Xbox

NHL Hitz Pro

The lack of online play on this console is disappointing, but this is still a terrific title. Midway has crafted a game that is a delight to play and to watch. Option rich, graphically wonderful and with a great audio track, this is a title video hockey fans should own.

I don't know if there is a group of people out there who won't simply fall in love with this game. Anything about the game you don't like can simply be changed. Midway wasted nothing and pulled out all the stops to create the ultimate game of hockey. The only things missing are a full franchise mode and some type of season for that really cool game of roller hockey. This is a must own game and one that will age extremely well.

Midway had one goal in mind when the decided to go “Pro” – make a hockey game that was fun to play while still observing the rules of the sport, all the while keeping it fun to play without bogging the gamer down in endless stats and detailed gameplay. NHL Hitz Pro is just that; a fun action-packed experience with mass appeal.

Had Midway gone total simulation I think this game would have faltered significantly. NHL Hitz Pro gives me good feelings about the upcoming NFL Blitz Pro from Midway. I now have the hope that they will not go total simulation in that game either. I still say NHL Hitz Pro is the easiest hockey game for your normal gameplayer to pick up and have fun with, even those who know nothing about hockey. You also have control over a myriad of sliders if you want to make the game slower or faster for instance. NHL Hitz Pro brings a great game to the table if you're looking for a straight arcade-like experience. If you're looking for simulation only you may want to look elsewhere on the dial. NHL Hitz Pro is just one of those great party games...always has been, hopefully always will be.

I haven’t had this much fun with a hockey game since the 16 bit era. For gamers that are looking for silky-smooth gameplay and controls, NHL Hitz Pro delivers. Hockey sim fans shouldn’t bypass Hitz Pro on account of its past history, especially due to the plethora of sliders that allow tweaking of practically every aspect. The franchise and season modes aren’t as deep as the competition, but still provide enough fun to keep the attention span of most gamers for another year. The lack of online play for the Xbox is a definite downer, but will be included next year. The Hitz series now competes head-to-head with the competition instead of being a distant third as in past years. While the new “Pro” branding might not convert diehard hockey sim gamers, any hockey fan should give NHL Hitz Pro a good, hard look.

NHL Hitz Pro is all games to all people. It will not disappoint hockey fans, and it shouldn't disappoint those who love Midway Sports. What it boils down to is an action-packed experience that rekindles memories of old Genesis NHL sessions. Addictively fun as a multiplayer game, and tricked-out with enough new modes and Franchise options to make the single player experience enjoyable, Hitz Pro delivers on its promise.

Hitz has always had a place in my heart, due to its over-the-top game play, which brought both newbie gamers (my dad) and experienced gamers (me) together. While Hitz Pro allows you to jump in and play immediately after purchase, it does feel much more sim-like than previous installments in the series.

Overall, NHL Hitz Pro has the gameplay to keep you and your buddies glued to the screen for months. It's easy to pick up and play, but there's enough depth and customization here to make this the only alternative to the more simulation-based hockey games available. For pure hockey fun, you won't beat NHL Hitz Pro this season.

NHL Hitz Pro offers some new simulation options, but these really aren't what the game is all about. The gameplay of the arcadelike modes is still really great, and the extensive roster of modes for play make this a great package for any arcade hockey fan or simulation hockey fan looking for something a bit different. If you enjoyed any of the previous installments of NHL Hitz, NHL Hitz Pro is right up your alley.

Overall, this game is great competition for ESPN and EA. With the new Pro style of games, Midway Sports can now keep up with the others and hopefully broaden their fan base. It’s just that for this writer, I don’t see why something that wasn’t really broke got fixed….and totally changed around.

The time you spend bringing up minor league teams to NHL status, tweaking the play-list and earning all sorts of cool gear will also unlock a lot of other hidden treats as well. Getting bored with the game? Throw on some cheats to mess things up and make it a little more interesting. Turn on the Bulldozer Puck feature and mow down anyone in your way with a nasty slapper or a twisted wrister. All in all NHL Hitz Pro delivers what it advertises in a clean and fun package. I’d highly recommend it for dorm rooms and bachelor pads.

C'est finalement assez cher payé pour cette nouvelle édition de NHL Hitz qui n'apporte pas beaucoup de changements par rapport à la version précédente. Le mode online de la version US n'est pas présent dans la version française et le gameplay aura toujours autant de mal à convaincre les puristes des jeux de hockey.

We were great fans of the past Hitz platform. Overall this is a good game with decent graphics and decent gameplay, but we miss the old arcade feel of the game. The action is noticeably slowed down and the added players just clog up the rink. We want a turbo button that actually makes the players go faster, and what the hell happened to team fire? Overall this is a very good offering from Midway, they just messed up a good game. Hopefully next year, we will see more of the old and not more of EA.