NHL 2K9 is the first and only hockey games available for Nintendo's Wii console, and EA Sports celebrated the launch of NHL 09, its 18th NHL game by asking six hockey stars to suit up to capture new moves for next year's NHL 10 game. Josh Harding, of the Minnesota Wild, Corey Perry, of the Anaheim Ducks, Jeremy Roenick, of the San Jose Sharks, Patrick O'Sullivan, of the Los Angeles Kings, and Drew Doughty, of the Los Angeles Kings, joined NHL 09 cover athlete Dion Phaneuf from the Calgary Flames on the ice, adorned with reflective balls and Lycra suits that captured every move for their virtual counterparts.

Sean Ramjagsingh, gameplay producer for NHL 09, said this is the first time EA Sports has been able to assemble this many NHL players on the ice at once for a videogame.

The Xbox and Playstation 3 NHL 2K9 allows gamers to use the remote like a hockey stick to send slap shots at the goalie. When fighting on the virtual ice, players can grab both the Nunchuk and Remote controllers and get a workout while pummeling the opposition.

The game offers enhanced visuals, including facial hair that grows throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs. There's also the new Reel Maker 2K9, which jumps on the user-generated content bandwagon by allowing virtual puckheads to create, edit, share and rate in-game highlight reels online. One of the new features in NHL 09 is the EA Sports Hockey League, which allows a team of six players to choose a position, including goalie, and then compete against other teams online in league and tournament play.

Hockey has struggled to compete with the other sports but the NHL videogames have sold well enough to sustain two competing franchises. "Videogames are good for hockey, especially for kids in the states who get exposed to the sport through the game," - said O'Sullivan, who is from North Carolina. "A lot of times that's how kids get interested in sports - through something other than watching it on TV."

References:
http://2ksports.com/games/nhl2k9
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NHL_2K9

Posted by Maka Asatiani at 8:31 PM |  

Labels: Electronic Arts, Game Development, Game Reviews, Game Sharing, Wii