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NHL 06

EMAIL PRINT pc

8.2 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 16 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 9 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Developer: EA Canada

Genre(s): Sports, Hockey

Players: 8

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older)

Release Date: September 6, 2005

Summary

With NHL 06 players can score like a superstar, express themselves through their shooting style with the new EA SPORTS Skill Stick and light the lamp with highlight reel moves such as spinoramas, toe drags, bat-ins, and between-the-legs shots. Classic deke control adds to the arsenal of moves allowing maneuvers around defensemen before snapping off dangerous shots that can ripple the twine and knock the water bottle off the net. [Electronic Arts]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: NHL 2002 NHL 2003 NHL 2004 NHL 2005

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Next Level Gaming

Moreso than previous years, the graphics in NHL 06 are very tight. Still not Visual Concepts spectacular, but getting there.

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Play Magazine

A kick-ass game of hockey that stands to be the best EA has ever produced. [Oct 2005, p.70]

IGN

What we finally have is a fun competent hockey title that has cleaned up the glitches and irregularities from past years. Combine this with EA's stellar presentation, the depth of dynasty mode, and the fixed checking system and EA has seriously started to close in on the 2K series.

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Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

The EA warhorse gets a much-needed injection of old-school cool. [PC Gamer UK]

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Computer and Video Games

Basically more of the same game, with the addition of slightly improved graphics, analog stick passes and special moves, pucks that can bounce realistically and injure players, and a tweaked create-a-player function. [PC Zone]

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PC Gameworld

Worth buying if you don't own a recent hockey game, but no compelling reason to upgrade if you do.

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Pelit (Finland)

A lot of fun, but not that much has happened since the last time. AI has huge problems in its own zone because it cannot maintain a controlled defensive line-up. [Dec 2005]

PC Gamer

Not as rich an experience as it should be, but it is finally fun to play again. [Oct 2005, p.62]

Cheat Code Central

The only major issue I take with the game is one that I take with almost every single game put out by EA, lack of a solid instruction manual. I for one would appreciate complete information on how to play the game and use new features, what certain options do, and maybe some "rules" information for new comers to the game. I don't want cliff notes, I want the book.

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games(TM)

As the greatest and most enjoyable recreation of the sport since the 16-bit era, NHL 06 deserves to sit alongside the likes of "Pro Evo" as a sporting highlight that any gamer can enjoy. [Nov 2005, p.111]

PC Format

Soulless, if well-realised hockey simulation. [Nov 2005, p.100]

GameSpot

Sure, it's got all the new rule changes, as well as an almost entirely up-to-date roster, but considering how similar the game is overall to 2005's version, you have to ask yourself, "Is that really enough?"

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Pelaaja (Finland)

Because of the cheap AI, the single player game is a frustrating experience which is too bad, as the rest of the package is pretty good. Salvation comes in the form of the superb multiplayer modes, which are highly addictive and also feature well implemented online player leagues. If not for the cheap AI, NHL 06 might have been EA’s best NHL game in years, but at the end of the day, this years edition won’t convert the fans of "NHL 2K" –series. [Sept 2005, p 72]

Maxim Online

Improvements in puck physics means that hard shots can bruise your opponents, while last year's overly aggressive defense has been scaled back to realistic levels.

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Computer Gaming World

NHL 06's online features, combined with a great single-player dynasty mode, create a much more dynamic playing experience than 2005's. At last, offense takes center ice and defense moves from the blue line to the goal crease, where it belongs.

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Computer Games Magazine

The gameplay is just monotonous, which slams the nail in its coffin. [Dec p.57]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.2 (out of 10) based on 9 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Steve W. gave it a9:
Most innovative game of hockey since they created the one-timer in NHL '94. The speed burst and stick handling are almost perfectly balanced. Finally fun to play again!

Luke K. gave it a10:
This game actualy got me into sports gaming.

Dave G. gave it an8:
A welcome step above 2005. Gone are the teeth shaking hits the computer would dish out as you tried in vain to gain the offensive zone. The addition of the skill stick is nice - but takes getting used to. The left deking stick is also new and will require a few games before it becomes almost second nature. Props to adding back in the player creation but points lost for losing the import MP3 ability (I miss hearing LL Cool J during the fights) Overall a great game that despite a few shortcomings will give this hockey fan hours of fun throughout the winter!

Eric H. gave it a5:
Because of the lock-out incident of last season, everything related to hockey, beside the actual thing may i add, went really popular as fans would satisfy their lust for hockey that way. That, and knowing that EA would try to deliver a good product since the ESPN version has been generally considered better than their last year version of their NHL made me really anxious about the game. I've been playing for a few hours now and I totally hate it. The added features, such as free deking and the skills stick are nice improvements. They blend perfectly with the kind of offense that you would want to create in an hockey game, the problem is that the defense is insanely tweaked and has been reduced to the task of waiting for a loose puck in front of the goalie as it became basically impossible (and even after modifying the gameplay options) to contain the offensive players from entering the zone and taking a decent shot. The goalkeepers are the biggest flaws of this year's edition as they law down for no reason basically everytime a player dekes, thus letting open the top of the net for an easy goal. I can not understand why EA thought it would be a good idea to make scoring so easy. Maybe they are trying to appeal to the arcade craving kids while abandonning all hope of creating a game that would please the players who prefer a real sport game. A lot of previous edition glitches were not corrected which leads me to think EA still hasnt understood how to make a good hockey game : the AI is still lacking creativity , as they seem to score goals like crazy at the start and the end of periods while leaving the rest of the game for you to catch back. If you call for a line change during the play, you can be sure that they will score because all of your players stop playing together (we had the exact same issue in 04, that's 2 years ago), and if you try to change lines during the pauses, you might find yourself working blind because the text boxes will hide your selection. They said the game was to look like the 94 one (which I still own on my Snes and prefer over the 06 edition),but I think the only think that made it through the 12 years span is the frustation you get when Lemieux would take the puck and cross the ice without being checked because of his speed and strengh, only now it's like that for all of the players.

Curt P. gave it a9:
While EA's console NHL series may have been lacking over the past few years, the PC versions have shined. The same can be said for this year's PC vesion of NHL 06. Stunning graphics, improved deke moves, the goalies make your jaw drop with realistic acrobatic saves, and more realistic goals make this game grade A+.

Mykal gave it a3:
EA has done it again... spit in the eye of the sports gaming community! This game is a shining example of everything that’s wrong with the gaming industry at the moment. It has pretty visuals hiding shoddy game play, poor AI and buggy, frustrating design. The most depressing this about it is that EA will have no incentive to change any of this when poor saps line up to buy their drivel year after year. I for one am through with EA’s lack luster NHL franchise!

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