Some of you may wonder why we see ice hockey games released in Australia when there aren’t enough fans in the country to even make a full team. The answer is simple: hockey games are a whole lot of fun. The sport is easy to pick up, the rules are not complicated, and it is fast-paced and can get rather violent at times – a perfect formula for a video game. EA Sports and 2K Sports have been locked in a battle for hockey supremacy for some years, but with 2K deciding not to release NHL 2K9 down under, NHL 09 is the only game in town – and what a game it is.

EA’s NHL series has made improvements in leaps and bounds in recent years, especially when compared to other games in the company’s sports line up. This year’s main additions are the Be a Pro mode, the EA Sports Hockey League, the new defensive skill stick and the inclusion of the European hockey leagues.


Basic NHL 09 gameplay is once again focused on the right analogue stick, which the game refers to as the skill stick. In the previous two games, the skill stick was a purely offensive measure, used primarily for shots on goal and dekeing (i.e. moving the puck from side to side to dodge opponents). It’s a system that continues to work well, so EA has opted to expand it into the defensive side of play. Flicking the right hand stick in the desired direction on defence now results in a body check (hitting an opposing player), while combining it with the right bump will perform a poke check (trying to knock the puck out with your stick).

The addition of the defensive skill stick makes NHL 09 seem like a much more realistic game than its predecessors. Older EA NHL games were criticised as being “like pinball on ice” with high scoring contests and overstated body checks. Now you have to work for your goals by creating shot windows through effective passing and playmaking, and the tuned up defensive AI doesn’t make that easy. It’s also important to keep those defensive lanes closed; going for a big hit often creates a hole for an attacker to sneak through and threaten the goaltender. The game provides a fairly comprehensive tutorial to get players used to the new control system, but there is also an option for simplified controls (based on NHL 94) for those who desire a more arcade-like experience.

Be a Pro is a feature that has made its way into almost every game in the EA Sports line up, and it makes its hockey debut in NHL 09. It’s pretty integral to the overall NHL 09 experience too – the first thing the game asks you to do on its initial load is to create your Be a Pro character and assign him to an NHL team. When in matches, you’ll only ever control that player, and the camera will be placed behind your player so you see what they see. The game will rate your performance on three criteria; positioning (keeping your player in his correct place on the ice), team play (passing the puck around effectively, staying out of the penalty box, and avoiding turnovers) and stats (goals, shots, assists and +/-). While Be a Pro is still the same game at the basic level, the experience is entirely different from playing a standard game, and even then, that will change radically based on which position you decide to play.


Players can opt to take their athlete into a Be a Pro career mode, where you start out on the roster of your chosen NHL team’s minor league affiliate. Good performances in the minor leagues get you noticed by the coaching staff, and result in your eventual promotion and rise to fame. Experience points earned from matches played can be spent boosting your attributes, making your player better and shaping his role within the team. It can take a while to get anywhere in the career mode, and there are some unrealistic quirks in there – you can win multiple end of season awards, and the staff will still talk to your like you’re a low-level player, and pay you as such.

Alternatively, if you’re more of a people person, you can take your pro online in the EA Sports Hockey league. You and five friends can create a team and join leagues to play matches against other user teams. Six on six online play is a great idea on paper, but the execution is just slightly off. People are pretty good at sticking to their positions, so it’s not like the FIFA equivalent – it’s the lag that’s the real killer. Hockey is a fast-paced sport, and latency needs to not be an issue – hopefully EA will sort this out in the future by offering some dedicated server support. Your single player and online characters are separate, so it can be a little annoying having to build the character up twice over different modes. The performance tracker screen will have all of the details of your player’s career, including on ice statistics, cards earned and milestones achieved.

Dynasty mode is still there for those players that would rather control the fate of an entire team. Players can opt for complete control over the club’s operations, down to defining the training schedule, or let the computer take over particular aspects. Roster management is where you’ll spend most of your time; moving players between the minor and major leagues, negotiating trades and training up rookies to strengthen your team’s line up and boost your hopes of obtaining Lord Stanley’s cup. Alternatively, if you want to experience the European hockey leagues, you can take part in the SM-Liiga Cup and Elisterien Cup. There’s also the Montreal Canadiens centenary tournament, which lets you earn the right to face a team made up of the best players from the Montreal Canadiens franchise history.


NHL 09’s presentation remains amongst the best in video game sports. The player models look fantastic and the game runs at a blistering pace, but it’s the other aspects that really seal the deal. The cutscenes throughout your matches create a real sense of atmosphere and drama on the ice – it’s a pity that EA has struggled to achieve a consistent frame rate between these sequences and regular play. The former ESPN NHL commentary duo of Gary Thorne and Bill Clement provide insightful and entertaining commentary, though some lines are repeated all too often. It would be nice if EA could produce more meaningful end of period/game presentations and reports – it’s an area where 2K still has them beat.

Chances are that the sport of ice hockey might be lost on you, but NHL 09 is really worth a look. Beneath all of that ice and padding lay one of the most intense, fast-paced and heavy hitting sports on the planet, and EA Sports do an immensely good job of not only capturing the spirit of the sport, but making it into a quality video game. NHL 09 has everything you really need in a good sports game; high quality on-ice play, deep and satisfying single player modes and a brilliant team-based multiplayer league. There might be one or two minor issues, but NHL 09’s depth and quality gameplay cement it as one of the finest sports games of our time.