there is no NHLPA license for the retro version NHL '94--so don't expect Gretzky, Messier, or anyone from the NHL during that time. It is fun to play the retro '94 version and then play NHL '06. You get to see just how far the game has come.

Online play isn't that great either. Players find too many ways to cheat and mess with their modems to create intentional lag and many also exploite the wrap-around glitch. It's quite a dull experience and is more frusterating than fun. Maybe it's because of the game being too arcadey. Roster updates are dead-on, though, and new players are added to the game as they appear in the real NHL (they added Sidney Crosby, Ovechkin, Lundqvist, Prucha, etc.)

NHL '06 is a great game and a must buy if you like an arcade/semi-realistic game. Learn how to play defense (goaltender)--you are going to have to. Play the game like how you see the real NHL and don't go taking players out of position to make hits--you'll pay for it. If you disliked NHL 2004 because it was very realistic, but too much clutching and grabbing (just like the NHL two years ago), then you will love this game as it's much more open (just like the NHL now). If you love arcade hockey--get this game. If you want total simulation and a true hockey feel, this game may annoy you beyond belief.

For a good while now, every NHL game to come from Electronic Arts has focused more on an arcade-like presentation than a truer sim, while the rival 2K series (originally from Sega) provided a more authentic hockey video game. NHL 2006 continues EA's arcade-ish take on the NHL, and longtime fans of the series who have grown accustomed to this will find little to nitpick here, and they will also find that little has changed as well with the game's presentation. The graphics are super smooth (better than NHL 2K6's) and the controls are easy to get a hold of, but the announcers are repetitive and annoying, and they always seem to get to the action a little slow. The freedom allowed in the standard feature of creating players is better than in previous installments, and as a whole NHL 2006 is a nice package. However, the choice between NHL 2006 and the cheaper priced NHL 2K6 is entirely up to you and how you like your video game hockey, but if you're on a budget and want a more realistic NHL experience, stick with 2K6.

It seems like I favor every EA NHL release that ends with an even year. For example, I liked NHL 2002, but not 2003. I enjoyed NHL 2004, but thought 2005 was deplorable. NHL 2006 basically uses the same engine as 2005, but with all the improvements in gameplay that made NHL 2005 impossible, or unenjoyable, to play.

The game is a lot more fluid than it's predecessors, though it can still be hard to get a one-timer off. The rosters are actually fairly accurate, given how many transactions have occured since the lockout ended. Heck, even with the licensing that this game has obtained from such hockey manufacturers as Itech, Bauer, Jofa, CCM, Vaughn, Brian's, Sher-Wood, Eagle and Koho (forgive me if I left anything out), you actually get to have one of the most realistic gaming experiences out there. You can even see the Motor City Casino advertisments on the JLA's Scoreboard!

The thing I wasn't too keen on was the limited Create-A-Player options you have, though most of this probably gave way to all the manufacturer's having their product in the game. By comparison, I was a huge fan of ESPN NHL 2K5 because of the intense level of customization you could have for players. Another thing is that the rosters don't necessarily reflect all of the talent on the teams (AHL All-Star Goalie and Detroit Red Wings goaltending prospect Joey MacDonald was overlooked on this game, but managed to be featured in Gretzky NHL 2005.) Nevertheless, this still remains one of the coolest hockey games available.

As always, the Elite Leagues are featured in this game, and there's also a "retro" NHL 94 game that you can play (though due to licensing issues, most, if not all of the names, have been changed from the original rosters.) There are plenty of goals and fights a plenty, so you won't be short on action anytime soon.

The only thing I could suggest, aside from more customization options, would be to scrap the Elite leagues in favor of teams for the AHL, ECHL, and possibly the UHL and WHL, as to create the possibility of having some of the more intense roster management out there for Franchise modes, as well as to have the kids in Bakersfield or St. John's to play as some of their favorite local teams.

All and all, good game for the money. If you can pick this up from amazon.com for around $26, then that's definitely worth the price of admission.

EA Sports, once again, has put together a very solid game.

What I enjoy the most about NHL 2006 is the Dynasty Mode option, which give you the opportunity to manage one of several NHL and European franchises (or create your own!). This is a great feature, because you get to test your off-the-ice management abilities.

Another notable feature is the Create a Player/Create a Team option, which allows you to introduce your own players and teams into the game.

The gameplay is smooth and offers a challenge to even the most experienced players. The graphics are also very good and the audio commentary is impressive.

There are many other features associated with the game, but I won't comment on them because I don't want to spoil the entire experience for those who are reading this and haven't played the game yet. But I'll conclude by reiterating that it's a solid game and very entertaining for those who enjoy sports (and especially hockey) games.

This is one of the many hockey games I have and it is very good compared to it's "demo" of retro NHL94. I give it 3 stars overall because it's pretty realistic.

This is a fun game with great graphics. I've played Gretzky NHL 2006 and NHL 2K6, and this is probably the overall best of the bunch. However, I have to comment on a few things that REALLY become aggrevating:

1. The goalies can be VERY hard to beat. As the Red Wings on Medium difficulty, Khabibulin stoned me two games in a row. I outshot the Hawks 67 to 39, and then 63-44, and lost both games 9-5. It became maddening. The computer can score almost at will, and when he's throwing in wrist shots from the blue line, and I'm stopped on 48-of-50 one-timers, well, let's just say that it gets a little ridiculous.
2. The game is really nothing but a continuous stream of odd-man rushes. Reminds me of basketball, only all fast breaks. Neutral zone play almost doesn't happen.
3. The AI defense always seems to skate faster than yours - always.
4. Did I mention that the computer can score at will? When the fit is upon him, and it happens almost every time you take a one goal lead, he becomes rabid in your zone. Beware taking the lead.
5. There are almost no missed passes by the AI. He makes tape-to-tape passes about 98% of the time. Not real at all...

All in all, however, this is a fun game. If you want more of a sim-type hockey game, get NHL 2K6. If you want arcade madness, this is your game.

Final Note: I would not have bought this game if it were not for the lousy habit that Gretzky NHL 2006 had of crashing (the game locking up) in the 3rd period. Gretzky's graphics are also a little sub-par next to this game; otherwise, that game would get the overall vote. Scoring was moderated in that game at least.

This game looks great on the surface: good graphics, nice depth of creating your own team, playing as a dynasty franchise, etc. but then you actually PLAY a game and everything rotten about this game just calls out to you:

A) I won a game the other night 16-12! There is absolutely no defense or goaltending in this game, the previous reviewer was right when they said that the game is nothing but a continuous stream of end-to-end rushes.

B) The absurd flashy and obnoxious deking. I had been warned by older NHL fans that Commissioner Gary Bettman hates hockey and would rather change the league into the NBA, and playing this game makes me believe that his advisors had a major role in influencing Electronic Arts down this path.

When have you ever watched a real NHL game and seen the first 2 lines of a team perform a dozen deke moves a piece? COME ON, the deking crap is way out of proportion. On a real NHL team maybe one or two players maximum would attempt moves like this and I doubt that they'd even do them once on average in a single game, but in this game it is deke, deke, deke, all the time and it goes on and on and on.

Then when one of these deking forwards finally scores of course his face has to contort and he has to move around real showboating/flashy. The entire tone of this game is totally obnoxious and intentionally LOUD and in your face garbage designed to appeal to the lowest garden variety of meth-head teenager!

Now what can your goalie possibly do against an entire forward line of "magic hat" dekers? ALMOST NOTHING, the goalie flops down on the ice and begs for mercy as soon as the puck gets anywhere near the slot area which strangely enough your so-called Defensemen sure as heck aren't standing there, and as a matter of fact they don't do anything at all besides "hope to check" one of the forwards which is pretty difficult considering that the dekers hop around like an acrobat and as soon as they see you coming they put on another move or pass it to their circus deker buddy. How many teams have these magic dekers? ALL OF THEM!!

Doesn't matter which team you play against they've got a bunch of deking garbage to entertain you with and run your scores up to. One night I got lucky and INJURED Colorado's first two lines of forwards and I won the game 17-1, yes I scored 17 goals because once again not only do you not have any defense but the computer opponent doesn't either. And don't bother thinking that it has anything to do with the Goalies, a 95+ overall goalie in this game still gives up at least 7 or 8 goals a game, and if you think you have a prayer of winning a game with a goalie rated an overall under 80 you might as well just empty your net because he isn't going to stop the puck.

C. The create a team mode is interesting and deep although it too is made foolish by a tremendous error that doesn't remove the players you choose from their original team. How stupid is it? Really stupid, I saw my brother playing a game with his created team and his Kovalchuk got a penalty for slashing Atlanta's Kovalchuk, and there was another game he played in which Joe Thornton played against Boston for his created team and he injured Joe Thornton out of the game. Want something even lamer? For my created team Cale Hulse got in a fight with himself on Phoenix. Yep, Cale Hulse fought himself!! IDIOTIC!!! And there was no reason that EA had to do this, each roster holds 40 players, so if I select Cale Hulse for my Created Team just remove him from the Phoenix roster, is it so impossible to do?

D) If you create a team they don't actually have their own original stadium, you are forced to pick from a list of pre-existing arenas. I was forced to play my home games at the Air Canada Center with huge Toronto Maple Leafs banners hanging over the ice even though my team was the Prince George Lions from British Colombia who played in the Western Conference!

E) The moronic 3 fight limit per game, so wait a minute? I can only have 3 fights a game but I get to see 500 dekes, how about a 3 deke limit EA? Make that limit, you pinheads.

F) The fans in the crowd, oh please, take a close look at the fans behind the net and notice that their faces are turned around, their eyes are literally on the back of their heads, what is this? A 1990 video game? PLEASE SPARE ME, there's no excuse for that kind of pathetic error from a game made in 2005!!!!!

By far the best hockey game I've played. Great puck and player movement. The four difficulty levels make it possible for you to select the kind of gameplay experience you want. Although, I wish they would have included one more, more difficult gameplay level. Fights are a fun part of the game too, and occur rather smoothly. I know in some other games fights leave more to be desired, but I get the feeling of satisfaction in going to the penalty box for fighting regardless of whether or not I win the fight.

I actually played my first copy so much I broke it, so I ordered a new one.

Perhaps the most interesting part about this game is the fact that (with a network adaptor) You can get onto EA Sports Nation and download updated rosters. And of course it is always a great time online.

Where do I start? The persons involved in the making of this game, should actually try and watch hockey. Lets start out with the rediculous scores, I score over ten goals a game, in dynasty mode, on the difficult level. The game will get into little spurts where the computer is totally unstoppable. I will give you a hint, it all starts when you try and check a player and they will not fall down, even if they are gang checked. Needless to say a few short seconds after this the computer scores, what most of the time is a goal from the book of Doug Henning magic tricks. Also the speratic passing that the computer seems to control, in order for it to get back in the game when falling behind, such as the forward pass that for some reason goes in reverse into my zone. Then the computer player sprouts jets and lets say, a player such as Mike Modano, cant catch them, sometimes it even feels as if they are being held back by a force field and just wont skate. Are you starting to get my drift here? this game is terrible and causes me many hours of swearing at the T.V., as a matter of fact I just got done playing a dynasty game, in which I led 9-1 in the second period, and had to hold on for dear life to win 11-9. I saved by biggest complaint for last, whats up with the goalies? when an AI player gets behind the net, it seems like the defense on my team part like the red sea, and you know its coming but you cant defend it oh yeah the raparound. When this occurs the goalie flops to opposite side of the net, and the AI puts into an empty net. This all seems to happen while my defensive players I'm not controling are hanging out at picnic or something. If your going to buy it save your money and your hair, because it aint worth losing it over. And just an idea for NHL 2007, besides revamping the whole game, hows about something new like a broken stick during a onetimer or slapshot, and making the player go to the bench for a new stick, that would cause some odd man rushes aye? gotta go i've vented enough frustration.