this game is horrible. The graphics are horrible and gameplay (is very poor). only has 3 game modes: exhibition season and playoffs.
do not buy this game. it is a waste of money. it will be boring fter you play it a lot. the crowd doesnt do anything or the glass doesnt break. this game (is very bad). If you dont buy it trust me you wont regret it.

once there were rivals that drew in big crowds. Now there are video games that bore people and excite people. NHL 2K is not a bad game but it doesn't compare to nfl 2k2 or nba 2k2 or even their respective 2k1. there are no injuries and you can always score the same way. So it is very prodictable. And gets very boring at times.

First the graphics are good, the scheduling needs to be where you can make the schedule to fit the year, if you are really into hockey, and the rosters are just a bit off a couple of years.
and the scoring is to easy in the All Star mode with all Penalties and a Strict ref, I averaged 16 goals a game,??

I bought DC for this game. After playing the arcade NFL 2002 I needed to play a realistic hockey game, some features are missing that you would find in EA's joke but this game has realism, a gem. Anyone who has played hockey will appreciate this game. Awesome!

This has to be one of the best games for the Sega Dreamcast@. It is fast and fun. As with many other NHL games you can trade players and create your own, and you have a choice of many different camera angles. I gave it 4 stars because you need to practice you fighting skills or else you'll lose.The differences in this game include play-by-play commentary by Bob Cole and color-commentater Harry Neil, And you can play as the Blackbox team (who by the way made this game), Team Blackbox is the best overall team, by the way of stats and fun interesting characters. All BBX team members have default stats of '99'. Harry Neil describes the team members differently from other NHL teams, You'll have you hear it for your-self. [Put the controller in port four and when the blackbox logo appears press B,B,X, and you should hear Bob Cole say: oh, Blackbox baby! to unlock the team!]An excellent game that you shouldn't miss out on for the dreamcast.

I like the realistic graphics but I wish it was set up like Nintindo nhl 98 where it has injuries and you can earn point to heal them. Some guys get knock out a period and some get knocked out several games. On this game you check a guy and the announcer says oh what a hit but what good does it do. The fighting is kinda cool but again it would be nice if you beat the guy real good sometimes he should be knock out of the game

When I got my DC Monday, I figured, what the hell I'll get another hockey game. When I got home I hooked up the Dreamcast and popped in the game. I was amazed! The Graphics were incredible. It's not quite Nhl 2001 for PS2, but still pretty damn good. I like how you how you can make perfect players. So you can make yourself the best player in the league.

This is the best hockey sim I've ever played on a video game console. For being a first-generation Dreamcast Game, its graphics are really good. Jaromir Jagr actually looks like Jaromir Jagr. The commentators aren't the best(NFL2K1) but they also aren't the most annoying(NFL2K1) They get the job done. The control is very, very good. This isn't one of those simple hockey games where you score by running into the goalie. This game takes some skill. There are some downfalls, such as players changing numbers as they go to the bench, and the wrong players going to the penalty box(only to be in the next face-off) None of these small, miniscule details takes away from the game at all, and's thats why it still gets 5 big stars.

This is one of the upper class dreamcast sport games.Not only does it have great instant replays and great scoring styles,it has awesome graphics,gameplay,and out-of-this-world checking (for you non-hockey fans checking is smashing the life out of people).

It has now been around a year since the release of NHL 2K-with the next, perhaps last, installment in hockey games for the DC to be NHL 2K2 sometime this Autumn-so, totalling around one and a half years between games-read into this what you will. The official reason apparently being that the date's the earliest possible to be able to include network play-although, I've read promises of an overhauled games engine, improved graphics, improved play-by-play.

From the other reviews of NHL 2K, the main source of complaint seems to be about fairly standard features of recent hockey games that're absent from NHL 2K..e.g. no siren, limited statistics, no injuries, inflexible season lengths, limited coaching strategies, line change boxes that probably take up more of the screen than they really should, a fairly strange play-by-play,with minimalist commentary from Bob Cole accompanied by isolated comments on players (sometimes teams) by Harry Neale-with little concern for might be happening on the ice-these things I'd expect should certainly be ironed out by the time of 2K2.

In my opinion, the game actually plays pretty well though. The movement and handling were a great deal smoother than I'd previously experienced on a hockey game-passing is easy enough also, shooting too...although, I'd have preferred a 'skill' button to the dump-puck button, but, like the lack of siren, it's more a slight irritation than big problem...a very common criticism appears to be that it's too difficult to score, and subsequent methods of scoring are too limited-i.e one timers. I've found though that the old 'pretend to go one way, but shoot the other way' trick works often-perhaps too often-even to the extent where you're holding back this way of playing in order to keep the opposition from melting away. So, even with an unremarkable team you can, on All-Star, easily manage 20+ goals a game. But, perhaps this happens against any computer game after playing for a time, which is why online play against non-computer teams I think should be the future of a game like this. However, one thing I noticed after a while-pretty much all these big scores were coming on away matches-yes, the home goaltenders, as noted before, actually seem to be slower, and this damages the multiplayer appeal of any game of this nature. So, although, enjoyable to play, the computer opposition is limited-perhaps not challenging enough for some, the sure-fire ways of scoring and strange goaltender problems not helping.

The sound is OK. In-game effects were a welcome change, seemingly more realistic in NHL 2K, the face-off tunes become a little repetitive over a season-as does the play-by-play, but, I certainly wouldn't let this put you (...)from the game.

I'm still impressed with the graphics, especially with the crowds, shadows on the ice, detail on the players (and puck!)-there's perhaps something not quite right about the motion capture, but, overall I'd say..very good. I initially had trouble with the camera angles, eventually settling down to the ice-cam which is closer (most of the time) to the ice than a regular default view, and gives a very-much arcade feel...very fast..probably faster than the real thing. I think it remains a problem in sports games in that most players wouldn't actually be willing to play 20 minute periods, so it's up to the makers to try and maintain the feel (and scores) within a more limited time-so, with 40 shots in 15 minutes, realism is not totally there. As with so many other hockey games, for some reason with 5 minute periods, overtime is still 5 minutes, 2 and 5 minute penalties remain :(

So, in conclusion, the game has many many small faults-irritatingly simple things that could've been ironed out with a more reasonable deadline-but remains enjoyable to play, especially in multi-player (as long as one side has no problem with a slightly slow and confused goalie!)-and for this price, it comes well-recommended!-less so though as the release date of 2K2 looms nearer. On this basis, 2K2 could well be the greatest hockey game of all time-which, is both a reason for and against purchasing 2K..it's up to you.

This is the most graphic hokey-sports-game ever!!!

Presentation-4 stars. They could've let you pick the # of games in a season or do a shootout.

Graphics-5 stars. I would've given this 10 stars if I could've. Excellent!

Sound-4 1/2 stars. Good, but they could've had the players talk and the play-by-play announcer is boring.

Game Play-5 stars. Start a season, go to the playoffs, or just play your friends, one of the best DC games!

I bought this game last February, couldn't wait for it to come out, a huge hockey fan, I was throughly disappointed. The game lacks what hockey is all about, checking, violence, passing and SPEED. The guys skate like they are in maple syrup. One timers are really the only way you can score consistently. The graphics are clean and up to dreamcast standards, however the game play was not. Why no multi- team season mode??? no injuries??? I haven't heard if they are making a NHL 2K1 yet, but I'd definitely rent that one to try out before buying a newest version to see if it's more like hockey. I have played PS2 nhl2001 it is awesome, with so many features, options and settings and a multi-team season mode, and injuries that right now that game is the one to get if you want a fun hockey game with alot of replay value.

I bought this game for twenty dollars. This was a deal in a half. This game is a very good start to hockey games. This game has good grahics Good camera angles and is pretty easy to operate. One flaw is it is hard to score goals you have to score most of your goals on a one timer which is pretty hard. Passing is also a little difficult because you must use the analog stick and trying to pass across the net is rough and sometimes can go to the goalie instead. Over all I think this is a very sold start to dreamcast hockey games to come.

Okay, After several months of playing this game, I have a few extra thoughts to add to my previous review. I still feel that the graphics are excellent. Gameplay is pretty good. One thing that lacks here is the fact that you almost have to do a one-timer to score. Scoring on a breakaway is next to impossible. I do feel that the away goalie has the advantage, as another reviewer wrote. The ref seems to always be in the way. I wish you could check him into the boards!! Line changes are a challenge. Bringing up the lines is easy. But then you lose control of your players until you have selected the lines. Also the line box covers about 1/4th of the screen. So you must do the changes very strategictly. Movement of the players is excellent. There is no lag form stick to screen. One thing that keeps me from giving this game five stars is the "extras" as I call them. They don not give out the trophies at the end out the season. Where are the injuries? When I slam Mike Madano into the boards about ten times at full speed, he should get some sort of injury. And last, there is no display to show your stats against the rest of the players in the league. You must scroll through each team to see who has done what. But the worst flaw is a tie. Either the repetitive commentary or non believeable saves made at times by the goalies. If you play enough, you will see and hear what I mean. Scoring is still sometimes easy(especially against Calgary and Nashville) and other times hard. I still say this game rocks. It is very fun to play. I will say that if you want a game to have years of fun with, buy it!! If you want a flawless game that is near perfect, go to the Pepsi Center and watch the Avalanche!!!

This game has by far the best graphics ive ever seen. The gameplay is excellent and fun. I agree with some of the reviewers that some things are left out such as certain penalties and such but you'll never miss them when you play it. I prefer a little less as opposed to the football games where you have to spend three months learning all of the button combinations (quarterback, when you have the ball, defence, etc). And the replays are AWESOME. I love to ram a guy into the goalpost or boards and replay it, spinning and panning to get the best view. Buy this one...

NHL 2K is by far the best hockey game that I've ever played. The graphics are the best that I have ever seen, but the game itself could be better. First, you can only play with one team through an entire season. Next, the wrong player goes to the penalty box most of time. Once you figure out the way to score that works every time, you can score 40 times in a 5 minute period game. Also, I have played the game a thousand times, and I have never seen a cross-checking, tripping, boarding, interference, holding the stick, spearing, or holding penalty. The main penalty is hooking and sometimes roughing. Despite these minor setbacks, the game is great. The player and crowd animations are good and the play by play commentary is decent. It is also addictive. I never get tired of it. It is definitely worth the money.

This is just an upgraded version of all of those addictive hockey games you have ever played. NHL 95 on Sega started it and this game is enhanced and extremely fun. The sound is great and graphics are very good. Playing one game usually turns into 3.

I'd have to say this is one of the best games I've ever played on Dreamcast next to NFL2K and Soulcalibur. The graphics are astounding, and it's plays quickly (Fast Paced). However I would have to say this game is best played with 4 players. I would definetely recomend this game to any gamer out there because it is a well done game. However I do have a couple of gripes with the game. They make it to easy to score once you've figured out the trick. It's to easy to beat the computer 40-0 on a regular basis. Also I don't know if anyone else has noticed this but when playing on the Visitor side the game seems to play to your advantage. I've noticed that the home goalie just plays a little slower. Also there truly aren't enough fights in the game, I'd expect a fight every few games with hockey but they really only happen maybe one in ten games. And injuries should definetely be a part of the game. Also the goalie holds the puck way to much sometimes forcing 3 faceoffs in a row and that just slows the game down too much. Other than that I would really recommend buying this game even with problems I still play this game every night and don't get bored. If you buy the game it will be worth your money!

This sucks BAD! DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON IT! Trust me, the people that give this game high marks do not know anything about the game! If I could give this negative stars, I would have...Gladly!

First: The graphics are ok, but not nearly up to par with the NFL or NBA games. But that I can overlook...

Second: Ever had your opponent's goalie make an incredible save that you thought was impossible? Chances are, you were RIGHT! Just watch the replay and watch in amazement as the puck gets "stuck" in the goalie's "glove" three feet from him! Yes, the puck will stop in mid-air and float back down to his feet! It's the most ridiculous thing of all time!

...Players' sticks don't need to touch the puck in order shoot...or pass...

...You can score on a no-look backhanded slap-shot from outside the blue line...

To put it another way, the gameplay is DISASTROUS! I could literally go on for HOURS about how poorly this game plays, but you get the point.

Oh, the referee WILL NOT get out of your way...the line change display covers up half of the screen whether you want it on or not...penalties are TOTALLY random (most of the time the wrong guy goes to the box, too)...

Ok I've had NHL2k for about a month now. And thats all I've been playing for the past month. In the begining it is a little hard to score but once you learn its easy. All you do is take the puck down the left or right side. Normaly there is someone cutting to the net. Just aim in that direction and one time it! So buy NHL2k! Cause it is sweet!

First off, this game is visually amazing. The graphics and sound are great, as is the majority of the game play. I do have some minor problems with it. First of all, you can't play a shortened season. I have to play all 82 games to get to the playoffs. 2nd, where are the injuries? If I'm playing a full season, I would expect there to be some injuries during the year. 3rd - why can't I compare my teams stats vs. the rest of the league? In NFL2K, I can see leaders in all of the statistical categories but not in this game. 4th - there are no fights! I know the game says it has them, but I've yet to be in one. I've broken the glass every other game but haven't seen a fight.

I hope they get these things fixed in the next version. I still love to play it, just not as much as I loved playing NFL2K (and I like hockey better). Oh yeah, one more thing, why isn't the game rumble pack compatible? It would seem like a perfect fit. Oh well.

There are 3 flaws in this game. 1). A major lack of sim features such as injuries, varied season length, "in-game" animations, no carreer mode, and the WORST post stanley cup celebration.

2). NO CHALLENGE - on the hardest level the game is easy to beat to a pulp, scoring comes via only 2 methods one-timers and the famous old juke the goalie move where you skate hard towards one side of the goalie and quickly turn and shoot the puck to the opposite wide side of the net. This scores about 4 goals a game, and if you fucus and play tight D the computer will maybee score 1 goal a game, very WEAK. Even with a crappy team the good teams like Dallas will have a hard time scoring against you. In summation, THE COMPUTER CAN'T SCORE no matter what!

3). Some flawed AI, The goalies almost NEVER let up a rebound, even on low shots where in real hockey the goalie often lets a puck go. not here, the golies are stump magntes, and the puck a hunk of iron. The computer controlled forwards play like IDOTS, they dump the puck in on 3-0 brakawys, just plain inexcusable. This probably hurt the game the most, a stupid AI for the most part.

Corrections that need to be made! Fix the AI, make shot taking more realistics as far as rebounds, and HELLO, not every shot shoud go on net, in REAL hockey, shots go ont net about 50% of the time, CORRECT THIS often overlooked sim feature. Make the computer controlled teams play smarter and take better shots, make better decisions.

And ad missing feature form above listed flaw #1.

So why 4 stars then? The flaws restrict what you can do with the game, try playing a crappy team, or your team with all reserve players and the challenge will increase. The graphics and puck physics are flawless! Fun gameplay, realistic gameplay aside from some flaws. overall fun in two player human contests. A loota work wnet into this game and it shows.

Nhl 2K has all the Nhl teams and players and also the 1999-2000 allstar team. it's a really fun game if you like hockey!

As with all sports games there are flaws within this one, but without getting into all of the flaws I have decided to focus on one. A very, very large flaw. When every sports game for every sport comes out I buy it. I love sports and I love sports games. Me and my friends have the habit of playing a season with our games. This game does not allow that. I know that there are many many people out there that feel the way i do too. You can not play a multiplayer season in this game. Whether the game is good or not(which i believe it is just so so) the mere principal that Sega Sports would leave this option out of the game causes me to hate this game and refuse to buy it. I suggest all of you out there do the same and if sales are not good for this game then they wont make the same mistake again.

I have reviewed a lot of games, but this was the first time that I had mixed feelings about my review. Furthermore, before I went out to buy the game I spent a lot of time reading other people's comments about NHL 2K. After reading many critiques on the game I decided to buy it. And overall, the game has stunning graphics, and the movement of the players is extremely life-like. However, there are just a few glitches with the game. First, when you score a goal there is absolutely no siren that ignites the crowd. Secondly, the game is sort of unfair in terms of scoring. For example, on a break away the computer will usuall score. If I were to do a break away and do it exactly the way the computer did it I won't score. Next, the commentators are a few seconds behind when you score a goal, which in turn makes it a little more dificult to know when you have scored a goal. However, to be fair to the game I haven't played it for very long and maybe I have to spend more time to learn the controls. On the flip side, I really do enjoy playing the game especially when I come back to win it in the end. Personally, I thought that the game would have been much better if the designers spent a little bit more time on the little things. Because of those flaws in the game I could only give it 3 stars. My suggestion to anybody that might be interested in this game would be to go out and at least rent it to se if you can live with the inadequacies that I have mentioned.

I was quite disappointed with the setup menu screens. It's kind of hard to maneuver through. Game play is not as smooth as it should be. Goal scoring and play seemed realistic, but it was hard to score at times. Worth playing but maybe for a little less.

NHL 2K is a great game it has it ups and downs like it takes up a ton of space on the VMU and when you play 2 player when you pass it it goes to the 2nd player insted of your player thats when you play on the same team. The detail is great it has every thing, on the puck it has the writing and when you turn fast the ice sprayes up this is a great game.

For myself, I rate this game a 5. For the overall public, I rate this game a 4. Quite simply, this isn't your old NHL game from EA Sports. The graphics are far superior.. it's amazing to see your favorite players on the ice and be able to tell the apart my their faces. I also love the added touch of choosing your jersey. The only 2 downfalls I can see. 1.) I'm used to playing NHL with my younger brother, the both of us on the same team. NHL2K changes the whole way that type of game is played, making player 2 the default player. (Ie. I (as player 1) pass to a non controlled player, it switches player 2 to that person.) 2.) It isn't the fast paced shoot out NHL hockey is. This, however, I don't find to be a downfall, as far as I'm concerned. Sure, I love blowing apart the Red Wings 14-1, but it's much more realistic to poke in a rebound a minute into overtime to win 1-0. If realism is your bag, this is your game.

This game is a serious game for video hockey players, I traded NHL2000 (playstation) for it, only a couple regrets, trades are not realistic, you can trade a no-name player for a star by pressing a button, and it dosen't give a leader stat board, but the gameplay is all that really matters. It is awesome, no mach 3 hyper speed burst, no knock em flat every time checks, it is more realistic than any hockey I've ever played without putting on skates. Oh, and there's not a fight every game like most. Finally someone puts a game on the market that will let people just play HOCKEY

I just bought NHL 2k for my Dreamcast and it is amazing. I mean I'm from Toronto and the announcers in the game are Bob Cole and Harry Neale which are the CBC Sports announcers for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Also the graphics are better then any NHL game right now. In NHL 2000 the graphics are good but they always look like 3D boxes playing hockey. In the Dreamcast version the players are more rounded which makes it more realistic. They have every expansion team and you can pick your jersey from the jerseys in 2000 'till the 1922 jerseys. I like how the joystick on the controller helps you make the sharpest turns possible and that it's not quite easy to score. I hope this review helped you.

This is an excellent game if you are a sports fan. The graphics are far more superior to the N64 hockey games. In NHL 2K you can see ice sprays, player reflections, and the streaks left behind by players. The 4 player mode is awesome! If you are planning to buy a dreamcast buy this game.

I just rented this game, the graphic's or pretty good, but the gameplay is not good, and the controlls aren't good. If you want to buy a great hockey game buy NHL 2000 for Playstation.

Well it was pretty much what i'd expect from the first generation hockey for the DC. Yeah they could of made the siren a little louder and maybe even added injuries to the game. The hitting, and board smashing is lovely, yes this is a must by for all NHL fans,one other thing that they could have added was the use of the jump pack, but remember this is first generation expect a hole lot more on NHL2K1

NHL2K. I have to admit, I just recently bought my Dreamcast and this was the game that I really wanted. I had played both NFL2K and NBA2K, and was blown away by the game play of both. So when I heard that NHL2K was coming out, I decided to buy a dreamcast. I thought to myself, this is going to be the best hockey game ever. Graphically, this game is far more superior to anything out there, and it should be since the DC is the most powerful system on the market. They have the detail right down to the writing on the puck; it is simply amazing graphically! Little things keep this game from being a five star game. For instance, when a player scores and it goes to a play review you can tell that the puck handler doesn't even have the puck on his stick when he shoots it; not to mention the goalie is almost impossible to score on. Other things that decrease the value of the game is the sound. When you score a goal, it is way to quiet. Even when the sirens go off, it isn't very loud, even with the settings turned up to max. If any of you have ever been to a hockey game before, then you know the siren really gets you pumped up. When you score a goal, it is time to celebrate! The announcers are ok, they just are very repetitive. Don't get me wrong, if you buy this game you will be happy, especially if you are a hockey fan. The main thing that I see here is that this game was rushed so that it could be released at the All Star Break...that is why these "little things" that I mention are left out. This is still a very fun game, and one worth adding to your collection. There are just a few things to correct, that's all. Can't wait til NHL2K1

I was so looking forward to the release of this game. I was prepared to buy it as soon as it came out. But I read some of the negative reviews of it here and elsewhere and initially thought, nah, couldn't be, but maybe I better rent it first and see if I like it.

So I rented it, and while it's not a BAD game, it was a real disappointment to me. I have both NFL 2K and NBA 2K, and both of those games had a very realistic feel to them, and I felt like I was in the game. I can't say the same for NHL 2K.

It's a technically competent game, but there were some drawbacks that shattered the illusion of realism for me. First, it was way too quiet for a hockey game. The commentators were bland and repetitive, and, while this may sound like a minor point, where the heck are the sirens? It doesn't sound like a big deal, but it really takes away from the excitement of scoring a goal when you are rewarded with...silence. The other thing is the puck animation -- I often felt like I was pushing the puck with my mind rather than my stick. That is, there were more than a few times when I wouldn't actually hit the puck, but I'd get fairly close, and it would take off as if it were hit.

Having said that, I will say that one aspect of the game I did like was the control. I liked the simplicity of the control scheme, and the lack of "special" buttons like deke, etc. It made me focus more on playing than on thinking, "ok, which button do I hit now?"

Overall, maybe this game does deserve more than two stars. Like I said, it's not bad. But it was a big disappointment for me, due to my high expectations and also because I saw what was done with football and basketball.

I'll probably buy next year's game, which will hopefully address some of these concerns and will feature the Minnesota Wild.