One of the best Hockey games.
The modes are standered stuff: you've got Play Now, Season, Dynasty (not what you think), Practice, Tutiroals, Pond Hockey, stuff like that. Play Now gets you playing a game fast, while Season mode follows your team through a regular season, and starts you out at a Draft. Then there's Dynasty mode. In Dynasty mode, you create a town name, a actual hockey name (like the Dragons), and a logo. There you have a number of games to play. You have to win a set-number of those games to make it into the NHL, but if you lose all the games that you need to win, you start where you saved last. It's disappointing about that, because it should have more seasons that you could compete in if you lose the set number of games you have to win. If you do win, or complete certain goals (like getting 3 assists with this player), you'll get Hero Equipment, which has bonuses from the players the euipment is based on. There's stuff like Lidstrom's Skates, Ray's Helmet, stuff like that.
Once you do win the set number of games, you go into the NHL and select season, and choose your team that you used in
Season, is only one season long, which is disappointing, as I don't feel like going to the menu and choosing the team again for season, seeing all the same players. I also have a problem with the created teams in this mode. If your created team from Dynasty mode wins the Playoffs in Season, you win the Midway Cup! (what the hell?), but if a actual NHL team wins the playoffs, they get the Stanley Cup. That makes no sense. At all.
Pond Hockey is what you'd expect.
Then, there's the gameplay. Since this is an arcade-like game, there are no penalties, you can check people through boards (which is always fun), and the fact that you can check the goalies. The game is fast, and fun, but scoring is way to easy. Wrap-Arounds usually work, and you can check the goalie (like I said earlier), and then voila! empty net. easy goal.
The then there's fighting. You press a button that is randomly selected multiple times for three times. It's not very fun.
The graphics are ok.
Overall, you should purchase this game, and play it with some friends