Gameboy Color ~ NHL 2000 Review

Overview

The NHL series of ice hockey games have been the official games of the NHL since the early 1990s. If you don't know what the NHL is, then it is the official governing body behind the major ice hockey games held in the USA and Canada.

NHL 2000 is EA Sport's and THQ's first attempt to create an ice hockey game for the GameBoy Color.

Unlike most other EA Sport games on the GameBoy which range from very mediocre to near unplayable, this title is extremely playable to provide hours of enlightening and exciting ice hockey fun.

Gameplay

I don't fully understand ice hockey. I do know that you have to smack the puck into that tiny little goal with a huge goalie in the way. Judging from how the game plays, it is very fun. You skate around the ice ring passing the puck around, then setting yourself up for a shoot at goal. Or if you're on defence, you go charging in to tackle the opposition. Simulation wise, it is fairly realistic, but very good for a handheld console. You can even get sent to the penalty box for charging a player over. As in real life, the puck is shot harder when hitting from the right rather than the left. I think a meter for the speed of the game should have been included like those FIFA soccer games on the Psone and PC.

This way you can choose to either play it slow to make it easier, or put it on fast speed to make it more exciting just like in real life.

8.5 out of 10

Graphics

I was highly impressed by the animations of the player movements, especially when they are dribbling the puck. It really does look like that they are skating around. While the players themselves look good, you can't see their faces. I can understand how helmets are worn, but their faces aren't suppose to be covered anyway. A blotch of peach colour as faces would have been nice.

The introduction video clip of the NHL 2000 logo coming up was a treat to the eye.

4.5 out of 5

Sound and Music

Nothing too special about the music, but as its a sports game, it doesn't matter.

The sounds are appropriately used, but the inclusion of more crowd noises during the game would have greatly enhanced the atmosphere of a ice hockey ring. The crowd only makes noises when anything exciting happens, such as someone getting knocked down or a goal being scored.

3.5 out of 5

Playability and Versatility

The controls for this game are very simple.

Two buttons. One for pass, the other for shooting at goal. Or if you're on the defensive, one button to change person, the other for tackle.

It was a good thing that automatic goal targeting was added, because it is so hard to score goals. As in real life, the goal is small and the goalie is large covering most of the goal itself. Without the automatic targeting, this game could have lost all its value.

The playability of the game is nearly all ruined because of poorly programmed player AI. The players on your team who you don't control are always going offside and there's nothing you can do about it. Not only that, they also automatically charge or tackle the opposition down even when no one has the puck! This of course sends them to the penalty box when it wasn't even your fault. I can understand how there is fighting in the real ice hockey games, but players starting fights beyond your control is purely ridiculous. It is a very good thing that you can change the rules, so you can turn offside and the other rules off. This way at least, the playability of ice hockey can still be played although not as realistically.

If not, I would have given this game a lower score.

2.5 out of 5

Options

This is where the game really shines. There are plenty of options within this game to keep you occupied for many days of enjoyment.

There are of course ordinary exhibition matches and even a shootout mode. The best part of this game is taking an NHL team through a whole season of ice hockey where you can save your game on the cartridge to maintain a long term playing time for the game. If you prove worthy, you make it to the play-offs. And if you are successful here, you can play-off in the final for the Stanley Cup!

If you are impatient, you can skip the season mode and go straight to the playoffs.

There are heaps of teams with each given a ranking out of the 28 NHL teams. Even the All Star East and West teams are included.

And finally, THQ have thrown in a quick start mode if you are so eager to start playing.

5 out of 5

For: fun to play ice hockey, impressive animations, good simple controls, plenty of options

Against: can't see player's faces, poor AI, not enough crowd noises.