NHL 99

The Good
It looks and plays very well, even if it is very unrealistic at times. If you're a hockey fan, you can recognize all the players' faces, even the not-so-famous players! It's from '98, but it's highly playable today in 2002. I enjoyed the different stadiums and music in each, not to mention all the NHL and world teams! (Fights happen randomly only with two players who have high intensity and aggression levels, to answer the other reviewer's complaint... play using Colorado and Claude Lemieux will get into fights or Washington's Chris Simon... only a couple of examples!)

The Bad
The AI is inconsistent and varies too widely according to the difficulty level. You can easily score 8-10 goals per period on beginner, 4-6 on rookie, but it's very tough to score 3 or more goals on pro level. It's a bit annoying, but it never stopped me from completing a season.

The Bottom Line
Over-the-top, block-rockin' boarding puck action. For more strategic, realistic play, try Fox NHL Championship 2000 (it's not as well-produced as NHL99, but the AI is fantastic).