Jayson

1. NHL Hitz 20-03 (XBox) - The only part of NHL Hitz 20-03 that hasn't aged well is the dopey fighting engine, but truthfully, I don't think any hockey game has ever gotten fighting completely right. The hitting in Midway's three-on-three slamdance remains the most satisfying I have ever played in any hockey game.

2. Wayne Gretsky's 3D Hockey (N64) - Hitting arcades in October of 1996, Midway's 3D sequel to NHL Open Ice wowed sports fans by being the first hockey game to include polygonal player models. For me, the only thing missing from Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey (and its sequel) is the Nashville Predators, who wouldn't appear in any NHL video games until 1998.

3. NHL 94 (Genesis) -  While some gamers prefer NHLPA Hockey 93 for its blood and fighting, all hockey fans can agree that the early editions of Sega Genesis hockey were some of Electronic Arts' finest efforts. The only reason NHL 94 isn't higher on my list is because I owned the Super Nintendo version growing up, which means I didn't get to experience the vastly superior Sega Genesis edition until a good five or six years after its release.

Kelvin Mak

1. NHL '98 (PC) - NHL 98, for me, was the special one. The graphics, for the time, were just stunning with 3d acceleration turned on (don't mean to brag, but I was one of those kids who had a Voodoo card.) From the realistic arenas with working jumbotrons, all the way down to the 3d puck itself-- it was beautiful. And of course, who could forget the mask viewer.

2. ESPN NHL 2K5 (PS2) - For twenty bucks, this game was a steal. Hell, even if it was full price, it'd still be right up here on the list. That's how good it was. Two things that made this game so addictive to play were the gameplay itself and the deep franchise mode. The AI--especially on the harder difficulties-- will give you a good run for your money.

3. NHL 08 (PS3/360) - Do I lose whatever street cred I have left now that I've chosen a game that's been released in last five years? It' Why NHL 08? Because it gave a glimpse of just what these then-newfangled machines could do.

Glenn Wigmore

1. Ice Hockey (NES) - While the current generation of hockey games is totally enjoyable, I'm inclined to go retro for one of the most memorable hockey games of all time: Ice Hockey on the NES. Even back in the early '80s, this game provided tons of charm, energy and entertainment for hours on end. Ice Hockey truly had it all back in the day, with catchy music that seemed to dynamically ramp up during play, fun presentation details like the crowd and zamboni (more than one, actually) and a fighting system that provided so much hilarity.

2. NHL 08 (PS3/360) - I'm putting NHL 08 here because of what I feel it meant for the current crop of hockey games. I think that not only did NHL 08 succeed at providing a really fun gameplay experience, but it truly showed what the next generation of hockey games would be all about. NHL 08 had a strong suite of modes and options, including online team play, which was something I had personally been waiting on for years.

3. NHL 96 (Genesis) - While NHL 94 was a great game, I think I actually played NHL 96 even more. You had 2 Unlimited's "Get Ready For This" pounding through the menus, a truly refined version of that 16-bit gameplay, as well as great touches like major and minor penalties, an awesome season mode and increased roster depth for the teams.

OS'ers, what are you three favorite hockey games of all time?