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NHL Rock the Rink
"Body-slam your opponent to the ice, feed him a fistful of leather, drop him like a rock with a wicked clothesline, or check him out of his skates"
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Developer  EA Sports Game Type  Sport
Distributor  EA Review Date  Apr 00
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Playability:
 
      Rock the Rink is relatively simple to master. The controls are easy to understand with the analog thumbstick and d-pad interchangeable, whatever you feel comfortable with. There is good feedback on the controller on hits and fights. This game is primarily a "no rules" no holds bared game as you can perform any number of wrestling moves on an opponent, both during and after play.

There are three major playing modes. Arcade, Championship and King of the Rink. Arcade mode will allow you to play against a mate or against CPU controlled opponents. Initially there are only a few teams to choose from, none of which are NHL teams. You unlock the NHL teams by winning games against them in the championship mode.

The format for both is the same; the first team to five goals wins the game. There's also 3-on-3 hockey in a shorter rink in which there is no red line, only a single blue line in the center of the rink. It's not really necessary to worry about this since there's no off-sides in this game any way. In fact there's no officiating at all. So feel free to take out your opponent using various moves at your disposal such as clothesline or power slams. A bonus meter keeps track of good shots, big hits and goals. Once it fills up you hear the announcer shout "BONUS!" and you have a limited time where your team's skills improve. This is the best time to shoot at the goal, since you'll score more easily.

Overall, playability is very good in this game. The controller is easy to master, and it's a matter of increasing your skills by continuing to play the game and winning. I like the fact that there are many ways to unlock teams, skills and equipment. The championship mode gives you the ability to unlock NHL teams and equipment upgrades as you win. Win one game and you unlock a team. Win a second game and you can upgrade skates, sticks or other upgrades. In the arcade mode, I even found an upgrade by being a frequent loser. I lost three games in a row, and after that I got a message that it looked like I needed help and the game unlocked big nets to help improve my scoring chances.

If you're a hockey purist, this game may not thrill you. I like the fast-paced 3-on-3 short rink game that allows you to break the rules. You'll recognize the names of the NHL players, but no other effort was made to make them look like the real ones. It's essentially the player's name and uniform on a generic player. That really isn't the focus for this game, anyway. The real point is to have some fun with really acrobatic shots, fast play and extra-curricular wrestling moves after a goal.

The game is easy to play, not hard to master and definitely one of these games that you need a live opponent to play against. NHL Rock the Rink is a lot of fun, but playing against a friend (or enemy) adds another level of excitement to this game. You have to go it alone in the championship mode to unlock more hockey teams, but then you can use them in the arcade mode.
 
Game Options:
 
      This is a 1 disk game for 1-2 Players. It is compatible with the standard (digital) joypad and the analog stick controls of the dual shock joypad. Games can be saved via memory card (2 blocks per save).
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Staff Opinions
Tom D.  "EA Sports has done an excellent job of adding variety and continued interest to a hockey game by violating all the rules of the game. Hey, I think it's great to be able to body slam that pantywaist goalie who gets over-protected in the real game. So strap on the helmet, get ready to give (and receive) some massive hits and have some fun!"
Graphics  16/20
Playability  45/50
Sound  8/10
Lastability  18/20
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