Ice Hockey (NES)

Game Profile

Ice Hockey is one of the most acclaimed sports games on the NES. The reason for its popularity is that it offered a fun and straightforward experience, yet also required some tactician skills from players who had to compose their own team before the match.

For each member of your team, it is possible to select between three different weight classes. This will impact how good your squad is at pressing the opponent and how they react to dangerous counter-attacks. You might also witness a surprising show at the end of the second period.

Game Review

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Review

USA Tue, 12 Dec 2006 by Darren Calvert

Ice Hockey is one of the most acclaimed sports games on the NES.

The earlier titles in the NES sports series are probably not remembered by many for being great games, but Nintendo’s Ice Hockey, a latecomer to the series in 1988 certainly bucks that trend. It is fondly remembered as a semi-faithful translation of the..

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User Comments

Jon

1. Jon United Kingdom 22 Feb 2007, 08:10 GMT

this game downright good. if you are a fan of old school games you will like this. you can pick your team from smaller faster guys who get pushed around easier, to fat slow guys that can knock anyone over. i don't even like hockey and i like this game.

TG

2. TG United Kingdom 26 Feb 2007, 10:46 GMT

This game is the best hockey-game! Still got the bloodiest hockey-fights in hockey-gameing history =) just run and punch they who dear trying to resist your march to win! =D

Junky

3. Junky United Kingdom 01 Mar 2007, 18:08 GMT

I downloaded this game, just so I could brag that I had 80's style hockey for my Wii and show it off to people.

It is fun, but I would rather EA get on board and release some games

justsumdude899

4. justsumdude899 United States 18 Mar 2007, 09:22 GMT

Ice Hockey is a timeless classic. Anyone who doesn't feel get nostalgiac watching the Zambonis before 3rd period missed out on their youth (or, at least, my youth). Spend 10 bucks and get this and Tecmo Bowl, and have some laughs with the guys. I can guarantee both these games are getting downloaded like crazy on college campuses, and they deserve it. Their simplicity recalls a simpler time, and their pick-up-and-play fun hasn't faded through all these years.

Jeremy

5. Jeremy United States 01 Apr 2007, 03:27 BST

This is an excellent Hockey game. It has a sharp learning curve too, at first you'll be like "gaaaaaah whats going on" but you learn fast. My friend and I played this for two hours from 1 to 3 in the morning, and only at 3 did we realize, "wait, we're playing freaking Ice Hockey for the NES. What are we doing?" But as much as we thought we were playing a dated game, we couldn't bring ourselves to push the Home button on the Wii to go play something else. This truly stands out among the other, mediocre sports titles, and I strongly suggest you download it. It's a great way to let off steam after being frustrated by games like Kid Icarus, and only gets more fun in 2-player. 4 stars definitely, 4 1/2 if you allow fractions.

Rick James

6. Rick James United States 10 Apr 2007, 01:11 BST

It'd be nice if someone would mention blades of steel to nintendo for the wii... even though the "Grafix" suck it was one of the first hockey games with fighting in it if I remember right and was in my top four favorites including Sky Shark, Punch-out, and of course Zelda...

Adamant

7. Adamant Norway 14 Apr 2007, 05:27 BST

Yeah, this game, along with Tecmo Bowl, are heaps above the rest of the sports games the VC offers (which I agree are fairly crummy stuff). Excellent party game, wildly recommended.

Jmac

8. Jmac United States 19 Apr 2007, 00:59 BST

THIS GAME IS TIGHT! Me and my friend just downloaded it and we get really into it. Personally I hate sports games, but this has to be the best one there is. Besides, $5 Dollars is a STEAL!

Spoony Bard

9. Spoony Bard United States 03 May 2007, 04:12 BST

This is one of the few VC games I've purchased, and it was well worth it! It's simple to play, and makes for a great two player game (or fun to pass around at parties). I'd give it 4 stars.

angel m. rivera collazo

10. angel m. rivera collazo Puerto Rico 27 Jun 2007, 04:56 BST

this is an excelent game like tecmo football.viva retro games puneta!

Mip

11. Mip United Kingdom 05 Jul 2007, 20:11 BST

Is there anyway to decide which direction you will shoot when powering up your shot?

Mii be you

12. Mii be you United States 31 Jul 2007, 20:00 BST

This is a great game. I thought this was on Animal Crossing.
That's why didn't downloaded it in the first place.(It isn't!)
Since I knew that, I wanted it so badly, And I still want it!

WoRMaSTeR

13. WoRMaSTeR Finland 11 Aug 2007, 10:16 BST

This is just downright fun to play. It is amazing how good it feels to score in this game. One of the best sport games ever - simple but so much fun.

Minus is that you don't sometimes feel like you are in control because the computer al of your players is so stupid. Also there isn't enough challenge against computer, I can win every time no matter what players I take or what teams.

WoRMaSTeR

14. WoRMaSTeR Finland 23 Aug 2007, 09:52 BST

"It's a shame you can't get more involved in the fight like later Ice Hockey games. In this game the ref will just send one of the players off for a while which seems random."

Yes you get to be involved in the fight, tap the a button as fast as you can. If you do the opponent gets a penalty if not you get a penalty.

CastlevaniaTest

15. CastlevaniaTest United States 26 Aug 2007, 23:25 BST

I like this game. Sometimes, when I'm ahead, I like to pass the puck to a skinny player, and then run him around the field for about a minute. I love the fact that this game is so simple, and it's meatier than some of the VC sports games out there. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a sports game or just an alternative to a huge, in-depth adventure game.

Mii be you

16. Mii be you United States 11 Nov 2007, 18:04 GMT

Should I get this game, or should I wait for Blades of steel?
Oh, and if you're wondering about Blades of steel, Check it out at
http://www.nesguide.com/games/bladesofsteel/.

BJWanlund

17. BJWanlund United States 15 Dec 2007, 01:42 GMT

I personally am waiting for Blades of Steel myself.

BJ

learn japanese ds

18. learn japanese ds Canada 09 Jan 2008, 20:59 GMT

This is such a great game. Everything is so fluid and I would say the physics of skating are probably more realistic than Blades'. Blades' does beat it in the fighting department though.

Villain

19. Villain Sweden 20 Feb 2008, 08:47 GMT

Not a huge fan of sports games, but MAN is this game great.

I remember a few years ago, me and my cuz broke out the old NES and decided to give this game a spin. It had been years since we last played it, at least since I had played it. That night was pure video game fun.

There really is something special about this game.

Marvel_Maniac

20. Marvel_Maniac Canada 20 Feb 2008, 19:51 GMT

22 posts so far an it seems like just about everyone loves this game. I'm no different. Back in the 80's my brother and I would get into actual fights over this game. That was sweet,

Peppy Hare

21. Peppy Hare Canada 23 Feb 2008, 15:02 GMT

Meets the very definition of "pick-up-and-play". Loved this game as a kid and love it just as much now. My advice: play it with a buddy as the game is best enjoyed in a social atmosphere.

pricetag

22. pricetag United States 12 Mar 2008, 19:45 GMT

I loved how the games could end--if it was a tight game (within two goals, I think) during the last two minutes, the crowd would start cheering!

Then, you went to a shootout if it ended in a tie, and if it was still tied after the shootout, an overtime period with no goalies!

That made for some wild finishes between my brother and I back in the day. I'd find myself sandbagging so the game would be close at the end.

Ricardo91

23. Ricardo91 United States 28 Jun 2008, 21:43 BST

I thought about getting this game a little while back, but since I'm not exactly fond of the other nes launch sports games, I passed on it.

Ricardo91

24. Ricardo91 United States 28 Jun 2008, 21:45 BST

unlike those games though, this one actually looked kinda fun.

KISSman

25. KISSman United States 10 Jul 2008, 05:18 BST

This game was simply awesome for the NES and it's still fun to play every now and again today. I immediately bought this and Punch-Out!! the second I got my hands on a points card. I love how you can choose the types of players on your team so you can make a team that works best for your style of play. IMO, this is a more enjoyable game than Blades of Steel.

David77

26. David77 Canada 24 Jul 2008, 01:58 BST

This is the best sport game i ever played, but i must say I don't really like sports games, exept this one of course!

The Bear

27. The Bear United States 05 Aug 2008, 22:46 BST

A very fun little hockey game. Obviously this is not something in the same vein as NHL 94, but for what it is... it's pretty good. This game is loads of fun to play against an opponent. The OT period/SO is wild too, haha.

Marvel_Maniac

28. Marvel_Maniac Canada 08 Sep 2008, 17:35 BST

I've never really figured out why some people like super realistic, overly complex sports titles for consoles. If people want that sort of experience, they can really just go out and join a sports club. To me, video games are about a fantasy experience, something not quite real. This is why Ice Hockey is among the best sports titles EVERY made in my opinion (only tied by the likes of Wii Tennis). It is so simple, that it becomes the epitome of virtual sports.

Ferret75

29. Ferret75 United States 31 Jan 2009, 20:00 GMT

Blades of Steel is a little better, but this game is still awesome.

StarFox

30. StarFox United States 10 Mar 2009, 19:40 GMT

I tried this game, and was disappointed that there weren't very many countries in it. I took it back. I'd rather play Tecmo Super Hockey.

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