The History of NHL '94 | Classic Gaming Quarterly
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ต.ค. 2024
- CGQ Interview with Amory Wong: bit.ly/1o4GWkA
Episode 36 - The history of NHL '94. Rightfully, one of the most beloved sports games of the classic era, NHL 94 was released on the Sega Genesis in September 1993, on the Super Nintendo in October of 1993, and the Sega CD in January of 1994. It was the last game in the NHL Hockey series before EA decided to change the direction of the series, and there was a bit of a mis-step in 1995 before the series was back to form for NHL 96. By this time, the Genesis had lost some of its luster compared to the Super Nintendo, and with the release of the Sega Saturn and Sony Playstation in 1995, many hardcore gamers had begun moving on to the next generation of consoles. As an interesting aside, the game engine from NHL 94 was used to create Mutant League Hockey.
Show Notes:
At around the 11 minute mark, I said "Most NHL '94 aficionados prefer this game over the Genesis version" when discussing the Super Nintendo release of the game. I meant to say "some" instead of "most", the implication being that most people prefer the Genesis game, but a handful of folks favor the SNES release. I had to re-record this section of the narration, and somehow accidentally replaced the word without realizing it until the episode had been uploaded. This is disappointing since I watch the video several times to make adjustments and weed out errors, but this one slipped through. I am now prepared to have every Tom, Dick, and Harry "correct" me by telling me that it's actually the Genesis version that everyone loves.
Yes, I know that "NHL Hockey" for the DOS PC is considered by some to be the PC version of NHL '94 due to it carrying that name in some territories. It is a completely different game, so I felt that it was outside the purview of this episode.
The equalization of the voice track is inconsistent because I had to re-record some segments. This probably bothers me more than it will bother you.
This episode marks the first time that I have use my Elgato to record anything other than a "retro" console.
In theory, this episode was going to be a quick and easy one. NHL '94 has a much more rich history than I originally thought. And I actually left stuff out that I thought was too obscure for most people to care about.
Yes, I am a Detroit Red Wings fan even though I live in Northern California. It stems from the fact that I was a huge Home Improvement fan in the early 90's, and Tim Allen, a Wings fan, regularly mentioned them on the show. For that reason alone I would always play as the Wings when playing a video game, and that evolved into me becoming a fan of the team. Probably the dumbest reason to support a sports team that I have ever heard, but it's the truth.
This is the second episode in a row for which I am legitimately concerned about getting a copyright strike, this time due to the Swingers footage. But come on, how could I leave it out?
All the usual crapola that no one reads:
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All video game footage featured on Classic Gaming Quarterly is recorded from actual game hardware, unless otherwise noted. As of episode 35, it is recorded in RGB using an XRGB Mini Framemeister and an Elgato Game Capture HD. Prior to that, it was recorded in s-video using am RGB to s-video encoder and a DVD recorder. All videos are edited on a MacBook Pro using Final Cut Pro X.
All box art featured in CGQ videos comes from The Cover Project, found at thecoverproject.net. Check them out for all of your video game insert needs.
Theme music courtesy of Kevin MacLeod: (www.smartsound.com/royalty-free-music/incompetech)
as a gamer and hockey player/fan this was cool to see, since hockey always seems to get ignored! thnx keep it up
My brother and I played the shit out of this game back in the day, as well as '92 and '93. True masterpiece.
NHL 96 Genesis and PC DOS ports are equally fantastic like 94.
During the Super Nintendo segment, I meant to say "Some NHL '94 aficionados prefer this game over the Genesis release." I had to re-record that section for a different reason, and inadvertently replaced the word "some" with "most". MOST PEOPLE PREFER THE GENESIS RELEASE!!!
+Classic Gaming Quarterly LOL this threw me when I heard it. I grew up on the SNES game and I had always heard the Genesis was best. Now that I have both versions to compare, I definitely agree.
+cityside75 while agree with him about the snes version being easier to score on, i disagree with both of u. i have both the genesis and snes and imho the genesis is better BECAUSE its harder to score. i also take out the 1st line guys and play with the 4th line guys that dont get to play in nhl94 and only shooting one-timers cuz i like the challenge. winning 24-0 gets old after a while, and one-timing is just so fun
+Classic Gaming Quarterly The main difference between the Genesis and SNES versions is the 'weight bug'. Basically it's an error that made lighter weight players better hitters/more resilient to hits than heavier players. It has now been fixed in the Genesis version but in my opinion easily makes the SNES version technically superior when discussing the release code versions.
much bigger difference, the whole flow of the game play was different, sound... I tried both, Genesis was a miles better, so was Madden, soccer, and every other EA game.
sega dank
It is incredible that there is still a vibrant NHL '94 community more than 30 years after the release.
Yep. NHL 95 and 96 communities are too.
I know some of you are probably thinking "Ugh, we waited a month for a sports game?", but give this one a shot anyway. This was one of the most fun episodes for me to make so far, and I think it's pretty interesting, as well. And if you don't like it, well, the SNES launch episode will be here soon enough...
Ahhh, 90's were a golden decade of Hockey. Absolutely cherished those years.
Great episode... still the best sports game ever made. I had never heard anyone say the SNES version was better than the Genny though. I doubt I'll switch versions after 22 years.
+Flash Back It's not the popular opinion, but there are a few folks who prefer the SNES version. I really do like them both. They're just different. I kinda feel like you gave to own both...
NHL 95 and 96 were both better on SNES in my opinion. More buttons, more actions.
Was about to make the same comment but thankfully someone already did. There are some people who preferred the SNES version, but only because they never played it on Sega.
Compared to Sega, the SNES version was slow, the controls are clunky, and the scoring was even more broken.
Getting stoned ,skipping high school and playing this game with my buds .good times!
Awwwww. Sooo many memories playing the NHL games back on the Genesis. Another great video!
+Todd Gill Thanks Yodd!
Could you talk about the future NHL games like NHL 95, 96, 97 etc.? Because i'd like to see a full history of the franchise
Great video. NHL '94 is one of my favorite sports titles of all time. Definitely the Sega CD version is the best one. It's the only version I have ever owned or played. The authentic organ music rocks. I still remember getting this back in '94 and showing off to my friends the full screen FMV intro. My team in this game was the Rangers. I gotten the game around when they won the Stanley Cup. Now I have the urge to once again pop this in my Sega CD.
+NeoTurboManiac 78 Even in the Playstation days, I was still wow'ed by a good FMV intro.
+Classic Gaming Quarterly
Same here. The Madden games on PlayStation had FMV intro movies and it made me feel like I was "really watching the game..." Damn. FMV was such crap from a technical standpoint, but it sure does trigger that nostalgia switch in my brain.
I grew up on this game series. So many hours. Great job. Maybe i'll pickup the Sega CD version now
This game, among with Lakers vs Celtics was two of my all time favourite titles for the Sega Genesis.
Excellent video. Thanks. I played 93 and 96 in the UK. We had no idea how popular the game was until it was in Swingers. I wish I'd got 94 at the time.
Nice rocking a Red Wings sweater! Good episode too. I have the Genesis & Sega CD versions of NHL 94. It's amazing how well that game has held up over the years. It may not have the realism of modern iterations, but man is it big on fun.
+Duck King A fellow Wing Nut? Thanks for the comment! I myself don't really enjoy too much realism in a sports video game (except for racing games), which is probably why I think that the 16-bit era was the golden age of sports gaming...
+Classic Gaming Quarterly Born and raised in Michigan! When I was a kid, the Wings were terrible! Kids today have never had to experience a truly bad Red Wings team. Ha. They actually won the '97 Stanley Cup on the night I graduated from high school.
Anyhow, I think the 16-bit era was the golden age of gamin in general, honestly. I still love it, but nothing will ever come close to coming home from school and hearing my older brother play the original NHL Hockey on his brand new Genesis. I remember dropping my bookbag, running to his room, and staring in awe.
This was the only sports game in my Genesis library back then and yet it ended up beign my most played game of those times. So many good memories, great to see an in-depth retrospective!
+Riverhill Thanks for watching!
Didn't EA also have to remove their then familiar EASN logo from this game because of a lawsuit from ESPN?
Hence why it's just "EA" in the corner (which looks a bit odd)
+Larry Bundy Jr I have heard that before, but have never researched it myself. The whole "EASN" thing never really made sense outside of being an ESPN ripoff anyway.
Classic Gaming Quarterly
I think it's just branding, EA Sports is so big now it's actually a separate publisher from EA now! (they also had EA Sports BIG! and The Sims as seperate publishers too)
Do you know if there's still a way to play this online with people Larry? Like with Retrocade or something, I'd love to play some retro yellow tag sports games with people -- microtransaction free.
@@mrmusickhimself yeah EA re-released the game on xbox and ps4/5 recently, you can play it online there!
I had 93, 94 and 95 on genesis. Funny enough, 94 was the one I played least. 93 had very similar mechanics and fighting. And in 95 you could create a player, trade, play a season. To each his own I guess.
+john lowe you would of course remember fighting if you played as Detroit on nhl '93...they had some of the best fighters. I remember Bob probert was a decent player and had a max fighting stat.
No one timer though. I would pass and then pass in the net with cousin, we kinda expected some kind of one timer. We always knew what the next game would feature.
Although 94 & 95 were better, 93 held a special spot for me.
I always thought the highlights from other games in-between periods was the greatest thing i ever saw in a video game
Classic video! I haven't seen your newer stuff yet but judging by how in depth you were on the details of hockey at that time and the minds behind this classic game is just perfect and I'm sure it's reflective of your current content.
NHL 94 is also on NHL 06, only in the Playstation 2 version.
is it unlockable?
@@danieldumpweed yes. It is on the main menu in the PS2 version of NHL 06.
I remember getting the Super NES version, and getting totally hooked on it. I had been playing Donkey Kong Country, and a couple of new Genesis games -- but everything else got put on hold for NHL '94... And I've never even been a hockey fan, neither have my parents or my brothers... But we hooked up the Super NES on the big TV and for about two months we all played NHL 94 for at least a few minutes every night. It was a genuine benchmark for hockey games. I can even remember getting my N64 on Christmas, along with Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey, and remarking that I still preferred NHL '94 on my Super NES.
As an owner of all of the games covered here, I totally agree with you on the SEGA CD version of NHL '94 being the best of the lot.
Indeed, a lot of people can't identify with how mindblowing it was back in early 1994 to have a home console game with FMV and speech. While SportsTalk technology had done a great job with providing in-game commentary, the addition of CD-quality sounds and music and of Ron Barr's pre-game previews added a whole new dimension to what a sports game could (and should?) be. The FMV was pretty sweet, too.
I know covering sports games is sometimes kind of verboten, but I always appreciate this kind of content. It's one of my favorite genres, and I enjoy playing older versus newer sports games to see how they've improved or changed over the years. I selfishly hope to see more sports games/series covered down the line.
+Peter Skerritt Yeah I kind of figured that I was taking a risk by covering a sports game, but at the end of the day I do this channel for myself, so it's OK if not all of the episodes have mass appeal. I will probably do a similar episode for one of the Genesis Madden games at some point, and also for the Genesis PGA tour series. Thanks as always for always checking out my stuff!
+Classic Gaming Quarterly man, fuck the ultra nerds who can't get into this game. Genesis sales were as good as we they were because unlike SNES they had sports games.
I agree. It was something that the Genesis did well that the SNES was generally lacking. Most sports games on the SNES, even the EA games, aren't very good. This game is a notable exception. Thanks for the comment!
+Spyder I was just reminiscing about the gap between the Genesis and the SNES when it came to sports games-- especially from EA. It really wasn't until NBA Live 95 that the two consoles got close, and even then, other sports always tended to lean in favor of the Genesis.
One notable exception (IMO) was Tecmo. The Tecmo Super Bowl series and Tecmo Super NBA Basketball were superior on the SNES; the Genesis versions had washed out visuals and degraded sound... although the SNES never got Tecmo Super Hockey.
Glad to see another sports gaming fan!
+Peter Skerritt I like games, and have enjoyed sport games in franchises I never watch in real life. ultimately these games can be as artistic in how it tries to balance fun and realism and technical limitations as any other genre that takes on the trappings of the real world. that's not including the out of the real biggest arcade games ever with midways jam and blitz series.
This needs an updated video with NHL 94 Rewind :-)
As a lifelong Sabres fan, and Buffalo, NY ex-pat, I have to say I am pleased with seeing my team represented here. All the nostalgia came rushing back for simpler times of being able to spend a weekend running play off brackets with my friends, each of us drafting a certain number of teams and keeping track on left over poster board. Plus, always nice to see the Whale and Quebec.
I've been watching lots of your videos. This is one of the best. I learned so much about the history, which I think is really your bread and butter. Keep up the good work!
Thanks!
Just watched this today. Excellent. I was stoked to see you include the Sega CD version! It was fantastic hearing the clear sounds and organ music, just to mention one upgrade over cart versions. I love the art, pictures, and gameplay clips.
Thanks man!
I saw the tantalizing tale of the NHL '95 master and the epic comeback that still brings out great memories for that person. I witnessed my own version of this a few years ago at my annual video game 'Thunderdome' I run with my high school tennis team. I put my players into various 4-person teams. While this isn't NHL '94 related, it is hockey related as it involved NES' Ice Hockey. My team that season had 3 brothers (a freshman, a junior and a senior) on it, each in a different grade and they constantly gave each other crap to the point where it made practices pretty comical. So sure enough for our annual video game tournament two of the brothers get pitted against one another in NES Ice Hockey. The brothers were all a bit socially awkward to say the least so their heckling of one another brought out more laughter for all ridiculous it sounded than more aggressive / cutting remarks you hear high schoolers occasionally rail against one another. It was the oldest brother against the youngest brother. The senior started out strong, taking a 3-0 lead while the freshman couldn't even figure out how to shoot the puck much to amusement of the rest of the team. The 2nd period wasn't much better for the freshman and he gave up 4 more goals to make it 7-0 going into the 3rd. And like the previous tale the 3rd period brought about a comeback for the ages as the senior suddenly seemed to struggle and pretty soon it was 3-7 with each goal adding to the level of excitement as the team kind of rallied around the younger brother. Then 4-7, then 5-7. Now the team with the senior as part of it is clearly getting nervous. 1st place in the tournament was at stake, and the lead seemed to be disappearing faster than snow in April. Then it was 6-7 with a minute left to play. 3/4ths of the team is rooting for the freshman, while the other 1/4th is yelling at the senior to concentrate and not mess it up. Then with 5 seconds left the game is tied and the game goes to overtime. In NES Ice Hockey, there is no sudden death overtime, it simply plays like a normal period of hockey. Neither brother could score on one another in overtime, so the game goes to a shootout. The team is just going crazy as the excitement level is off the charts. The goalies again stood tall and the game would go to another overtime. Yet little did we know, after that shootout, not only was it overtime, but it was goalie-less overtime. So as soon as it was realized there were not goalies the pucks were just being fired from everywhere as both the freshman and senior looked or a cheap goal. Ultimately the freshman managed to net two empty net goals while the senior couldn't even cash in on the empty cage. Freshman 9, Senior 7...and it was pandemonium. The senior just buried his face into his hands as he felt humiliated by his own little brother in front of the rest of the team. The freshman was praised and while a few walked over to console the humbled and ashamed senior. Ultimately, it was just another moment of our tennis season that we all laughed about. I wouldn't say it was the greatest moment of my life, but it was one of my fondest video game memories ever.
I had a special signature move called " the short stuff". It was basically a flukey manoeuvre that took advantage of a glitch in the game. Regardless, it worked sometimes and when it did it drove my brother crazy. We actually had a fist fight because of it and my father had to break it up. I could not stop laughing every time I used the move and my brother was the victim of it. He had enough and the rest is history.
This is a beautiful game that makes me nostalgic for the halycon days of my youth.
Nice Jersey , i live out side of Detroit and grew up playing the NHL ‘94 Sega games . Bring back memories
Dude, it was AWESOME hearing the song when the blues score a goal from this game. Fun video, keep it up
Thanks, Adam!
Thank you so much for this episode! NHL '94 is IMO the best sports game ever made, and my favorite as well. I only collect what I believe to be top tier games for each system, and a copy of NHL '94 for the Genesis proudly stands on my shelf.It's such a perfect mix of arcadey goodness and somewhat realistic elements, they got this down to a science. You did a good job talking it up.For a huge hockey fanatic like myself, this is a game that will never go out of style.
+FinalBaton Thanks man! I totally agree. My game library is all about quality over quantity, but as you can see, I still own all 3 versions of NHL '94...
+FinalBaton You should get on the site, nhl94.com, we have leagues, it's amazing.
J Claxton I signed up for the forums while producing this episode. Great site!
great video as always. NHL 96 on the SNES was mine and my brother's jam growing up. never played 94, actually, but 96 was great and included fighting (:
+Lars “B” Amble 96/97/98 are all great games, but just have a very different feel to 92/93/94. Although I'm talking about the Genesis games when i say that. I don't believe that I've played NHL 96 on the SNES, so maybe I'll give it a try when I get home tonight. Thanks for watching and thanks for the kind words!!
NHL 94 was also included in NHL 06 (PS2)
+jconsolmagno Yeah someone else told me the same thing. I totally missed that. :(
Time for an updated video! Would love to get your perspective on the online and local tournament/league scenes. Your production value is quite good.
I'm not a sports guy, but these always remind me of my brother. He would rope me into playing them, and I eventually liked the games. =)
I remember falling in love with EA's first Madden game for the Genesis, and my excitement grew further with "Celtics vs. Lakers and the NBA Playoffs" Just look at the back of the cover, how can you NOT get excited! ... especially a young teen in the 90's. You know, I never played '94...I bought NHL Hockey, though and was excited to play it. EA made some GREAT sports games, and Madden and NHL Hockey were some of the favorites of my dad and I...he still played, even though I always beat him, BADLY.
Breakfast? Breakfast, shmreakfast. Look at the score, for Christ's sake. It's only in the middle of the second period and I'm running 12 to 2. Breakfasts come and go Rene, but Hartford, "the Whale," they only beat Vancouver once, maybe twice in a lifetime.
+c damm My only regret is that I have but one "thumbs-up" to give.
+Classic Gaming Quarterly I'm just surprised it took this long for someone to lay that quote down ..
Man there was a time in my life where waking up and immediately unpausing the NHL game from the night before was my exact life. I was exactly like Brodie, a lazy smart ass who kept his girlfriend and mom far apart. Maybe that's why the movie still sticks with me so hard.
I still quote that and nobody ever gets it. I think I’ll try it on my girlfriend. To be fair, she was like 5 when that movie came out, though, and hasn’t played much Genesis.
mallrats
I love hockey and the NHL, as a Pittsburgh Penguins fan, this version of the game is like a glorious time capsule. We originally had NHLPA 93 and later 95 (which I still have). I didn't have NHL 94, but my cousins did, so I was able to play it.
Only CGQ could make a history of a sports game video that had me excited to watch it! Sports! Great information, and well done!
+The Game Grinder Thanks man! High praise.
The interview was a good read too! Keep up the great work!
+Classic Gaming Quarterly You must be kidding me!? Lol much like Altered Beast my first video was your release and research on the Genesis. On my 2nd video and here I am watching clips from only the Best Movie of all-time Swingers!! I'm sold you just gained a loyal subscribed fanatic!! Thank you
Stumbling upon NHL94 online was one of the best moments of my adult life! Now I am addicted to the leagues + editing ROMs.
It is amazing how easy it is to edit the ROM thanks to the NHL94 gods who had a boatload of know-how about the game and coding. One dude created the 30-team ROM out of the original ROM, another created the NOSE tool to edit everything as easily as you'd edit a spreadsheet. Unreal. This game still has so much life thanks to emulators and the NHL94 website/community.
Thanks for the great watch!
P.S. - Also, thanks for showing our NHL16 update w/ Toews on the title screen :) Make sure to check out the trade deadline iteration of NHL16 version (3 weeks from now) - your boy Larkin is now a certified sicko w/ 99 speed!
+mskipper19 I agree, the edited ROMs are awesome. I have a folder dedicated to them on my Everdrive's SD card. Thanks for watching and thanks for the great comment!
NHL 6 for the PS2 had NHL 94 on it, I was suprised it wasn't mentioned.
Fantastic info in this vid, still lovin the good old NHL'94! Great job putting this video together, a fitting tribute to one of the best.
+simrevival Thanks!
Love this game, took some time to get the hang of it but it's earns a spot on the podium with the best sport games like Sensible Soccer and NBA Jam on the SEGA Mega Drive. Most sportgames don't age well so this a true timeless masterpiece. Every game is packed with action and you've literally have to work hard for the victory. I've enjoyed your video, keep up the good work.
Love the game. Literally played it first time last time and is now my most played 16bit game. No offsides during the footage did bug me though, no wonder there were so many goals xD
+Sean Metivier I always play the game with the penalties on, except off-sides. The game AI is just too stupid to stay on-sides and it drives me crazy. Thanks for watching!
This is beauty. Thanks for making!
Showing some love for the sports games. Awesome, dude. Great video.
+cj694x2 Thanks!
Don't even particularly like hockey but this was a great retrospective
I have always loved NHLPA 93 and Mutant League Hockey, but I agree NHL 94 CD is goddamn awesome.
I LOVE The NHL series. I first played it on the SNES with NHL 95.
I will tell you this much...I love that you put in the organ music bit. GO BLUES!
When you have the game paused on the Sega CD version, you can hear detailed background noises of the arena which I thought was a wonderful addition which really added to the atmosphere of the game.
The crowd definitely looks better on the CD and I think some animations are enhanced as well. Definitely the definitive version of the game to own.
I loved this game at the time but there was a move that guaranteed a goal. Bring the puck in the zone and dip behind the goal line and then go out front and move across the goal. The goalie was always too slow and the puck was in the net with ease. My friends and I agreed to never do that or the goal didn't count. Stanley Cup on the SNES has a similar move. Dump the puck in from center ice as you approach the blue line and the puck will go over the goalie's head and in the net. The timing isn't too difficult to master.
This can be stopped by taking control of the goalie...
Interesting choice with NHL 94. Lots of cool info that I didn't know about a classic game. Great job as always!
+Captain Natron I think it's a great game with a large fan base, and there really isn't much coverage of it here on TH-cam. Glad you enjoyed it!
Thumbs up for that Roy rings quote.
I can't believe you don't have more subscribers with such high quality content! I'll try to share your videos as much as I can :)
+Samuel Bouic Thanks, man. I really appreciate that!
Damn just hearing the sounds of this game brings back memories
Good stuff, man. I don't play many sports games (or really follow sports at all, period), so episodes like this area really interesting to me. The Sega CD version definitely seems like the one to get, assuming one has access to the platform.
+Gameplay and Talk Yeah, I wouldn't go out and buy a Sega CD console just to play it, but if you already have one, the CD version will run you about the same as the cart.
Nhl 94 is the best sports game ever made! And nhl 94 rewind with today’s rosters is awesome as well!!!
Classic. I still break out the Genesis every now and then to play this
Aw yeeeaah! Best hockey game ever! GO KINGS GO! Great work, Chris. You subscribers have climbed fast! Congrats man!
+Anthony Garcia Thanks dude!
Good job of getting SNES footage of the slapshot through the broken glass, JIBBA.
+jimerc21 Why thank you, TEDDY. :P
Loved this game as a kid. Thousand bonus points for that Wings jersey! LGRW!
You didn't talk about the computer version. That was the best one!
It had PA announcer, 4 lines and more customizable, and a full-season mode. That was the best!
E A SPORTS ITS IN THE GAME.... imiss these good times and good friends from the past. sigh getting old. great video though.
Played the '93 version of this game all the time. Despite not knowing anything about the sport or even liking Ice Hockey, I just loved playing it.
+Adam Weishaupt Video games are funny that way. I couldn't care less about golf, but I love golf video games.
Thanks for watching!!!
LOVE this Game. Played over 100 Matches with the Blackhawks, all won. :-) And the Battery still works today!
My fav hockey game of all time NHL 94 The controls are so solid
Your channel is extremly good. Looking forward for more videos of video game consoles and their release titles.
Fantastic, in-depth review of one of my all time favorites. I really learned a lot from this video and the interview on your website. I'm curious, have you ever tried the PC version of NHL 96? I feel it's a real hidden gem as this version was never released on another platform. It combines the 2d sprites of the 16-bit games with 3d arenas similar to FIFA and NBA Live of the same period. It builds on some of the improvements that were added for the Sega CD version. In particular, the sound in this version is amazing and it can be a real challenge to score. Definitely worth a look if you're interested.
+cityside75 Thanks! I have not tried NHL 96 on the PC, but will try to remember to check it out. I only had a DOS machine until something like 1998, so I missed out on the first few years of Windows 95/98 gaming.
Loved the Patrick Roy joke! as an Avs fan I always welcome those lol
On a random Friday night, back in the 90's, I put together a NHL 94 hockey tournament one night. My buddies (10 dudes) got together at my my parents house while they were away on vacation. ( i was about 17 )We set up on two tv's playing NHL 94 on 2 Genesis systems. Everyone was very good and we put $10 bucks each in the pool.. The final game came down to me and my friend at 2am after playing all night lol. He was Chicago, I was New Jersey. It came down to the final game 7.
After regulation and over time, the game was still tied. We had to re-start a new game, with "next goal wins" ...... I will always remember how the game winning goal unfolded lol.
His player came down the wing w the puck and shot the puck into the zone.(dump and chase) I took control of my goalie to cut off the puck behind the net, but the puck went by my goalie, because the puck was shot so hard. Everything went in slo motion next in my mind. lol.
His player grab the puck at the blue line and shot it right away. The puck floated in the air. I scrambled to get my goalie back in the net and dove to make the save, but didn't and that was game over. We had alot of fun that night playing NHL 94.
That's awesome, man! Thanks for the comment. Sorry you lost, though.
thanks man. I got him back in a Madden ftball tourny a cpl years later. lol
another great episode! This game is a blast with 4 players.
+Kevin Conley Thanks man! I would love to play it 4-player some time.
The overseas version of NHL was EA Hockey. We had it in the UK and instead of club teams it was international teams. The USSR versus the US was a favourite. From memory Yugoslavia and Sweden were also good. Definitely up there with my favourite games: sensible soccer, vice city and battlefront
Your right this was the true golden age of the NHL
Also the NHL players started playing for there counties in the playoffs too.
OMG 1990s is my favorite Era how I wish I could go back.
The best music too.
Another great episode!
Great video would love to see more history videos like this
+ivan andrade I am steering the channel in that direction, for sure.
Great video man, always enjoy watching these.
+Retro Game Players Thanks dude!
Just curious as to why '94 in particular was considered better than the subsequent sequels on the Genesis / SNES that they had until 99 or so? I would have thought the added features / season modes etc would make it better.
I'm also curious to hear the answer.
+valgalder I personally don't think that NHL 95 is as bad as some people make it out to be. EA just wanted to go in a different direction after NHL 94, rather than just tinkering with the same core that made up the first 3 games. Mark Lesser still programmed the games (talking about the Genesis versions), but Michael Brook wanted them to be faster. Speaking specifically about NHL 95, somehow the AI got even dumber. Passing was already hit-or-miss with the first 3 games, and somehow got even worse. On the bright side, you could play a full season. I think it just took them an extra year to get it right once they changed the formula, and by that time the Genesis had started to lose its luster and gamers had begun moving on to the next generation of consoles. NHL 94 is the best hockey game that came out in the heyday of 16-bit consoles, but NHL 96/9798 are in my opinion better games (although they're all practically the same game).
+Classic Gaming Quarterly Thanks! Yeah that makes sense..
+Classic Gaming Quarterly over at NHL94.com someone interviewed a software engineer for NHL 95 SNES and EA wanted to have the game look different each year after 94. They did it in 95 and then again in 96 but kept 96-98 the same look. All the EA NHL 16 bit games are great, but we love 95 the most and still hold a tourney each year. you can read about them on segathon.com
Also there was clips from other games during the periods and ron barr telling you who was on a hot or cold streak
great video. brought back a lot of childhood memories
My favorite game ever. Once they had actual players identified and the stats tracker. It helped me get through college....................holding off getting high to play until after i finished schoolwork. I still have notebooks with stats, even with my own teams where i used different older fighters to replace the guys overrated. Hell i had penalty per gm totals, all star teams etc. Fond memories
Love the Genesis era NHL games!! Awesome video Chris!!
+Keith Carlson Thanks man!!
Fantastic video. I played a lot of the 16-bit NHL games in my early teenage years and they're some of my favourite games to date. I still play NHL 96 for the Genesis on a regular basis. It'd be cool if you did a follow up comparing the yearly releases.
I wonder, if that "fight issue" was the reason why NHL Hockey was released as EA Hockey in Europe?
NHL 94, NBA Jam TE and Sensible World Of Soccer are the only 90s sports games I still play every now and then.
This is such a great video, why doesn't it have more views?
The fighting in hockey I never thought would be around. Although not common in hockey these days, from what I saw in the games, they look a lot of fun. Hockey however is not my favorite sport to play (as much as baseball and football) but the fighting in the game is what's gonna make me play the game the most. Definitely will find some time to play that.
great stuff, thanks for the effort put into this! not sure why some people have such a hatred of sports games
+taysb2220 Thanks man. I don't know either, but I like them...
+Classic Gaming Quarterly
4 player Virtua Tennis is the greatest sports game experience known to man. But it can also cause relationships to become damaged or even broken, so be careful.
never was a hokey guy, but I appreciate how much these sports games effected the industry, and I'm not gonna say no to making Wayne Gretzky bleed.
I got my sega system n nhl 94 for christmas,fond memories
NHL Hockey for the PC is not just considered to be the PC version of NHL 94, it is the version! Same thing with NHL Hockey 95 for the PC.
That was great. Please more of these.
+Automatik Already working on the next episode. Thanks!
NHL '96 (for the SNES) is the reason I learned all the player's names.
NHL 94 was also included on the PS2 version of NHL 06, all the player names were changed from the originals but all else is there, rumor was that names of programmers and others were used for player names. Did i miss this being mentioned in the video?
If I can hear Brass Bonanza and score with Kevin Dineen in the same game I’m sold.
I played NHL 93 or 94 at my neighbors house, which caused me to ask for NHL 98 on the n64 a year later ( I sort of regert that decision now though! )
The Anniverssary Mode in NHL 14 is so awesome though! It's like if they bundled the NFL Blitz or NBA Jam remakes into Madden or the new NBA game!!
The greatest sports game ever, eh? I do appreciate the sentiment for NHL 94, but boy oh boy, the Tecmo Super Bowl fans are really gonna FIGHT you for that one!
Wow, I had no idea the "EA Sports" logo voice had been around that long.
+SykoFox Yeah, I pulled that clip from the intro of the SNES version of the game. Interestingly, it was not in the intro for the Genesis version.
Just discovered your channel first video and instant sub!! The Madden series for Genesis would be phenomenal
I was a Nintendo honk in the 90's, but everyone knows the NHL games on Sega were the only way to fly.
Best part is when it showed highlights of other games during Intermission
Wow, your videos keep getting better and better. I'm noticing some production improvements.... Awesome vid breh.
The greatest hockey game ever..to this day!
NHL '94 for the PC was even better. They included a full regular season with NHL awards and playoffs. The sound was even more realistic, as pucks shot off the goalies leg pads almost sound real. There was a public announcer voice in the game to announce goals, assists and penalties. Of course since you don't cover PC games, and the fact PC games are not as widespread as console games ever were, NHL '94(and even '95) were technically the best video hockey games ever created.