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NHL 97
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| NHL 97 | |
|---|---|
Cover art featuring John Vanbiesbrouck | |
| Developers | High Score Entertainment (Genesis) Ceris Software (SNES) EA Canada (PC) Visual Concepts (PS, Saturn) |
| Publishers | EA Sports Black Pearl Software (SNES) |
| Composers | Mark Chosak David Whittaker (Genesis) Jeff van Dyck (Windows) |
| Series | NHL |
| Engine | Virtual Stadium |
| Platforms | MS-DOS, Windows, Super NES, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Genesis/Mega Drive |
| Release | |
| Genre | Sports (ice hockey) |
| Modes | Single-player, multiplayer |
NHL 97 is an ice hockey video game by EA Sports. It was released in 1996 and was the successor to NHL 96. It is the sixth installment of the NHL series and the first to be released on both PlayStation and Sega Saturn. A Panasonic M2 version was in development and slated to be one of the launch titles for it, but never happened due to the cancellation of the system.[8][9]
The cover of the game features goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck, who played for the Florida Panthers between 1993–98. NHL 97 was the last game of the NHL series to feature a goaltender on the cover until Martin Brodeur was chosen for the cover of NHL 14.
Gameplay
[edit]NHL 97 uses a full 3D engine, with motion captured polygonal players (PC/PlayStation/Sega Saturn versions only, the Genesis and SNES versions retained similar graphical values to previous games, but with further enhanced animations). Each goaltender has his own custom-painted mask and the original artwork can be seen inside the game with a special "Goalie Mask Viewer". NHL 97 also introduces play-by-play commentary, provided by well-known announcer Jim Hughson.
For the first time since EA Hockey, national teams were added, but only Canada, the United States, and Russia have their own teams while the other two are selections of the best European players. NHL 97 introduced a skills competition, allowing the user to pick players to compete in drills such as hardest shot, goalie 2 on 0, and accuracy shooting.[10]
This was the first year that an alternate jersey was an option. Teams that have third jerseys for NHL 97 are the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vancouver Canucks.
In addition, each team in the game has one player with a special skill. Examples are Joe Sakic's (Colorado Avalanche) "wrong-footed wrist shot" and Rob Ray's (Buffalo Sabres) ability to check an opposing player while still controlling the puck. A glitch allows players to score 100% of the time when shooting down by taking a shot against the boards at the hash marks of the left circle in the bottom zone.
There is an option to enable or disable fighting, though certain players will not get into fights.[11]
Along with the PC, Genesis and SNES versions, both the Saturn and PlayStation versions made their debut. The shot speed in the PlayStation and Saturn versions is so slow that some skaters can beat a slapshot down the ice.
Reception
[edit]| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| AllGame | |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 8.75/10 (PS)[14] |
| GameSpot | 7.2/10 (PS)[15] 8.7/10 (PC)[16] |
| Next Generation | |
| Sega Saturn Magazine | 84% (SAT)[20] |
According to market research firm PC Data, the Windows version of NHL 97 was the 20th best-selling computer game of 1996 in the United States.[21]
The game received favorable reviews. Next Generation gave the Genesis version a rave review, saying it retained the familiar classic feel of the series while improving the AI and adding new special moves, fixes, and features. The reviewer firmly denied that a Genesis version of the game was obsolete: "Even with all the enhancements this game has undergone on 32-bit systems, the feel of a humble Genesis pad controlling all-out NHL action is unsurpassed."[17] Air Hendrix of GamePro was also enthusiastic, saying the game "attains a new pinnacle of hockey action. On the surface, the game seems very familiar, but NHL '97's killer new features build added depth into the game." He praised the inclusion of extra teams, the new special moves, and both the old and new animations, and said the new Skill Challenge and Practice modes "really help you improve your game, but more importantly, they inject the game with another layer of raucous, competitive, Open Ice-style fun."[22]
GamePro's Major Mike was less impressed by the Super NES version, commenting that "instead of supplying sharp new features as the Genesis version did, this NHL '97 is almost identical to last year's fine offering. It has the same gameplay engine and options; the only real change is in the updated rosters."[23]
Reviews for the PlayStation version were also more mixed. Jeff Kitts of GameSpot praised its visuals and realism but aimed some criticism at the handful of glitches.[15] Todd Mowatt of Electronic Gaming Monthly complained of the frame rate and repetition in the full motion video commentary, but both he and co-reviewer Joe Rybicki gave the game their approval, citing the inclusion of fighting, one-timers, drop passes, and a wide selection of camera angles.[14] A reviewer for Next Generation remarked that the player graphics and animations, while impressive in absolute terms, fall short of those in the PC version of the game and competitor NHL Powerplay. He also found the control was not as smooth and intuitive as in the Genesis version, and compared the game unfavorably to NHL FaceOff '97.[19] Air Hendrix of GamePro agreed that NHL 97, while graphically impressive, was not as good as FaceOff due to its lack of strategy-oriented features. He also said the player switching is finicky and the D-pad-controlled aiming makes it difficult to execute precise shots, but spoke highly of the game's overall fun.[24] Scott Alan Marriott stated in Allgame, "All in all, NHL 97 is still a fun game to play based on the quality of the graphics and presentation, but a few key issues keep it from being the definitive PlayStation hockey experience."[12]
Air Hendrix made much the same comments of the Saturn version as he had of the PlayStation version the previous month, save that he stated that the graphics are not as sharp as the PlayStation version's, though still the best of any hockey game on the Saturn. However, this time he concluded that while NHL Faceoff '97 would be more appealing to strategy-oriented gamers, most would prefer NHL '97.[25] Rich Leadbetter of Sega Saturn Magazine, contrarily, stated that "although the EA effort is probably superior in terms of presentation and optionary, I have to say that I prefer the Virgin title (ever-so-slightly) when it comes down to graphics and gameplay. And in the final analysis, that's what's more important." However, he regarded NHL '97 as a strong title in absolute terms, citing the believable 3D graphics, the strong sense of real skating, and the control method.[20]
Stephen Poole of GameSpot criticized the PC version's difficult passing, nearly infallible AI goalies, and illogical button configuration when using a Gravis Gamepad, but nonetheless considered it "one of the most downright exciting sports titles I've ever played" for its lifelike graphics and animations, comprehensive licensing, customizable settings, and audio commentary.[16] A Next Generation critic also regarded the game's graphics and animations as astoundingly realistic. He complimented the control, selection of views, comprehensive modes, and true-to-life AI, and summarized it as "The best-looking, fastest-moving, hardest-hitting hockey game on the PC".[18] The game was honored with a Game of the Year award for Best Sports Game by PC Gamer.[26]
NHL 97 was nominated as Computer Games Strategy Plus's 1996 sports game of the year, although it lost to Links LS,[27] and won the same title at the 1996 Spotlight Awards.[28]
References
[edit]- ^ "Online Gaming Review". 1997-02-27. Archived from the original on 1997-02-27. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
- ^ "Release Schedule". Videogame Advisor. Vol. 2, no. 10. Cyberactive Publishing, Inc. October 1996. p. 51.
- ^ "Checkpoint". Computer and Video Games. No. 181. EMAP. December 1996. p. 48.
- ^ "Electronic Arts - News Room, Electronic Arts Ships NHL 97 for the PlayStation". Retrieved 2023-04-15.
- ^ Lomas, Ed (January 1997). "Checkpoint - Christmas Events and Software Releases". Computer and Video Games. No. 182. Future Publishing. p. 53.
- ^ "Press release: 1996-12-04: Electronic Arts Ships NHL 97 for the Sega Saturn". Sega Retro. 2016-06-10. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
- ^ "Electronic Arts - News Room, EA Ships NHL 97 for the PC". Retrieved 2023-04-15.
- ^ "Cutting Edge - 3DO buoyant as M2 picks up speed". Edge. No. 23. Future Publishing. September 1995. pp. 6–7.
- ^ "News - E3 '96: 3DO? - M2 Dream List". 3DO Magazine. No. 12. Paragon Publishing. July 1996. p. 4.
- ^ "NHL '97". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 87. Ziff Davis. October 1996. p. 172.
- ^ "Buyers Beware". GamePro. No. 104. IDG. May 1997. p. 20.
- ^ a b Marriott, Scott Alan (2010-10-03). "NHL 97 - Review". allgame. Archived from the original on February 18, 2010. Retrieved 2012-05-29.
- ^ "NHL 97 (Sega Saturn) Review". Archived from the original on 16 November 2014.
- ^ a b "Team EGM Box Scores: NHL 97". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 89. Ziff Davis. December 1996. p. 328.
- ^ a b Kitts, Jeff (December 1, 1996). "NHL 97 Review". GameSpot.com. Retrieved 2012-05-29.
- ^ a b Poole, Stephen (November 15, 1996). "NHL 97 Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ a b "NHL '97". Next Generation. No. 23. Imagine Media. November 1996. p. 281.
- ^ a b "NHL '97". Next Generation. No. 24. Imagine Media. December 1996. p. 272.
- ^ a b "NHL '97". Next Generation. No. 25. Imagine Media. January 1997. pp. 172, 174.
- ^ a b Leadbetter, Rich (January 1997). "Review: NHL Hockey '97". Sega Saturn Magazine. No. 15. Emap International Limited. pp. 70–71.
- ^ Staff (February 26, 1997). "1996 PC Best Sellers". Next Generation. Archived from the original on June 6, 1997. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
- ^ "NHL '97". GamePro. No. 98. IDG. November 1996. p. 141.
- ^ "NHL '97". GamePro. No. 99. IDG. December 1996. p. 186.
- ^ "The King of Hockey Scores with a PlayStation Slap Shot". GamePro. No. 100. IDG. January 1997. p. 130.
- ^ "NHL '97". GamePro. No. 101. IDG. February 1997. p. 93.
- ^ "PC Gamer reveals its 1997 award winners. - Free Online Library". Thefreelibrary.com. 1997-02-06. Archived from the original on 2014-03-02. Retrieved 2012-05-29.
- ^ Staff (March 25, 1997). "Computer Games Strategy Plus announces 1996 Awards". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Archived from the original on June 14, 1997. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
- ^ "Spotlight Award Winners". Next Generation. No. 31. Imagine Media. July 1997. p. 21.
External links
[edit]NHL 97
View on GrokipediaDevelopment
Design and development
NHL 97 marked a pivotal evolution in the EA Sports NHL series, succeeding NHL 96 by expanding on its initial forays into 3D graphics and gameplay realism. The development process emphasized technical advancements to deliver a more immersive hockey simulation across multiple platforms. The game was developed by specialized teams tailored to each hardware. EA Canada led the PC version, leveraging their expertise in sports simulations. Visual Concepts handled the PlayStation and Sega Saturn ports, focusing on console-specific optimizations. High Score Productions developed the Sega Genesis edition, while Ceris Software managed the Super Nintendo Entertainment System adaptation to ensure compatibility with 16-bit limitations.[1] Central to the design was the Virtual Stadium engine, which debuted in refined form to enable enhanced 3D rendering of arenas and dynamic camera angles on capable platforms like PC, PlayStation, and Saturn. This engine supported motion-captured polygonal player models, replacing earlier bitmap sprites with more fluid, realistic animations for movements such as skating and checking.[9][1] Key design decisions incorporated special player skills, such as enhanced attributes for shooting and deking, alongside an optional fighting mechanic that players could enable or disable to adjust the game's physicality. A planned Panasonic M2 version, intended as a launch title, was canceled following the console's failure to reach the market due to poor commercial prospects.[10][2]Platform adaptations
NHL 97 exhibited notable technical adaptations to accommodate the diverse hardware capabilities of its release platforms, particularly in graphics rendering and performance tuning. The PC, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn versions implemented a full 3D engine featuring motion-captured polygonal models for players and environments, enabling more dynamic camera angles and realistic on-ice action compared to prior entries in the series. In contrast, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Sega Genesis versions stuck with 2D sprite graphics inherited from NHL 96, prioritizing compatibility with 16-bit architecture over visual complexity.[8][11] Performance optimizations were essential for the 16-bit consoles, where developers simplified player models and animations to ensure consistent frame rates during high-speed gameplay. On the SNES and Genesis, this approach resulted in fluid, fast-paced matches with minimal slowdown, even in intense multi-player scenarios, allowing skaters to zip across the ice without interruption. The 32-bit platforms, benefiting from greater processing power, supported the more demanding 3D rendering while maintaining similar gameplay speeds, though they occasionally required adjustments to polygon counts for smoother operation on lower-end hardware.[12][8] Input and control schemes also varied to match platform controllers. Console versions across the board relied on digital D-pads for player movement and shot aiming, with button combinations for actions like body checks and dekes, ensuring accessibility on standard gamepads. The PC edition, however, introduced configurable keyboard and mouse support, offering finer precision for aiming and navigation that enhanced strategic depth but demanded familiarity with the setup. Additionally, the Sega Saturn version uniquely supported up to six-player multiplayer via an optional adapter, expanding local competition beyond the typical two-player limit on other consoles.[11] The SNES port was developed by Ceris Software, which optimized the game for the 16-bit system as EA's focus shifted to newer hardware. Platform-specific glitches emerged as a result of these adaptations; for instance, the Genesis version suffered from overtime scoring errors where tied games could incorrectly register as wins for both teams.[8][13]Gameplay
Core mechanics
NHL 97 introduced motion-captured animations for its 3D polygonal players, enabling fluid skating, shooting, and body checking that closely simulated real ice hockey movements. Player controls were responsive, allowing precise direction changes and acceleration, while the puck adhered to basic physics for sliding across the ice surface, though shots often appeared slower than realistic NHL speeds exceeding 80 mph. Checking mechanics emphasized physical contact, with body checks delivering realistic impacts and occasional animation glitches during collisions.[14][9] The shooting system utilized a two-button control scheme for wrist shots, slapshots, and one-timers, with power determined by hold duration, though unintended rebounds could occur due to imprecise aiming. Face-offs followed standard NHL procedures, dropping the puck between opposing centers without an on-ice referee, leading to occasional floating animations before contact.[14][9] Penalty and power play rules mirrored official NHL guidelines, including five-minute majors for fighting and shorthanded play during infractions, with adjustable penalty-calling levels from none to strict enforcement. Line changes were restricted to offensive possession on power plays, limiting defensive strategies during penalty kills, while goals scored ended minor penalties immediately. The game featured rosters for all 26 NHL teams from the 1996-97 season, encompassing over 650 licensed players with ratings for attributes like speed, shooting accuracy, and checking strength that influenced on-ice performance.[14][9][15]Game modes and features
NHL 97 offers several core game modes centered around simulating professional ice hockey matches and tournaments. The exhibition mode allows players to engage in single games between any of the 26 NHL teams or select international squads, providing a straightforward option for quick play sessions with customizable settings such as period length and line changes.[16] Season mode simulates a full NHL schedule, enabling users to manage a team through 82 games, track standings, handle trades, and make roster adjustments, with options to simulate or play individual matches.[16] Playoff mode replicates the NHL postseason structure, featuring a 16-team bracket leading to the Stanley Cup finals, where teams compete in best-of-seven series based on regular-season performance.[16] The game expands beyond domestic play with international options, including national teams representing Canada, the United States, Russia, Scandinavia, and a broader European all-star roster, allowing for cross-border matchups in exhibition or tournament formats.[16] A dedicated World Cup of Hockey mode utilizes these international rosters in a tournament-style competition, pitting nations against each other in a bracket to crown a global champion.[9] Skills competition mode introduces mini-games to test individual player abilities, selectable from NHL rosters, with events including accuracy shooting—where players aim to hit targets on the goal within a time limit—and hardest shot, measuring puck velocity.[8] Additional drills cover puck control relay, navigating obstacles while passing, and rapid fire for goalies blocking a series of shots, serving as both practice tools and competitive events.[8] Customization features enable extensive team management, including editing lineups by adjusting player positions and depth charts, as well as modifying strategies through offensive and defensive tactics in season or exhibition play.[9] The general manager tools allow trading players, signing free agents, releasing contracts, and creating up to 19 new players with customizable attributes to build or refine teams.[8]Audio and presentation
Soundtrack
The soundtrack of NHL 97 varies by platform, reflecting the technical constraints and production approaches of the era. For the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), PlayStation, and Sega Saturn versions, the music was composed by Mark Chosak and David Whittaker, featuring synthesized instrumental tracks optimized for respective hardware. In contrast, the Windows version's audio was led by composer Jeff van Dyck, with guitar contributions from Saki Kaskamanidis, and recorded at The Factory studio in Vancouver for a more polished, live-instrument sound.[17][18][19][20] The overall style consists of upbeat rock and metal tracks, blending electronic elements with guitar-driven riffs to evoke the fast-paced intensity of hockey.[21] These include dedicated themes for menus, pre-game setups, and in-game action, such as the energetic intro and win themes on the PC version.[22] The Genesis and SNES editions feature several short ditties and loops, like the title screen and face-off motifs, which repeat seamlessly to maintain continuous play without interruptions.[23] The PlayStation and Saturn versions offer these compositions with higher fidelity due to CD audio, while the Windows version features longer, richer tracks.[1] This design choice ensures the soundtrack immerses players in the game's high-stakes energy across all versions.Commentary
The PC version of NHL 97 introduced play-by-play commentary voiced by Canadian sportscaster Jim Hughson, marking the first use of real-time announcer calls in the series.[24] Hughson provided dynamic descriptions for major events, including goals, body checks, and penalties, to simulate an authentic NHL broadcast experience.[25] Color commentary was limited to basic remarks on ongoing plays, such as player positioning or momentum shifts, without extensive analysis due to the technology available in 1996.[26] The calls often repeated phrases during similar situations—a common limitation of sampled audio in mid-1990s games—which helped evoke the repetitive familiarity of television coverage while conserving memory.[26] Commentary implementation varied by platform: the PC version featured full voice acting with digitized audio, whereas cartridge-based releases on SNES and Genesis, as well as CD-ROM versions on PlayStation and Saturn, relied on text-only pop-ups for event notifications to accommodate hardware constraints.[6][27] Arena ambiance sounds, such as ice scrapes and puck impacts, were woven into the audio layer to enhance immersion, though distinct crowd reactions were not emphasized.Release
Platforms and release dates
NHL 97 was released across multiple platforms in 1996, with variations in timing by region and hardware. The game launched first on the Sega Genesis in North America on September 24, 1996, followed by the Super NES version in October 1996, distributed by Black Pearl Software in Canada and the United States.[28] The PC versions for MS-DOS and Windows were released simultaneously in the United States on October 1, 1996.[29] The PlayStation edition arrived in North America on November 12, 1996, while the Sega Saturn version followed later that year in the United States on December 4, 1996.[30][31] In Europe, releases under the Sega Mega Drive branding occurred in October 1996, emphasizing the North American focus with localized distributions.[28]| Platform | Region | Release Date | Publisher/Distributor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Genesis/Mega Drive | North America | September 24, 1996 | Electronic Arts |
| Sega Genesis/Mega Drive | Europe | October 4, 1996 | Electronic Arts |
| Super NES | North America/Canada | October 1996 | Black Pearl Software |
| MS-DOS/Windows | United States | October 1, 1996 | Electronic Arts |
| PlayStation | United States | November 12, 1996 | Electronic Arts |
| Sega Saturn | United States | December 4, 1996 | Electronic Arts |
