News Post

NHL 2K9 Trailer and Screenshots

06:44 PM - August 11, 2008 by Steve_OS

2K Sports has just sent us this trailer from NHL 2K9.

*Update: We've just added some screenshots as well.

NHL 2K9 screenshot gallery - Click to view

Game: NHL 2K9Reader Score: 7/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS2 / PS3 / Wii / Xbox 360Votes for game: 15 - View All

NHL 2K9 Videos

Member Comments

# 1 bronco92 @ 08/11/08 06:46 PM

Woah... it looks surprisingly amazing. Huge step up graphically from 2K8.

# 2 ramenite @ 08/11/08 07:29 PM

I have to admit I'm not much of a NHL 2k guy. I liked the older games, but as with baseball, I thought Kush just drug the games through the mud. Whatever Kush did, it ended up having 50 bugs that just killed the game.

THAT being said--now that they took NHL back inhouse to VC it's looking pretty nice. The trailer and things like the new fighting engine do look excellent. I wrote the NHL 2k series off, but I'm going to give 2k9 a serious look.

So I am a little excited about this game. It could be a sleep hit with hockey fans. Especially ones that want a real franchise mode. Can't say if this is going to be a rebirth of the franchise from it's old days--but it does have my interest now.

# 3 RoyalBoyle78 @ 08/11/08 08:53 PM

I used to be a big @k Hockey guy, Until EA came back from the dead, yes this video looked pretty damn good, but there still something about the way the players move I'm not liking, like it doesn't have the fluidness as EA's NHL players.

# 4 bigmoe @ 08/11/08 11:15 PM

Wow , I have to say if that is how the game really looks in action ( looks life-like to me ) Then this game get a serious look from me, and I've been on the EA hockey bandwagon!

# 5 MizzouRah @ 08/12/08 02:19 AM

There is no doubt I'm getting NHL 2k9. I'm a big fan of EA's game, but I just don't like the defensive play.

2k8 was a surprise and the things that bugged me are looking like they have been fixed. I am really pumped about this game.

# 6 Money99 @ 08/12/08 03:59 PM

I liked the new vid but one thing that I don't like is how many times we saw that 'hop' to the outside with the puck.

I hope this game isn't one where the CPU is trying to pull off one super-move after another.
We shall see.

# 7 savoie2006 @ 08/12/08 05:44 PM

Quote:


	Its like were getting a brand new exciting game not a rehash.

# 8 Eddie1967 @ 08/12/08 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigmoe


	Wow , I have to say if that is how the game really looks in action ( looks life-like to me ) Then this game get a serious look from me, and I've been on the EA hockey bandwagon!

That's a good way to describe it, life like. It looks better than any hockey game to date. Watching those videos you can't help but think how real this game looks. The king is back baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

# 9 Eddie1967 @ 08/12/08 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaintPatrick33


	You know it and they even had time to throw in Real Playoff beards to boot . The great thing is most of these vids are on the Wii and I can only imaging what it is gonna be like on PS3/360 Its like were getting a brand new exciting game not a rehash.

You are so right. A brand new game built from the ground up. I have always loved what VC did with their basketball game and now this years hockey offering shows how innovative they really are. We are in for something special this year.

# 10 Money99 @ 08/12/08 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie1967


	Always looking for negatives. Before the 360 videos were out you had a million and one theories on why there weren't being shown. Where does it end with you. Seriously I'm not trying to bash but you said that 2k didn't put out 360 videos because their main focus was on the wii and they couldn't compete on the 360 and blah blah blah, now that all of that has been proven WRONG, you look for something else to bash. Yes we have a right to our opinions but your walking the tight rope of trolling. With all of the negative things you said about the game prior to those videos being shown, why are you still commenting on a game you won't buy.

Again, you're wrong. Unlike you I bought both games last year. And I will most certainly rent 2K9 this year as well.

# 11 Eddie1967 @ 08/12/08 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money99


	Again, you're wrong. Unlike you I bought both games last year. And I will most certainly rent 2K9 this year as well.

Okay I was wrong. Can't we all just get along? Who said that? Oh well I am seriously thinking about buying both 2k and EA but I can't see how I could possibly play two hockey games. With the upgrades that EA has made I will at east give it a rental.

# 12 Money99 @ 08/13/08 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie1967


	Okay I was wrong. Can't we all just get along? Who said that? Oh well I am seriously thinking about buying both 2k and EA but I can't see how I could possibly play two hockey games. With the upgrades that EA has made I will at east give it a rental.

I can tell you already I'll be buying both.
There's still some things that annoy me with both titles but I have a feeling I'll be keeping 09 for online play and Be A Pro but 2K9 around for a different take on a realistic hockey game.

I read the Q&A at GGHC(?) and one thing disappointed me though. He made a mention that when doing the superstar dekes you kind of lose control of where you're skating.

I really believe that if 2K adopted EA's control scheme it would help a lot. In those videos the puck physics and goalies look great and I like the weight of the skaters much better than EA's.
I also enjoyed the hitting animations.

Lastly, what I really liked about 2K8 is how different the superstars felt from the scrubs. When I had the puck with a goon like Andrew Peters I was forced to dump it off, while if I had the puck with Gaborik, I loved skating with it.
Hopefully it won't be any different from 2K8 and I really hope EA took a page from 2K in this regard.

Cheers!

# 13 MizzouRah @ 08/13/08 01:44 PM

I'm sure I'll get both just like last year, but I'm going to go with 2k9 on release day and I'll read the NHL 09 forums to see how the fans like it compared to 08.

Nothing wrong with having two hockey games.

# 14 kerosene31 @ 08/13/08 01:55 PM

I don't mind buying both, but the controls are so different between the games that switching back and forth is frustrating. I don't want to buy them both at the same time again.

Usually the folks up in Canada get the games a day early, so we usually get some good reviews from them before it hits stores here in the US. (since we're so far away from Canada here in Buffalo

)

# 15 mercalnd @ 08/13/08 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerosene31


	I don't mind buying both, but the controls are so different between the games that switching back and forth is frustrating.

Since I read 2K is going back to more traditional button controls this year, I think that won't be too bad. I didn't have too much problems with 2K7 and 07 a couple of years back. Last year was a pain though. I seem to not be thrown off as much when the controls are drastically different (button VS sticks like 2K7-07 and apparently this year too) than when they are just slightly different.

Of course it also helps that I play each game in stretches of a few weeks rather than go back and forth all the time.

# 16 Eddie1967 @ 08/13/08 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money99


	I can tell you already I'll be buying both. There's still some things that annoy me with both titles but I have a feeling I'll be keeping 09 for online play and Be A Pro but 2K9 around for a different take on a realistic hockey game. I read the Q&A at GGHC(?) and one thing disappointed me though. He made a mention that when doing the superstar dekes you kind of lose control of where you're skating. I really believe that if 2K adopted EA's control scheme it would help a lot. In those videos the puck physics and goalies look great and I like the weight of the skaters much better than EA's. I also enjoyed the hitting animations. Lastly, what I really liked about 2K8 is how different the superstars felt from the scrubs. When I had the puck with a goon like Andrew Peters I was forced to dump it off, while if I had the puck with Gaborik, I loved skating with it. Hopefully it won't be any different from 2K8 and I really hope EA took a page from 2K in this regard. Cheers!

WOW! I had you all wrong. Like I said sometimes I take this stuff too seriously. I always said that 2k's superstars and scrubs had a noticeable difference when you played with them. I'm glad you can back that up. I didn't give NHL 08 too much of chance because of the of no separate line changes, playing in the corners and the lack of franchise depth. Visually it was great and the announcing was outstanding. It sounds like EA addressed quite a few of the things last years game lacked. How difficult was it to go from one games controls to the other? That's my main reason for not wanting to buy both.

# 17 Eddie1967 @ 08/13/08 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerosene31


	I don't mind buying both, but the controls are so different between the games that switching back and forth is frustrating. I don't want to buy them both at the same time again. Usually the folks up in Canada get the games a day early, so we usually get some good reviews from them before it hits stores here in the US. (since we're so far away from Canada here in Buffalo )

That's my main issue, the controls. But it is tempting to have two good games that are different.

# 18 Money99 @ 08/13/08 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie1967


	WOW! I had you all wrong. Like I said sometimes I take this stuff too seriously. I always said that 2k's superstars and scrubs had a noticeable difference when you played with them. I'm glad you can back that up. I didn't give NHL 08 too much of chance because of the of no separate line changes, playing in the corners and the lack of franchise depth. Visually it was great and the announcing was outstanding. It sounds like EA addressed quite a few of the things last years game lacked. How difficult was it to go from one games controls to the other? That's my main reason for not wanting to buy both.

Ugh! Don't ask! It was brutal. Maybe that's an indication that I'm not that bright or lack the dexterity to pull it off, but I had a hard time with it.

One thing I really liked about 2K's controls is how the shot and pass buttons were mapped to the bumpers. That way I could stick handle and weave using only the analog.
In NHL08, while it's responsive, there was more than one occasion where I'd shoot the puck when all I wanted to do was deke.

Where 2K lost me was having TWO buttons to control levels of speed. I felt that was overdone as the Analog should be able to control everything.

I know I'm in the minority about this on the 2K boards, but after playing NHL07, I'm knee deep in the 'no speed burst button' camp. Usually hockey games never get the burst right. It's either too powerful, lasts too long or everyone gets the same 'x' amount of speed from it.

There were occasions where I had a speedster on a breakaway but he got caught by a flat footed, slow dman.
If a guy like Gaborik is on a BA, there's very few people on this planet that will catch him.
I know this could be solved with sliders but I'd love to see the developers tonne it down.

I don't blame you for staying away from two games due to the controls. It kept me from enjoying 2K8 more than I should have.

Like I said, I LOVED the goal variety in 2K8 because of the puck physics but also because of the goalies.
Some people think they flopped too much and maybe that's the case, but all I know is, when I scored a goal on a goal mouth scramble, due to a floppy netminder, I had a big smile on my face. That's the whole point of games isn't it?

I've been harsh on the 2K camp lately and there are things in the vids that still perplex me, but believe it or not, the latest batch have me really excited for this game.
The PS3 demo drops tomorrow and while I have a 360 I'll be driving over to my bro's place to hog some PS3 time.

Cheers!

# 19 Eddie1967 @ 08/13/08 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money99


	Ugh! Don't ask! It was brutal. Maybe that's an indication that I'm not that bright or lack the dexterity to pull it off, but I had a hard time with it. One thing I really liked about 2K's controls is how the shot and pass buttons were mapped to the bumpers. That way I could stick handle and weave using only the analog. In NHL08, while it's responsive, there was more than one occasion where I'd shoot the puck when all I wanted to do was deke. Where 2K lost me was having TWO buttons to control levels of speed. I felt that was overdone as the Analog should be able to control everything. I know I'm in the minority about this on the 2K boards, but after playing NHL07, I'm knee deep in the 'no speed burst button' camp. Usually hockey games never get the burst right. It's either too powerful, lasts too long or everyone gets the same 'x' amount of speed from it. There were occasions where I had a speedster on a breakaway but he got caught by a flat footed, slow dman. If a guy like Gaborik is on a BA, there's very few people on this planet that will catch him. I know this could be solved with sliders but I'd love to see the developers tonne it down. I don't blame you for staying away from two games due to the controls. It kept me from enjoying 2K8 more than I should have. Like I said, I LOVED the goal variety in 2K8 because of the puck physics but also because of the goalies. Some people think they flopped too much and maybe that's the case, but all I know is, when I scored a goal on a goal mouth scramble, due to a floppy netminder, I had a big smile on my face. That's the whole point of games isn't it? I've been harsh on the 2K camp lately and there are things in the vids that still perplex me, but believe it or not, the latest batch have me really excited for this game. The PS3 demo drops tomorrow and while I have a 360 I'll be driving over to my bro's place to hog some PS3 time. Cheers!

Dang, your lucky to be able to play that demo so soon. I do agree about the speed burst button, it should be done away with and simply left to that players attributes. I kept playing with the sliders last year but I was never able to get it to work right. A lot of times I found myself just out skating the the whole team no matter who I was. Makes for a lot of unrealistic breakaways.

# 20 Eddie1967 @ 08/14/08 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealmK


	You have me all wrong as well. I feel the same way Money does. And control wise going from 08 to 2k8 is like night and day, 08's controls feel intuitive while still have enough depth to feel like a sim experience. 2k's on the other hand just feel really clunky and unintuitive due to the whole hybrid scheme. Its almost like they wanted to use EA's skill stick but figured they get too much flack for it so they moved shooting and passing to the bumpers and it just for me didn't feel very natural. Add in the stiff deking animations that appear from the latest media to still be in 2k9 and well 2k8 ended up back on the shelf. I think really its going to come down to AI for me when it comes to 2k9, I can deal with some stiff animations and lack of presentation if the gameplay itself is good enough. Hell 2k3 had horrible graphics even for its time, but the AI was so phenominal that it didn't matter, that game was pure hockey gold and I'd be on cloud nine if VC could recapture that, if not for 2k9 at least move back in that direction to get the series back on track and compete with EA on a serious level. I see alot of positives in the latest media, but there are areas that still need major work, same with EA's game as well. I'm hoping that we can have 2 great hockey titles per year because we all know thats really what us as fans should want. It matters little whose name is on the box imo.

Realm I swear sometimes your criticism pisses me off I will admit LOL, but like you I'm hoping to have two great games this year. I'm getting closer to purchasing both just reading the improvements that 09 has as well. I think 2k9 has made major improvements from last year, of course it will be easier to tell once the game is in our hands. I know what your saying about 2k's controls but I liked the fact that they were somewhat difficult, to me it made it more challenging and I practiced a ton before actually jumping into a dynasty. What's funny is I can't master EA's shooting with the stick at all. I obviously need to spend more time with it but I just never felt comfortable at all. Maybe you guys can give me some tips.

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