Customer Reviews

NHL Hitz Pro

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Hola boys and girls,

Here's the deal, Hitz is the best hockey game on the market. Let me tell you why. Being a huge hockey fan (Go Avalanche!) for a number of years I have always checked out each new hockey game to come along. EA was doing good until the last 3 years and now they're franchise has gone down the tubes. ESPN has an alright game, but there is only a certain amount of realism that I care to digest. I play hockey games because they're fast, hard hitting, and damn fun.

With that in mind, Hitz is the best franchise around. You get extremely hard hitting (I love knocking players through the glass), nice physics, great competition (depending on what difficulty setting you have it on), and now we have 5-on-5 hockey. What's not to like about this game?

A lot of people have claimed that the hitting has toned down. What?!?! My friend and I got 333 hits in one game, that's not toned down. The fighting system is a little on the crappy side of things, but it's bearable. EA has the best fighting system by far. There are a few glitches in the grapics every now and then, but nothing to worry about.

Online play is quite fun. The only problem with online play is beating the crap out of someone and then having them quit before the end of the game. The game lags a little when playing online as well, but it's also bearable. That's to be expected though.

Another issue I have with the grapics is the players' hair. What the hell is with their hair? Could they at least attempt to make the hair look realistic. Plus their faces look a little goofy at times.

Line changes are new to this year's edition, but I'm disappointed that you can't change on the fly. I would love to be able to have a nice flow to the game without having to freeze the puck so that I can change lines. That's a minor issue, but it's just something I would like to see changed.

Here's another big issue: what happened to the mini-games? Those were incredibly fun to play with my buddies. Now all you get is pick-up hockey which is okay, but it's missing something.

I'm glad that you don't have to stadiums before each game, that was pointless. Though I do miss being able to use snow. I know that it had zero affect on play, but I just love snow.

The AI has been changed for the better this year. I could be the crap out of the computer on All-Star in last year's game, but Legend is quite the challenge. I find myself having to come from behind, or going into overtime. Last night I won a game in OT and I was hootin' and hollarin' because I was so into the game. I love that. There are very few sports games that I'm able to get that involved in.

Fortunately your players can now get assists if someone scores off of the rebound. That's how it is in real life and I'm glad that they added that much needed bit of realism. My players could have had double their points last year from all the goals I scored off of rebounds.

Let's not forget the wraparound shot. Oh that is a grand new feature to this game. I love the ability to go behind the night and try and tuck it in-between the goalie and the post. I've scored a few goals from behind the net. The analog deke is also a great new feature. I love the ability to be able to create my own deke, instead of a spin.

One of my favourite new features is the fact that your teammates will deflect and dive for pucks. The computer has scored a bunch of my goals by lunging and knocking a loose puck in the back of the net; or they deflect a shot that's going top-shelf right through the goalie's five hole. It's just wonderful.

Franchise mode is still here this year and it's got some nice features. Though they really need to load that sucker up some more next year if they want to stay with the "competition."

Hitz is everything I wanted and more. I can't wait till next year's version comes out. To me this is the number one hockey franchise out there.

Thanks for your time.

Natural Joe

I think this game really hit it on the mark - it's fast paced, great graphics, entertaining, easy to pick up and play, and adds lots of fun to the game of hockey. The slightly "over-th-top" play allows you to check players through the glass and catch on fire, among other things. The most entertaining feature for me was the ability to alter your players appearance. You can make them taller or shorter or fatter or leaner. then you even alter the SIZE OF THEIR HEADS, LEGS, ARMS, STOMACHS, AND CHEST (I gave my goalie one enormous melon). It's hilarious and entertainment by itself.
I also like the ability to play in a parking lot and a pond. It added a lot of variety to game play.

It's definitely the best hockey game out there...loads of fun. I highly recommend a purchase!

After playing EASports NHL 2003 on my brother-in-law's Game Cube, I knew I had to get a hockey game for the ole' PS2. This was the newest version of any title at the electronics emporium (the next most recent was NHL 2002), so it's what I nabbed.

The graphics don't seem quite as sharp as the EA game (no sleeve numbers on the jerseys, for example) but the PS2 controller is easier to use (at least to me), the action seems a little quicker and after just an hour of play, I checked a Russkie right through the glass - major kudos!

The coolest feature, though, is the "pick-up" games - three different rinks and "regular joe" teams beating the snot out of each other in a race to a set number of goals. Good fun! It'd be even better if there was an option to create your own pick-up teams, as you can in the franchise mode (and a wider selection of team names for frachises wouldn't hurt either).

If you're looking for a good video hockey game, there might be choices that are arguably better, but this'n is a load o' fun - any game where the Blue Jackets can beat the Avalanche by seven goals has to be good!

This NHL game is a blast. I didn't like the previous NHL Hitz titles because of the larger-than-life players, only 4 men on the ice, etc. This latest version is a real improvement. Regulation 5 men on the ice, realistic player sizes, and lots of fun to play. I have tried all the 2003-04 NHL games and I enjoy this one the most.
p.s., GO SHARKS!!

Simply the greatest hockey game since nhl 96.

Okay, i got this game unexpectedly for my birthday and i can't thank my parents enough now. instead of getting me nhl 2004, they got me this. this game is wayyyyyyyy better. the graphics are great, the gameplay is much more fun, and this game is much more realistic, even though that may sound wrong seeing as this is part of the hitz series. they improved this game and made it very real, with the exception of some monster hits which just add to the fun factor. all the rosters are updated, including hasek on the wings and there are two differnet franchise modes. one you can do a fantasy draft or pick an existing them and play with them, and the other you take a team that is almost like a minor league team and win a certain amount of games then get invited to the pros. both modes are very in depth with trading and free agency, unlike previous midway games. Overall, if i could, i would give this game a 10 but ill just have to give it 5.

Ok, this new nhl now has 5 on 5 as opposed to the old two which i also have. This has a huge advantage as that there is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more action and there wont be like 10 minutes of a guy skating to the other end of the rink, so thats 1 good point. But the best part of this game is that the checks are just stupid, they put rules in so if you check someone who isnt near the puck then you get punished for it but with the puck you can do whatever the hell you like to your victim. This includes knocking them 30 metres back and blasting them through glass at the side, things that you would get killed for in real life. They have team horns if you are at home increasing the hockey mood. The games golies are way more realistic aswell. In the old games a one on one was a defanite goal as the golies really wernt that good. Now you really have to work them around to beat them, you can use the new "wrap around" feature but to make it work you usually have to fake a slap shot. The fighting in this game is fun as your reactions help more in this version. But the guy who loses their team soesnt get fire when the other team does but both players go off for a certain amount of time. Fantasy draft is an option in season mode if you want a personal team.

Overall the most addictive ice smasher around, great game, get it.

This game has been a blast. The character options in franchise is worth the purchase of this game alone. Not to mention the checking through the glass. Also, if hard hits isn't your thing, there are plenty of customization options to make a game that suits you better. I wish there was better fighting, but the hits on the ice suit my taste. Recommend to all who love hockey.

not to be confused as a shill from Midway, but I simply had to give a little balance to the one poor review for this title...mind you, I haven't actually *played* this game yet, but I've spent the last hour researching which hockey game I'll purchase for the pS2 this year and I'm leaning towards NHL Hitz Pro...in the tradition of the 'EA Big' sports line, Midway seems to be going for a no-frills approach to the Hockey genre. If you're a 'true' hockey fanatic, and enjoy the subtle frustrations of changing lines and such, you'll want to invest in either EA's or Sega's (ESPN) hockey sim options--For the rest of us who could take or leave quasi-realistic Hockey simulations and prefer fun to authenticity, this is clearly the best bet. A major improvement from last years offering, Midway has carved out a comfortable niche with this title.

This game is good for hours of endless entertainment. If you like big hits, fights, and broken glass then this game has it all. The great game of hockey packed with more of the great hits you love! I recommend this game for any hockey lover.