NHL '94 -- Why It's Still Loved Today - Wiggy's Blog

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NHL '94 -- Why It's Still Loved Today Stuck

Posted on March 21, 2013 at 08:26 PM.

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As NHL.com is celebrating the 20th anniversary of NHL '94, people are remembering why it was such an important game in the 16-bit era for hockey. There was something simple and charming about the '94 experience, but it also provided a host of improvements over the '93 game, enough so that there was a healthy dose of depth that is still talked about today.

Released for the SNES, Genesis, Sega CD (with improved music) as well as MS-DOS, NHL '94 really came alive because of the increased pace of the action as compared to NHLPA Hockey '93, and this was aided by some additional hit animations (players crashing into the boards and into the benches) as well as some great little touches like manual goaltending (awesome in shootouts), flip passes and one-timers.

One-timers were a crucial ingredient in the potent '94 brew, as most competent players had to at least rely on them somewhat, if for nothing more than to threaten with that potential tactic. The one-timers looked and sounded satisfying as well, adding to the fun when you executed them against human competition (or even the reasonably decent AI).

Then again, there were other ways of scoring, too. The usual back-and-forth deke move that worked so well in the '93 game did the job on most breakaways or partial breakaways, and "the Move" was known for causing one friend to get pretty upset. "The Move" involved flying down the wing and then cutting back in front of the net, across the goalie, and letting go of a slapshot. The goalie would always sell out, making it one of the most effective money plays of 16-bit gaming. There were rebound goals and slapshots that would go in as well, but the one-timers and deke goals were where a savvy player would make hay.

NHL '94 also had plenty of other atmosphere thanks to improved instant replay, authentic organ music for certain arenas, better velocity on the hitting, automated line changes and penalty shots. All of these things helped create a deeper sense of authenticity, and it allowed players to feel more in control of the action on the ice. Penalty shots, for instance, were a really cool addition, and users were signalled that a breakaway was happening by a simple beep when a player crossed the blue line unopposed. It was also really fun to play in the shootout, where you could use the manual goalie to dive, poke check, and stack the pads.

Some of the rough stuff in the game was altered, as the NHL got annoyed at the use of blood in the '93 game. Injuries were still present in '94, but the fighting engine of '93 had been removed (which was a shame). It was neat that you could actually reach out and hook or hold an opponent, and the hits into the benches and boards were really satisfying.

Even though the modes were fairly limited, it was the feel of the gameplay that really fed into the couch battles that users would have with NHL '94. I still feel that NHL '96 did some really meaningful things with the 16-bit hockey engine, but NHL '94 is the game that did it first, and it's the one that's remembered for that reason. Still, it's a game that deserves the accolades it gets, as it's still a ton of fun to play today, which is the only criterion that really matters in my book.

Comments

# 1 iverson3 @ Mar 22

amen, great read here

# 2 justlikepudge @ Mar 22

We still play this at my work on Friday afternoons for the last hour of work when we just play video games and drink beer. The taunting back and forth is hilarious.

# 3 cbnj06 @ Mar 26

Great article. Brings me back to my childhood days. Especially the "Move" part. It was flawless. I remember playing this game everyday before school. What a great game.