NHL 10 to feature first-person fighting, gameplay 'refinements'
by Jason Dobson 
{ May 14th 2009 at 8:15AM } 
The change is among 200 "refinements" EA promises, including glass-banging crowds, a new board physics engine and scraps after the whistle. Additionally, EA adds that enforcers will now step in to throw down to protect skill players in a fight, meaning even virtual versions of Crosby or Sakic can breathe easy knowing someone's got their back.
Gallery: NHL 10
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Bobby S. @ May 14th 2009 8:25AM
I've heard that one before EA ... remember FIFA 09?
250 improvements of my asshole.
Same shit, every year, what the fuck.
How about using a new engine or something other than making "minor" changes that aren't even noticeable.
Nieker @ May 14th 2009 8:38AM
That is indeed true for all the fifa's we had since fifa 2000, but 2009 really is different. It's the first one to actually have descent physics and realistisc gameplay. Beats PES by a longshot, and that's the first time.
Geist @ May 14th 2009 9:09AM
Let me ask one question: do you buy all the NHL games? You seem to know about them pretty well, so I'm assuming you've purchased them, in which case, that's why they don't update anything.
If I am incorrect then feel free to say so. I just find that the people who are most vocal about the lack of any changes in the game are those who have all of them lined up neatly on the shelf.
cheeky @ May 14th 2009 10:08AM
250 improvements to one of the best SPORTS games I've ever played cannot be viewed as a bad thing, although you are trying. I'm not really even a hockey fan, just a hockey video game fan, and NHL 09 trumped any sports release I've played in the last five years, and I play Madden, MLB games, NCAA Football, and NBA titles. If it really were the "same shit every year" then EA Sports games would be dying out like Tony Hawk did. They would take a year off and reinvent itself.
Cody @ May 14th 2009 11:18AM
First Person view fighting? That's got to warrant a T rating. Not a smart way to get your product in the hands of the same masses that a E rated game would.
Ridgecity @ May 14th 2009 12:00PM
"The change is among 200 "refinements" EA promises". That means the Apple buying EA is true, since that's how Apple sells their stuff. Everything is the same but refined by 200 little things.
milesweddingmail @ Jun 6th 2009 3:01PM
EA you need to get doc to do the comentary not bill clement he sucks
OddyOh @ May 14th 2009 8:26AM
Awesome...the fighting engine has been _just_terrible_ the last several years, hope this works out. NHL 09 was a pretty awesome game, but they simply spent too much time on their online only features. Hope they added a simple "Playoff" option in the main menu this year, unforgivable to not have that. And they've got Custom Music on the PS3 this year, so that kicks ass.
TORO @ May 14th 2009 8:37AM
let's go hawks, gooooo blaaaackhawks!
MLS @ May 14th 2009 8:43AM
Condemned: Slapshot
carmaction @ May 14th 2009 11:16AM
You've baked a delicious joke pie with this post, sir.
MNC Dover @ May 14th 2009 9:05AM
NHL 10: Kinda look like you're grabbin' a jersey while trying to hit a dude
Travis @ May 14th 2009 9:12AM
fighting has never been excellent in these games, so any changes are welcome.
But how about making the game not crash online every 1/5 attempts
PSN: iBirch @ May 14th 2009 9:13AM
Looks good the graphics looks ace. And I love the first person fighting idea.
Stan @ May 14th 2009 9:48AM
All this new stuffs nice but can someone tell me what everyone in the crowd is looking at? Its definitely not the puck or where the action is. Would be nice if they pay attention to the game.
Dirty @ May 14th 2009 10:11AM
The game must be in Phoenix.
jbuers @ May 14th 2009 12:15PM
Haha! Or Anaheim, or Nashville, or Atlanta, or...
Storm Eagle @ May 14th 2009 9:49AM
3 words: Blades of Steel
Besides, when are people gonna learn that these sports games aren't going to change? The sport itself never changes, so why should the game? I bet, if they really wanted to, EA could make all their sports games as 100% realistic without actually going outside and playing as they wanted to, but they're just rationing these "improvements" out for as long as they can to sustain the game for another 5 years.
uncle jesse @ May 14th 2009 9:56AM
NHL09 was the best hockey game I've ever played.
The series already had a MAJOR change when they introduced the skill stick. That changed hockey games forever. If they continue tweaking the controls, improving the online play, and adding subtle, but noticeable improvements for the next couple of years, I'm okay with that.
I play with the fighting turned off, so this does nothing for me. Having more realistic crowd reactions would be very cool though. So does this mean that in Phoenix there will only be 4000 people at the game and half of them will be asking what offside is?
uncle jesse @ May 14th 2009 9:58AM
Just don't EVER bring back the 'Fox puck'.
*shudders*
Bobby S. @ May 14th 2009 10:27AM
The problem I have is the fact that they don't re-innovate their games. They just keep building on top of engines and gameplay that they built back in 2005/06.
I've been buying FIFA, NHL, and Madden since 06 and I'm somewhat forced to do so because there isn't anything better out there (based on being equal in presentation and online community).
Don't get me wrong, I don't hate EA sports at all; the games they put out do have quality production and presentation. I just like to see something fresh once in a while instead of once in a half decade.
Kyera @ May 14th 2009 10:43AM
"Inspire teammates, ignite the fans and change the momentum of a game by instigating scrums, drawing penalties, and mixing it up— all after the referee blows the whistle!"
This is, surprisingly, the thing that makes me the happiest. It always drove me nuts that as soon as the whistle blew the players just sat idle and you could hack away at people mindlessly.
If they deliver on these it's definitely a day one purchase for me.
Dirty @ May 14th 2009 11:07AM
Ha, like the old cart madden when you could run out of the huddle and tackle the unsuspecting offense while they decide on their play. With no penalty. Good times.
uncle jesse @ May 14th 2009 11:34AM
You gotta love plowing someone just standing there after the whistle blows!
banJovi @ May 14th 2009 11:34AM
Really the fighting didn't bother me all that much, yeah it looks dumb but that is one of the last things I would like to see changed. Although it does look pretty good I guess.
Mostly I would like the ability to make my own rink that only friends can join on BOTH sides, and allow for full chat between sides. There is no way to create an Online Team Play room (Not EASHL, I know the difference) that is unjoinable by randoms. There is a really bad workaround for this, but it only works about 1/4 of the time.
I am on a EASHL team that has about 10-15 guys that are all pretty casual, It would be really nice to have the ability to at least practice against each other with chat on opposing sides to be heard.
kwizzeh @ May 14th 2009 11:42AM
Needs more goalie fights and line brawls.
tsoul @ May 14th 2009 12:15PM
Forget the hockey part of the game, just let me play this "feature". I want to rip some detroit red wings a new one in first-person. FYI, living in Los Angeles, it's tough being a Kings fan.... :(
jbuers @ May 14th 2009 12:20PM
Why the Red Wings? They're not the reason your guys finished out of the playoffs in 09, 08, 07, 06, 04, 03, or 02... (05 being the lockout year)
Don't hate! haha
tsoul @ May 14th 2009 12:23PM
Oh, I know ALL the reasons, trust me. But it's just much easier to focus a lightning rod of hate on detroit. Limey gets :P
Dan Davis @ May 14th 2009 1:28PM
The Kings haven't been relevant since they traded for Gretzky. What was that, 1988?
Oh yeah, they got their asses handed to them by Montreal back in the early 90's.
Sincerely,
A Die-Hard Red Wings Fan
double9s @ May 14th 2009 12:22PM
How about some co-op season play. In every EA Sports franchise. Co-op is a hot trend, and sports games are a perfect fit. Make it happen.
stormtrooper190 @ May 14th 2009 12:30PM
will it feture six-axis controles? if so then ill get this game
KeegdnaB @ May 14th 2009 12:49PM
nothing....and I mean NOTHING will ever top NHL Hitz
tsoul @ May 14th 2009 1:34PM
Like I said...rough being a Kings fan :P Just like it was rough being a Laker fan before after Magic Johnson and before Kobe Bryant. But the cool thing about LA is that Anaheim is just a hop skip and jump away. Go Ducks, ha! :)
Either way, just give me a FPS hockey brawler. That was all the fun in Blade of Steel. Forget the puck, points, goalie, etc. Just let me fight.
nctiger @ May 14th 2009 1:36PM
This game has rocked for a couple years now, except for the fighting. I can't wait to see the 2010 version. GO CANES!!!!
ungu @ May 14th 2009 2:39PM
cool, I hope one of the 250 improvements is capturing all the diving and whining the Red Wings do. Can't wait to see Datsyuk, Hossa, and Rafalski get a first person ass kicking. I wonder if Rafalski will turtle in the game as well.
Go Ducks!
Tony @ May 14th 2009 4:49PM
You couldn't be farther off from the truth.
Are your Ducks gonna try to goon it up again tonight? Hpw about the refs call some of the 65 cross checks Holmstrom gets per game? The officiating has been pretty good these last few games, However, the refs HANDED game 3 to the Ducks
Between the waived off Hossa goal and the AWFUL penalty to Stuart for running over Miller, this should've been over in 5
Brian @ May 14th 2009 8:13PM
no one dives more than crosby
Tony @ May 14th 2009 10:14PM
Well....looks like the Wings beat both the Ducks and the refs. Pretty poor officiating once again in this one, but great teams overcome crap like that.
Enjoy your tee time tomorrow! hahahahahahaha
stacymartinthefirst @ May 14th 2009 5:36PM
I wonder if one of these improvements includes rendering female crowd members. Seriously, anyone notice that the ENTIRE crowd is dudes in '09? Someone MUST have realized this when they made the game... were they just being lazy, or did they really think no one would notice? I mean, nevermind accusations of sexism or whatever, it's just plain inaccurate. And weird.
votE_for_pedro33 @ May 14th 2009 6:18PM
Still waiting for broken sticks.
ungu @ May 14th 2009 10:15PM
Great series. Too bad the bad guys won. Can any Red Wing fan honestly say they don't dive like a Olympic Diving Team? Hossa and Franzen are two huge strong on their skate forwards but they fall down like they just took a shot from a sniper behind the grassy knoll.
I love hearing Red Wing fans complain about officiating. The goal shouldn't have been waived off but the ref lost sight of the puck. The Stuart penalty was a penalty. How come you don't mention the elbow to Carter that broke his nose after the Red Wing left his feet or the elbow on Wiz by Holstrom. The best one is the 5 minute "major" for interference. How do majorly interfere? The officiating sucked for both teams.
Anyway, good win by the Wings.