EA's NHL '95

Here comes EA Sports to the line up of games. NHL '95 was developed EA (Electronic Arts) and released on several platforms in 1994. I know it says NHL '95, so why was released in 1994. Well that s just what EA does with all of their sports games. The release them a year prior so the game is available during its title year. I am sure that there are other marketing reasons, but I am a gamer so i can not say I really care about those other reasons.

Now I can not say that I am a huge fan of sports games. I do do sports in real life, but I only run college track and cross country, and only people that are involved with those sports believe them to be real. So half the world doesn't really consider me an athlete, if you are one of those people, then get off my back for never even owning a sports game. Anyways, NHL '95 is all about, yeah you guessed it hockey. Now this game, along with a lot of other early sports games of it's time, doesn't have any real campaign or story plot. You pick a team, and you face another team. The team that scores the most goals wins. It is just that plain and simple.

Though I did enjoy playing this game because of a few of its aspects. First off, there is no story, it is just play the sport. Sports games should not have stories. Good for you if you made a character and brought him to the pros. Now tell me, who else, besides yourself, really cares. In NHL '95, you get to pick your favorite team and get right into the action.

Next thing I liked was its general simplicity.  No fancy controls, no control this with this stick then move with this stick, shoot with this pass with this so on and so forth. If you really play a sports game for its complex controls and in depth story.... just go outside and play the sport. I know I know, you have never seen sunlight, so its going to burn a little the first time. But, you will make so many more friends than the ones who play sports games for the story and complexity. As I was saying, the controls are really simple, you move, sometimes pass, and you shoot. Also, for those saying "but I have never played hockey, how does it work" you will get destroyed by penalties, but you can simple turn them off. That is a another thing that I like. You can make the game more work for you.

All in all it is a sports game I actually liked playing, and no Wii Sports and Mario Tennis do not count as sports games. So if you are looking for a simple way to turn yourself into a hockey playing machine, without the actual hockey playing part, then check this game out. But please, do not try to use hockey playing as a pickup line after playing this game.