Tech Blog

[#1]

Hockey of the NHL variety isn’t new on the Wii, since EA’s rival, 2K Sports, has put out an NHL title on Nintendo’s console the last two years running. But EA announced today that they are developing NHL Slapshot for the Wii as we speak at EA Canada in Vancouver. The game is set to launch in September.

This announcement follows another only two weeks ago when EA said it will be including all the teams and players from the juniors in NHL 11 for the PS3 and Xbox 360 . It appears that NHL Slapshot won’t have the junior teams, though I am looking to confirm that.

The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, will be on the cover, and he will be a playable character in the game, though there are no details on whether you would have to unlock him. There is also no word on what modes of the game will be available, and how far EA will be willing to go in terms of online gameplay. Looks like pond hockey will be part of the mix, which is nice, and Be A Pro is probably a given too. We’ll have to wait till maybe E3 or beyond to see what else they have in store.

In addition to the game, EA will have a hockey stick accessory that attaches to the Wii remote for a more lifelike simulation. I was whining about this for the last two years with 2K Sports’ NHL titles. Maybe you don’t come out with a stick the first year, but still nothing after the second?

Anyway, this should make playing the game a lot more interesting. If they got the mechanics right for passing, shooting and stickhandling, then this could be one of the most enjoyable games to play in the fall.