My Review of EA's NHL 12

Like many hockey fans, and fans of good sports games fans, I ran to my local gamery today and picked up the latest edition of EA's long running NHL series. Being a big fan of NHL 11, I was quite eager to give the new edition a try and see if I can hone my skills and have some fun with the updates EA put into their game. And like the many editions before it, NHL 12 did not disappoint me. The new tweaks and additions put into the game allow for a nice breath of fresh air from NHL 11 which I played to death, and found myself longing for more than just 1-on-1 on Xbox Live. There is so much to do, and is so perfectly executed that it just adds to the already stellar track record of the NHL series.

Lets take a look at some of the good things they added to the game this year.





One major game mechanic that they changed was that you are now able to run the goaltender and knocks the net off of its grooves. When I heard of this new feature before the games launch, I as very excited to know that I will finally be able to release all of my frustration with rival goaltenders in real life by obliterating their virtual counterparts, most of the time without a penalty. Of course as soon as I got the game, my first match was between me and my good Devils fan friend. How did I start the game, you ask? I ran straight into Martin Brodeur and knocked his helmet clean off of his big fat head, of course! I relished in my triumph over the plump goaltender and went on to win the game 3-0, but thats besides the point. The point is, now the experience in front of the net is more real in the game, which makes it harder to get goals. However, if you get mad that the goalie keeps stopping everything you throw at him, or just want to get under your opponents skin, just take a run at his goalie and let all your troubles wash away.

Another fun thing about the game is the edition of the "NHL Legends" team. The developers at EA made a team consisting of some of the best players of the last 50 years, and made them able to be put onto any team you want. The legends include Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Gordie Howe, Patrick Roy, Chris Chelios, Jeremy Roenick, Steve Yzerman, Borje Salming, and Ray Bourque. Needless to say, the teams stats are all 100%, which means that there are going to be a lot of fun guys who pick that team to play as online to be fair and all. But as a leisure activity, adding those players to your favorite team is going to be a real fun thing to do.

One of the final tweaks that is really fun is the addition of a Winter Classic mode. EA put in the location of Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA as a playable feature so that both the Penguins and Capitals, or any team you want can play outdoors in the cool new environment. While it is merely just a different version of 1-on-1 play, it's a nice feature to added. The Winter Classic has become a major part of the NHL season, and people have been wanting it in the game since it's creation. Now, fans can also get a taste of this years matchup which is rumored to be between the Rangers and Flyers, even though it hasn't been confirmed by the NHL yet (although I wish they would so I can write my damn article already).

In all, NHL 12 is a very good game, and anyone who enjoys gaming or hockey would benefit from picking up a copy today. I'll look for my readers on Xbox Live, and promise not to beat you too hard if we face each other. Just kidding, ha ha ha, but not really.