When looking to recreate the high-flying action of professional hockey, gamers usually turn to the NHL series of games to get their kicks. However, the history of sports gaming is littered with excellent examples of hockey games that don't have anything to do with the sport's premier league.
From arcade-style classics like Blades of Steel, to oddball hits like Mutant League Hockey, there is always more to play outside of the NHL series. Though there have been many great options, some outshined the competition and were some of the best sports games of their time.
10 ESPN National Hockey Night (1994)
Following on the heels of one of the best NHL games of all time, NHL '94, the ESPN series of games attempted to get in on the exploding hockey game market. ESPN National Hockey Night was available for both Sega Genesis and SNES, and presented hockey in a traditional simulation-style game that is familiar to modern gamers.
Though the game had the license for much of the NHL's team imagery, the likeness and names of players were off limits which hampered the realism of the game. While the gameplay is similar to its contemporaries, many gamers felt as if the controls lacked the same fluid motion of the EA series. Despite its limitations, the game did allow players to switch camera views which was a unique feature for the time.
9 Eastside Hockey Manager (2015)
The Eastside Hockey Manager series has been a PC staple for decades, and they have even crossed paths with the NHL for several versions of the game. However, the most recent adaption of the series returned it to its roots and stripped away any affiliation with the major leagues.
The game is a pure hockey sim, which allows players to construct and manage their teams and leagues through a statistics-based system. Eschewing any active gameplay, the user must use strategy to dominate their leagues. The 2015 rendition expanded the amount of leagues available, and further strengthened the games simulation engine. Unfortunately, while EHM may be one of the best sports sim games, many gamers would rather enjoy a more active hockey experience.
8 Mario Lemieux Hockey (1991)
Player licensed games are nothing new in the world of sports gaming, and Mario Lemieux Hockey continued the grand tradition on the Sega Genesis. Utilizing every piece of the system's 16-bit capabilities, the game is a feast for the eyes, and was one of the first stabs at a realistic hockey game in the cartridge era.
Though lacking any official NHL licensing, the game brings the famous game to life in a moderately realistic way. The rules conform to the actual sport, and the gameplay leans more towards a sim style than the arcade-type games of the period. Ultimately, Mario Lemieux Hockey stands as a sign of the great games that were to come in the future for hockey fans.
7 Mario Sports Mix (2010)
The Nintendo Wii and sports games are inseparable, and the console's motion control system was put to the test in Mario Sports Mix. Featuring the cast of the Super Mario franchise, the game allows users to compete in arcade-style renditions of sports like basketball, hockey, and even dodgeball.
Generally considered one of the best Mario sports games, Sports Mix wasn't a realistic attempt at the sports it featured, and instead had fun with the rules. The hockey portion of the game is particularly memorable, and turned the conventional gameplay on its head with special moves and power ups. Hockey may have only been a small part of the game, but it had players returning again and again.
6 Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey (1996)
Featuring the most famous hockey player to ever lace up a pair of skates, Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey was one of the sport's earliest forays into the world of 3D gaming on the Nintendo 64. Leaning heavily on arcade-style gameplay, 3D Hockey features a wide array of special moves that spice up the action.
As opposed to the simulation-style games that it was released alongside, the game had fun with the sport of hockey and allowed users to get creative with super powered goals and exaggerated hits. Some fans lamented the lack of simulation aspects, but it was still one of the best sports games on the Nintendo 64.
5 Hit The Ice (1993)
The SNES' advanced capabilities allowed for vast improvements in the sports gaming world, but it also contained a fair amount of fun arcade-style games as well. Hit The Ice removed the emphasis from the athletic aspects of hockey, and instead put its focus on the sport's notorious violence.
With almost no rules to speak of, Hit The Ice is essentially a fighting game with hockey elements thrown in for fun. The game encourages players to be as aggressive as possible, and fights don't result in the traditional 5 minute penalty. Though it doesn't stack up to its NHL branded competitors in terms of hockey realism, it is nevertheless one of the most addictive sports game of all time.
4 Street Hockey '95 (1994)
Leaving the ice rink behind, Street Hockey '95 brought a more streetwise version of hockey to the SNES. Assembling a team of players, the user plays roller hockey in an array of different urban environments.
Visually impressive for its time, and utilizing motion captured graphics, Street Hockey didn't look like any other hockey game that came before it. While the controls were somewhat lacking, the game made up for it with unique style and a variety of different players that added layers of difficulty. Street Hockey's most distinct feature is that it captures the zeitgeist of the mid-90s in a radical display of cheesiness.
3 Ice Hockey (1988)
With a simple title like Ice Hockey, gamers knew exactly what they were in for when the game was released on the NES. The user takes control of a team of three players as they duke it out against a series of teams in fast-paced hockey action.
The user can pick between three different types of players to make their team, and each comes with their own pros and cons. The game's action is fast-paced and intuitive which made it extremely accessible for any type of player. Though it was limited by the NES' capabilities, Ice Hockey still delivered an amazing facsimile of the popular sport.
2 Mutant League Hockey (1994)
Violence in hockey is no secret, but Mutant League Hockey took things to another level on the Sega Genesis. Similar to Mutant League Football, the player controls a team of strange monsters as they compete in an ultraviolet game of hockey that involves weapons, bribery, and a wealth of special moves.
The teams are constructed using an array of different creatures, and the game allows users to do whatever it takes to beat the other team. The violence is elevated and it is actually possible for teammates to die during the game. While it is almost unrecognizable as the real game of hockey, Mutant League Hockey offered fans a humorous and distorted caricature of their favorite sport.
1 Blades Of Steels (1988)
Unlike its contemporary, Ice Hockey, Blades of Steel attempted to deliver a realistic version of the sport on the NES' limited hardware. Taking control of a full team of five players, the user competes against a series of teams that mimic the pro hockey action of the NHL.
Featuring cutting edge voice samples, Blades of Steel also brought in much more of the real sport into the game. Fighting is a possibility, and penalties are assessed when a player breaks the rules. Though the interpretation of the rules is somewhat unrealistic, it was a noble attempt to mirror actual hockey conditions. Though it has been replaced by the ultramodern simulation-style games of today, Blades of Steel is still remembered as one of the best NES sports games of all time.
source https://screenrant.com/best-hockey-games-not-nhl-ranked-worst-best/
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