Okay, I will admit I am a hockey fanatic. Last year at this time I was having fits! Hockey fans know all about the NHL walkout last year and the canceled season. Now having played the sport myself for years and getting that rush of being on the ice, I have grown to appreciate the old school players as well as the new pretty boys of the game. I mean no disrespect by using either of these terms.

Let’s be honest, the strike happened due to the league changing the rules, and of course money. The days of playing the sport with the old time bruisers is a thing of the past. Hockey has changed and many fans had a good reason to be mad about the walkout. It seemed many of the talented players worried about endorsements and agents rather than the sport they love.

I could go on a rant about how the NHL needs to go back a bit but that would not benefit anyone. Thankfully the players and the league have made up with one another and hockey is back! Even with the new rule changes, I am thankful to be able to enjoy another season.

You see there has been a heated debate about which hockey series is the best. Since this is a review and not an editorial, I will not comment on my personal favorite. I will say in many ways the debate is a lot like which style of hockey is better; the old school days or the way the sport is now. Today the game is faster and it is a younger sport for the most part, but as a die-hard fan, I can’t help but believe there is a little part of the old style left in the NHL today. EA’s NHL 06 in many ways tries to add the feeling of the “old school style” with the new rules and players. The big question for hockey fans is simple, how does the newest version of EA’s NHL measure up?

Gameplay

NHL 06 brings some new features to the game that will make long time fans happy. It will also frustrate some that may be new to videogame hockey. You need more than fancy moves this year. It will help to learn some defensive moves as well. Gamers will also find the shooting a bit more realistic which helps the overall game have more of a balance to it. Those who have played the series for a long time will remember the changes made in NHL 2004.

This year the game tries to add the controls while beefing up the A.I and making the defense more realistic. The main new feature is the Skill Stick which is used for allowing your stars the chance to pull those finesse moves and really break loose for that goal. On the other end EA added the “Classic Deking control”. This is where the series tries to balance between the “old school style” and the current days of the game. In case you’re not a huge hockey fan or just not up on the terms, Deking or Deke is a term that means a decoying or faking motion by the puck-carrier; the art of making a defensive player think you are going to pass or move in a certain direction when you are not.

Now there are a few other types of dekes and you can use them all in the game. There are also shoulder dekes and head dekes. In short terms it’s an effective fake out move that takes years to perfect. All of these can be pulled off with the new Classic Control Deking Stick. For years fans have wanted more control over the various types of shots at the net, so this year gamers will have the chance to target that open spot thanks to the new Targets feature. When you’re near the net, areas will be highlighted. You now have the chance, if you’re quick enough, to wind up a shot and hit the left analog stick and aim for the right target that has the best chance of getting by the goalie.

Yes, there are some great new control features and the defensive A.I has been tweaked. However, the game has the same features and modes as last year’s version did. The newest addition that changes the game overall has to be in the Dynasty mode. Now gamers can interrupt a simulated game using the new SIM intervention, his is something that was needed for a while now. During any game that you choose to simulate, you can use this and stop the simulated game. It will place you in the game exactly where you stopped it and now you can make several choices. This allows for coaching strategy changes, line changes and other owner duties. If you make the right choices, the more you will be rewarded. It can also help save the team from a loss.

There is now a new Assistant Coach feature; this allows players to pass on duties to the assistant coach, another new feature that adds more realism to the series. The best part is while in the season mode you can adjust the setting for the new assistant. This will still allow veterans of the game to make their own line changes and other calls on their own. This year has an improved “All-Star” Game feature and allows for more choices. Of course the game’s other modes return including the online and the free for all as well as an improved Creation Zone where you can adjust the look, gear and even bruises of your favorite player.

The overall game plays well and is adjusted to the new 2006 NHL League rule changes, of course NHL 06 allows you to adjust every setting and this has been one feature gamers like. You can increase the difficulty on every aspect and for veterans you will want to increase a few settings. The default ones will have you lighting the scoreboard up every few seconds. While those new or getting back into the series will enjoy the option of playing with certain rules and penalties off.

Control / Playability

The learning curve is about 30-45 minutes to get the controls down. The new Deke Control will take the longest to learn for those new to the game. You use the left analog stick while using the Speed burst Right trigger. The same can be said for the Skill Stick using the Right analog stick and the speed combo. Gamers will be able to use the star players to pull off fantastic moves as you target a shot. All three control features should be practiced in the exhibition mode.

The rest of the controls are pretty much the same as the last few years. All respond well and are easy to learn. I will say the shot selection buttons may take those new a little time to memorize. This is one of those games, to get good at it you need to read the game manual. For me to list every control would take up too much room. EA has always made the controls easy to reach and this year the new controls are even better than previous versions.

Xbox Live

I have written in past reviews about EA’s improvement with their online lobbies. NHL 06 is the first to feature the EA messenger with voice chat, no more typing is needed. A simple move of the trigger and a menu allows you to request a voice chat. For those who don’t like to talk with strangers, there are the old standard messages and macros to challenge people. The EA ticker keeps you up to date while waiting for a friend or a challenger to request a game. The rooms are the same as NASCAR 06, Madden NFL 06 or Fight Night 2.

Each room has an easy to read meter showing the other players’ connection strength, it also shows how many players are in the room. Every game can hold up to 8 players; two teams of four players can battle it out in quick tournaments. The fact that you can adjust the game for your style and skill level is welcomed. The game is lag free and the voice during gameplay is uninterrupted. Some may remember a few issues last year with this at first, but this year you will get up to date rosters and signing on and off is a breeze.

Graphics / Presentation

The graphics are done well and look almost like last year’s game. There are times when a close-up of a player seems to make them look a bit bulkier. This may be a camera angle or just the way the game was made, but it does look odd when you see it the first few times. The ice looks as real as possible and the glare off of it from the lights is very impressive. Each team and player looks like their real-life counterpart, the coaches are equally impressive.

There still are a few times you will see a part of a player on the ice and part of them in the boards, yes, the clipping is still there but not quite as bad as last year and it appears to happen less often now. The instant replays are well done and look like a live NHL game on TV. I know fans liked the breakaway cam, I personally want to see the game as it was meant to look and it’s nice to see the replays and action without gimmicks added.

NHL 06 Xbox Screenshot

NHL 06 Xbox Screenshot

NHL 06 Xbox Screenshot

View all NHL 06 Xbox Screenshots

Audio

The commentary team Of Jim Hughson and color commentator Craig Simpson returns this year, all the commentary fits the action perfectly. EA also brought back the Sounds of the Ice. By selecting this option, the commentary will be turned off and you get to hear the players. While it is neat, most gamers will prefer the other option. I do recommend you play at least one game with it though as they did a great job capturing the true-life effects of the game. The EA Trax returns once again and fit the game very well.

Replay Value

While not the most enhanced version to be released, NHL 06 has plenty to keep both die-hard fans and those new to the game happy. The fact that you can adjust every setting, rule and aspect is great. The chance to play a season of 24 or 58 games is also a great feature. Fans will enjoy a chance to take on the World Teams and the chance to create their own Fantasy League. Throw in the online mode and the new voice chat and there is plenty for any fan to enjoy.

Overall Score

Overall Score: 8.4/10 [not an average]

Additional Comments

NHL 06 may not have the right to claim the most improved version, however, it has tons of modes and the updated rules and players. It has great controls and adjusts to any skill level. NHL 06 tries to add balance and focus more on the advanced controls and shooting features. It adds enough for hockey fans to warrant buying it and adding it to their collection. The play by play is well done and the graphics and replays look realistic. Throw in the fact the game is almost half the cost of what the rest of the series was and that’s and added bonus.

It’s a well made version and employs some control features I wanted for years. It is the type of game you can play for hours and not get bored, I hope this is another sign of more things to come in the series. I am just happy to have my hockey back along with the newest version of NHL so I am content, and have a good feeling that other fans of the series will be as well.

Related Links

Filed under: Reviews

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!