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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.
NHL 2K3
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 17 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 14 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game >
Game Info
Publisher: Sega of America
Developer: Visual Concepts / Treyarch
Genre(s): Sports
Players: 4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Release Date: November 19, 2002
Summary
More than just familiar faces and numbers, Sega Sports NHL 2K3 delivers player realism down to size, skill, and behavior, resulting in individuals that exhibit accurate styles of play. Now grinders battle for pucks in the corners, elite players see the ice and create opportunities, and fast skaters exploit their speed. The all-new Franchise Mode lets you capitalize on player accuracy to develop a team that plays your brand of hockey. Now you can draft hotshot rookies, trade for players who compliment your team, compensate for injured players, and more. Then put that precision to work on the ice by anchoring lines with key players and rotating those lines to create the match-ups you want. Bringing it all together is a new ESPN broadcast system where scores, highlights, and more are presented in the network's famous style. [Sega]
Also On Metacritic
GAMES: ESPN 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...
Yahoo! Games
Treyarch has done a masterful job with this game, satisfying the needs of serious hockey fans without losing sight of the fact that a sports game has to be fun.
Read Full Review >GamePro
If you’re looking to play hockey of the NHL variety, to tackle pro challenges and use real-life strategies, NHL 2K3 will thrill you as much as watching your team heroically survive a five-on-three penalty kill.
Read Full Review >Operation Sports
It looks fantastic, sounds fantastic, and possesses unrivaled gameplay – online or off.
Read Full Review >Game Informer
It's a brilliant design, and a generation ahead of where EA is today. [Dec 2002, p.142]
GameSpy
The biggest difference between 2K3 and its competition, though, is the game's physics. Players move like they're actually on ice.
Read Full Review >Gaming Age
With AI that is light years ahead of EA Sports, a simulation experience that's second to none, and a fun - if somewhat fickle - online experience with Xbox, the serious hockey gamer should only look at one title this year.
Read Full Review >Armchair Empire
It’s clear that Sega used the learning experience of the Dreamcast’s SegaNet online gaming to its utmost advantage, because the seamless and lag-free gameplay provided by NHL 2K3 is simply fire-on-ice marvelous.
Read Full Review >All Game Guide
EA's "NHL 2003" is a solid game, but 2K3 is a gem. The intelligent play of the computer players in 2K3 -- unparalleled by any past or present -- makes NHL 2K3 the best hockey video game to date.
Read Full Review >IGN
If you are a fan of hockey or if you want to try hockey on a level beyond Hitz and NHL 2003, then this is absolutely the way to go. And it doesn't hurt that it's online!
Read Full Review >Official Xbox Magazine
Smooth framerates directly translate into smooth gameplay. [Jan 2003, p.65]
GameSpot
The new additions, excellent gameplay, and Xbox Live support make this the best hockey game of the year.
Read Full Review >GamerWeb Xbox
The game is an amazing hockey simulation with great artificial intelligence and online play as well as an acceptable graphics and sound department make NHL 2K3 the absolute best hockey title available.
Read Full Review >XenGamers
It still has some issues that need addressing for 2K4, but even a flawed NHL 2K3 is leagues better than EA Sports' latest.
Read Full Review >Play Magazine
NHL 2K3's biggest accomplishment is without question the AI: it is absolutely brilliant - especially the goalie. [Jan 2003, p.84]
TotalGames.net
SEGA Sports certainly know how to make their titles as exciting as possible – the music plays, the lights flash, the audience is pumped up, all you’d need is a hotdog and you’d have the perfect hockey experience!
Read Full Review >Cheat Code Central
This game is fantastic but it's buggy online play has really kicked the crap out of the overall value.
Total Video Games
An absolutely brilliant game to play – really enjoyable, really addictive and instantly playable.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this game is 7.6 (out of 10) based on 14 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Jim R. gave it an 8:
Not bad, but the goalies are way too good. It took 46 shots by the Avs to score one goal against Florida!! I can't find anymore camera angles, but othjer than that, a superb hockey game. Much better than NHL 2003.
Green Tiger gave it a 9:
Absolutely amazing game. When you are playing it actually feels much more like ice then any other hockey video game I have played before. The gameplay is the selling point for NHL 2K3. While it seems many people are complaining about the "difficult" goalies, I think with some more skill it really is not that hard. Using real hockey strategies and properly passing can completely fool a goalie; not to mention that you can beautifully deke out a goalie with excellent control. I find that the players are much more responsive to the controls in comparison to EA's NHL 2003. The XBOX Live factor makes this game a must buy for any sports fan.
Max M. gave it a 5:
This game is definitely geared toward the die-hard hockey fan. As far as fun for the normal, videogame/sports fan, a flop. When no one scores for 35 minutes straight, it just gets old. Couldn't even get into a fight.
Adrian M. gave it a 6:
Good game except for the fact that the goalies are too skilled. Even with goalie skill set at its lowest often 30-40 shots are needed for one goal. Despite having nearly 500 shots more than most other teams my team has the 5th least amount of goals. Goalie skill can become very frustrating. Otherwise a fun game.
Phantom Recon gave it a 10:
Best. Hockey. Game. Ever.
Adam O. gave it a 9:
It's nice. Just needs to have fights and more action. But its good.
ToMMy gave it a 10:
I just love this game. The gameplay is so smooth and realistic. Also I love the tiny fights that occur when you play really rough.. This game will give you months of pleasure, since you're never really finished playing it! It goes on and on and on.... Go get it! NOW!
