NHL 06 Critic Reviews

Diehards will love the reduced emphasis on checking, while more casual fans should enjoy the new skill stick moves and the ability to place your shot wherever you please. Best of all, every rule change has made it into the game.

When you mix the reinvigorated gameplay with the familiar RPG-lite, detail-intensive Dynasty Mode, you've got a hockey sim that the "Swingers" crew would call "pretty damn money."

A tremendous sports simulation, so if you have any love for hockey, not owning this game is downright inexcusable.

A solid game that is lacking in a few departments. The in-game additions are fantastic, but changes need to be made to 'Franchise Mode'. Additionally, I really wanted to see Free4All available on Xbox Live, because it makes no sense to have this mode of play only offline.

The addition of some gameplay moves, the fast-paced gameplay and stellar presentation assure that fans of the series won't be disappointed.

Moreso than previous years, the graphics in NHL 06 are very tight. Still not Visual Concepts spectacular, but getting there.

A kick-ass game of hockey that stands to be the best EA has ever produced.

EA's NHL title has certainly been improved over last year's offering and may actually be their finest work since "NHL 94." However, it feels like there have been more fixes than any truly groundbreaking additions to the game.

NHL 06 may not have the right to claim the most improved version, however, it has tons of modes and the updated rules and players. It has great controls and adjusts to any skill level.

There is no denying EA when it comes to slick presentation, fluid gameplay, and topnotch animations, but its breakneck pace, and broken goalies will definitely take away some of its charm.

NHL 06 is as good as it gets in console hockey.

Not that much has happened since the last time. The AI players have great difficulties especially in defense and maintaining a controlled defensive line-up is next to impossible. Nice atmosphere, though.

With Xbox Live play, solid controls, and a great presentation, NHL 06 should satisfy even the hardest puckhead.

As the greatest and most enjoyable recreation of the sport since the 16-bit era, NHL 06 deserves to sit alongside the likes of "Pro Evo" as a sporting highlight that any gamer can enjoy.

EA has made a lot of strides with NHL 06, especially on the offensive side of the ice. That being said, the AI is still a problem area that prevents the series from reaching its maximum potential.

Okay, so it feels a bit better than last year, but not by much.

In many ways, NHL 06 really could be considered the best console hockey game to ever hit the ice – that is, if it weren't for the handful of glaring issues that have been with the game for years and EA simply refuses to address, not the least of which is EA's poor integration of online play through Xbox Live.

If you're jonesing for some Hockey action, EA's NHL 06 is well worth checking into. If you prefer a style of play more akin to the stuff we saw back in the SEGA Genesis days, this is your game. Less complexity - more fun.

NHL 06 may not be the greatest hockey game I've ever played, it's leaps and bounds above last years offering.

The only major issue I take with the game is one that I take with almost every single game put out by EA, lack of a solid instruction manual. I for one would appreciate complete information on how to play the game and use new features, what certain options do, and maybe some "rules" information for new comers to the game. I don't want cliff notes, I want the book.