3 hockey video games to play for the upcoming season
VIdeo games have become a staple of modern society. There are three classic hockey games that Vegas Golden Knights fans should try.
The current video game landscape isn't appetizing right now. In the land of remakes and carbon copies, few things stand out in the genre. It's no wonder fans are turning to the classics such as Super Mario Bros. and Ocarina of Time. Of course, there's NHL 25, which offers cutting-edge aspects such as... a sleek scoreboard and better defensive play.
Speaking of the classics, there are some old-school hockey games that Vegas Golden Knights fans should try. These will remind fans of simpler times, where fans could plug in the game and play for countless hours. This was back when people weren't worrying about taxes, their mortgage, or the kids.
Besides, what will fans do when the Golden Knights aren't playing at T-Mobile Arena or on the television? Will they sit at home and twiddle their thumbs? Or will they pass the time, fire up the PlayStation 5, and play as their favorite team while Jack Eichel scores 200 goals in a season? The answer is obvious, for nobody's taking the former.
Still, there are three classics that Golden Knights fans should try out. These video games are a far cry from today's video games, giving fans a taste of life during hockey's past. With nostalgia being a big driver in today's buying and leisure habits, why not dive into some old-school games and share some memories with your children? Here are three hockey games that Golden Knights fans should play for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
NHL 96 (Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo)
Growing up, this was the game I'd always play for my hockey fix. This was when the Colorado Avalanche were still the Quebec Nordiques and the Carolina Hurricanes were still playing the "Brass Bonanza" in Hartford. It was the climax of millennial hockey fans like myself, enjoying solid teams like the New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings.
Speaking of the Red Wings, that was the go-to team for this game (and others). Here, I would create a player named Jack Kravitz and have his stats maxed out. He was a center and was the superstar of Detroit, It didn't matter if he was in the defensive zone or at the opponent's point. All he did was score. Imagine Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys talking about being the next Wayne Gretzky, only it was achieved in a video game.
Fans might not think of the Super Nintendo/Sega Genesis (baby, baby) games, especially when compared to modern installments like NHL 25. However, you can't beat the classics, where time stands still. Fans will appreciate a simple format from a top-down perspective and in 16-bit form, although they might have a problem with penalties being called every five seconds.
NHL 99 (Sony Playstation/Nintendo 64/PC)
This was also another game I played frequently during my childhood. The difference between this and earlier Super Nintendo installments like NHL 96 was it being in 3D. Now, you could play on the Nintendo 64 or PlayStation, getting a more realistic look. The players are in polygon form instead of being pixelated, where fans could imagine their favorite stars playing in a fantasy world... sort of.
There was also a need for a memory card or memory pack to save your season. Keeping your progress saved was easy on the Sega Genesis or the Super Nintendo, for the system and cartridge would automatically store it. However, these accessories made up for the later system's limitations of not saving said progress despite being more powerful.
What made these games memorable was the additional commentary. You'd hear the arena announcer say memorable quotes like, "Never trust a smiling penguin," or "Who has my car keys? This isn't funny anymore!". There were also the in-game announcers with fans serenaded by Bill Clement's gritty perspective (on the N64). Overall, this brought hockey to life for fans, making them adore the sport further.
NHL Hitz 20-03 (XBOX, Playstation 2, Nintendo Gamecube)
Now, this is a game where Vegas Golden Knights fans can create their own team (or close to). Granted, it'll take facing off against lesser teams first and you won't play at T-Mobile Arena. But the alternative of playing at a disco rink or in Stockholm, Sweden, is just as fun. Combined with creating players like William Karlsson and Jack Eichel, fans can get as close to bringing life to their team in the 2000s as possible.
NHL Hitz 20-03 is vastly different from other hockey video games. You're playing in a 3-on-3 format and you can supercharge your players. They're on fire and can shoot blazing shots past opposing goaltenders. Fighting is also fun, where you can punish your opponents and leave them down a player.
The best part of the game is the soundtrack. Bands like Incubus, Rob Zombie, and Hoobastank constitute the soundtrack, providing a hard-hitting playlist for NHL fans. It's part of what makes games like NHL 25 special, where fans can be entrenched in a different world. It's no different with NHL Hitz 20-03, with fans adding memorable tracks to their traveling playlists (as I have). Whether you had the XBOX or PlayStation 2, this was the pinnacle of extreme NHL games during the old days.
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