Feels Like 2K Hockey
Overall, the game reminded me a lot of NHL 2K8 when it came to the feel of it on the ice; the one-on-one dekeing animations against the goaltender, the responsiveness to hits, etc. The manual dekeing in particular felt much better (especially since the game offers a pseudo-2K8 control scheme option). The superstar moves are still there, which I actually enjoyed, especially if you’re trying to have some fun in the shootout.
On that note, I do like the goaltenders, and some of their animations, positioning techniques are a breath of fresh air from various AI issues of other sports video game franchises. And for the record, in the one game I did play, there did not appear to be any glaring issues with the AI on any occasion.
“Road To The Cup” Mode
To my surprise, however, the most fun I had with the game wasn’t necessarily in the quick match I played, but in the new Road To The Cup mini-game feature. I joined a game with three of the 2K developers, Anthony Yampol, Nicholas Shewchuk and Ben Bishop, starting off a long journey through a plethora of quick games.
You begin by selecting your “Mii” character, which definitely adds fun to the game. Once the game starts, the first player spins a large wheel split into colored sections indicating a range of activities: one-player or four-player mini-games, trivia, Mini Rink, etc. If you happen to get thrown into a multiplayer battle, then the spinner of the wheel gets to choose one of five mini-games for all to compete in, the winner of which receives “fans” (points). The process repeats until someone reaches 1,000 fans; at this point, there is a final multiplayer game, which is basically a free-for all that determines who wins the cup. If you happened to be the one to reach 1,000 fans, then you have the benefit of going into this final game with a handicap, increasing your chances of winning it all.
Not only was each mini game fun, but some of the older fans will enjoy the inclusion of Mini Rink into this mode that we’ve been able to use since 2K4. It’s so fast-paced and wide open it could basically end at any time, so everyone involved is on the edge of their seat. It really is a mode that could be used either with hardcore puckheads or casual fans.
