NHL 2K9

Just thought I post a quick review of NHL 2K9 which was released Tuesday for the Nintendo Wii...first of all if you're used to the realism and graphics of the previous 5 years of NHL from EA sports, don't bother - they're terrible. It reminded me of my NHL99 for the N64. The skating is choppy, the players' faces don't resemble the real thing, and the stadiums are sub par, and with no real online option it falls short of today's gamers expectations...however....

The new controls, although they take some getting used to are pretty cool. There's nothing like winding up for a huge slap shot and driving it right through your television screen! Hitting is also pretty neat as you actually have to swing your "nun chuck" toward the player with - or without the puck (we call that "a Steve") - to hit somebody.

The actual game play is OK...I find the announcers annoying and the camera angles weird but that could be because I'm used to the EA franchise so I'll give it some time to sink in. I really like the option to review the video of the goals, big hits and 3 stars after the game.

Overall, I think the NHL2K franchise did a decent job bringing hockey to the Wii...after all, it's better than being stuck playing Wii tennis! Can't wait for NHL 2K10.

Let us know what you think.

T-minus 25 days until the puck drops for real!