RockguyKev's Full Review: NHL Hitz 2002 for GameCube
Wayne Gretzky 3D Hockey for the N64 is one of my favorite games of all time. I can't stand ice hockey as a sport but it makes a darn good video game especially when the focus is on hitting other guys really, really hard. NHL Hitz 2002 is from the makers of WG3D so I took a chance on it and I'm quite satisfied.
Gameplay
8/10
The control is sharp and the game is FUN. It plays a bit like one would expect hockey too just a heck of a lot faster. It takes almost no time at all to go from one side of the rink to the other and the puck really flies. There is a heavy emphasis on checking and fighting which really adds to the game. Many hockey games have fighting just tossed in and it often takes away from the game I feel. In this game it works really well.
The controls are incredibly simple. There is pass, shoot, spin, check and turbo. Only pass and shoot ever do anything different. On defense pass acts as a poke check, which is much like a "steal" and shoot allows you to change which defender you are currently controlling. Whether you are on offense or defense check is check and spin is spin. Why you need to check on defense I'll never know but whatever.
The analog stick is very responsive and there is none of the almost obligatory "let's simulate ice by making it impossible to stop and turn around" nonsense that finds its way into many hockey games. This game is without a doubt not a simulation so you can stop almost on a dime and turning around occurs in a snap. This is very important to the flow of the game since the players move so fast. If you couldn't turn around like that defense would be all but impossible.
The "extra" things in the game; fighting and face-offs notably also control well. Fights occur randomly after big checks it seems. Each player has an agression rating that impacts how often they get into fights. In a fight you have high punch, low punch, grab, block and dodge. In reality all you need are the two punches since you can make them into a 5 hit combo but the other buttons are fun to use too. The face-off system is brand new. Instead of timing when the puck will fall the game operates on a sort of paper-scissors-rock interface. There are 3 "attacks" in a face-off, push, puck grab and ankle whack (my own names) with each one "beating" another. It's pretty funny to see the first few times and it is far more interesting than in other hockey games.
Ok, so how does it all come together in a game? Quite well in fact. The computer plays pretty well (at least on pro) so you can't just stomp them usually. There is no handicap built-in, thank goodness, unlike WG3D and Blitz where you could never stay ahead for long. To score on the computer you will almost always need to to a one-timer (pass then shoot immediately). The goalie will usually stop a regular shot, and often even one timers, so expect to work a bit for your goals. It is pretty easy to play defense in the game though since your goalie is quite adept as well. As long as you make sure to take out a couple of the opponent's guys he'll be left on his own. Taking them out is quite fun as you can check them through the glass and into the stands. Sure they come back but man is it fun to do. You can also just level them on the ice which too has it's charm.
The game has bunches of modes including a skills mode which is basically a collection of mini-games. Some involve target practice while others involve checking a bunch of guys into submission. This mode is a nice little addition that Midway easily could have left out. It's nice to see them adding more stuff to their arcade titles.
There is a franchise mode where you make your own team and assign ability points to each player. As you win games you earn more points so you can customize however you wish. You can also play through a championship with any of the real NHL teams. Each match you win gives you points which can be used to unlock TONS of stuff. There are new stadiums, new teams, new uniforms, all kinds of stuff and all very cool. The stadiums are incredible (they include a pyramid and a cemetary for reference) and the teams are too (knights, skeletons, etc). There is plenty of stuff you'll want to unlock and it will take quite some time to do it.
The multiplayer is really the game's strongest asset though as the one player does tend to get boring after awhile. You can play with up to 4 players with up to 3 on a single team. This game will stay in my party rotation for many years to come, just like Wayne Gretsky did.
Graphics:
7/10
Don't get me wrong, they are really, really good. The reflection effects are great the character models are pretty good too. The problem is that they could be better, especially on the Gamecube. I would have liked to have seen some smoother character models and more detail on the wide shots. Still, the graphics are quite solid and don't take away from the game one bit.
Sound:
9/10
If there is one thing the Gamecube can do it's sound and this game is no different. Every grunt, groan and glass-shattering hit just booms. Do yourself a favor and get some good speakers because this game rocks. The menu music instead of being unknown elevator music, is a collection of contemporary hard rock music from bands like Staind, Fuel and Limp Bizkit (unfortunately...).
Replay value:
10/10
It will take literally weeks to unlock everything and the multiplayer will still be there.
Rent/buy?
Tough call here. It's a wonderful game but I recognize that it is a genre you either love or hate. Hockey has little to do with it, it comes down to whether you like arcade sports or not. If you do this game is a must buy, if you don't, give it a rental and you may be pleasantly surprised.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.