The Greatest NHL Video Game of All Time

While some may prefer NHL ’94, or 2004, or NHL 2K10, or maybe 2K7, between the new gameplay additions 2K8 brought, the game's focus on realism and simulation-style gameplay, the presentation, the incredibly deep franchise mode, the large number of classic teams and uniforms, the attention to detail, and more, 2K8 takes the cake for me as the greatest NHL video game of all time.
#retrospective #SOFTDRINKTV #game #review #sdtv

[@SOFTDRINKTV]

What's your favorite NHL game of all time? Agree with me, disagree? Let me know

[@Badboyjimmybob]

I have never played 2k8 but I wonder what I would feel like but I own 2k5 and it’s elite but 2k8 sounds insaine so that’s cool

[@mike91mdk45]

Haven't played many, as i was always more a football guy. That said, nhl '94, nhl hitz '02, and 2k7 have to be on my list

[@joshuaderatus9916]

nhl 2k 5. Made a team called the Oakland Slashers. NHL First ever all African American team. won 3 chips in franchise.

[@Ihatesports420]

nhl14 for me. eashl hut and gm connected were all extremely fun on that game

[@drewfletch9685]

......The HITZ Series is easily the best!

[@ST0NE_206]

It’s honestly crazy how these old 15+ year old games are light years better than the ones we have today :/

[@jamalwilkins6951]

EA

[@ironbear53]

No competition today

[@tee_buckets]

No lie!! I agree!! 💯

[@Frog_Whisperer]

@Dani G80 this is about sports games not about how young boys are expressing themselves, come on man don’t be bringing up that stuff on a channel for sport games

[@shawklan27]

@Dani G80 now THIS is a certified old man yells at cloud moment

[@Multiscreen_of_Madness]

After playing loads of NHL 22 with the boys, I can confirm that I wholeheartedly miss the 2k generation of hockey.

[@Badboyjimmybob]

Nhl 22 is decent but man that countless glitches in nhl 22 eashl is so annoying I just play 6th gen nhl games with are way way better than nhl 22

[@Eonj94]

@@Badboyjimmybob there’s so much cheese and buggy stuff. Unfortunately all we have tho

[@Badboyjimmybob]

@@Eonj94 that’s facts

[@zoopie_doop8957]

NHL 22 isn’t even a bad game, it’s EA’s best sports game by miles

[@Eonj94]

@@zoopie_doop8957 you’re high as hell

[@ejf0255]

As a owner of nearly 100 NHL games. 2k10 is my go to for "best" game. AI is tight. Add your music. HUGE to the fun. 2k8 is a great runner up. Sadly 10 plus years later games suck.

[@Vilgotczky]

You can add your own music in 2k10?

[@dr.loomis4221]

There's too much of a priority on animation in that game...especially with the stumble shots.

[@ejf0255]

@@dr.loomis4221 true. Looks can be deceiving. 2K10 looks bad (now) but the AI is 10x better. Arenas look great too. EA has done notta in AI or areans. Maybe this year a little in the arenas. But that AI. Nope. They already admitted that NO new updates will be made to NHL23 as they "get ready for NHL24"LOL. EA sucks so bad.

[@SuperballsSupervidsOnYT]

In broadcast view 2k10 looks unsurpassed at moments. Especially in incidental contact moments, stick lifts and random jostling.

[@bigdaddytrips6197]

After NHL 24 season mode got an error code and wouldn't let me continue my season half way threw I had enough and went out and bought nhl2k5, nhl 06 , NHL 12. I'll be set for a while . I'm done with the new NHL games EA puts out. They are broken trash .

[@redjed100]

I wouldn’t use the term “clunky” to describe how 2K sports games play in comparison to EA’s. They move at a slower pace, and if “NFL 2K5” is any indication, this is done to highlight the mechanical density of the sport they’re representing.

[@SOFTDRINKTV]

I agree, it’s more realistic, but someone used to more arcade-y sports games would probably refer to it as clunky. I was quoting a common “criticism” of 2K5 I see, although I don’t agree with it.

[@MaXiUmImPuLsE]

If you look at the newer nba 2K games it is clunky and really feels like your characters are sliding and are actually on ice it’s sad

[@MaddMan621]

Yup 2k was always less arcadey than EA in every sport

[@snc237]

Nhl 2k has some decent features but always felt it was way to clunky and the goalies moved so weird

[@48hourrecordsteam45]

I don’t see as a 2k player if he is blind. 2k has more control over players . Ea’s games played like your driving a car in gran Turismo or a boat in grand theft auto….hold gas and steer, brakes and steer . Made the characters run into each other leap and air their legs keep moving. To turn they lean and their feet keep running as if they are hooked up to wires .. And they stand and run hunch back . Their hands and feet and helmets are huge .. They all animate the same and look the same

[@Bruinsduck]

I really miss pre-mtx ultimate team sports games. All 2k NHL games were underrated. Shame EA doesnt have competition today

[@jaheimmoultrie7584]

i agree, even all ea nhl 1-14 games were also very underrated as heck.

[@tylershepard5744]

I remember finding a glitch in this game where you could trade a player and still negotiate with them, so I would trade terrible players to teams and then sign them to mega extensions that ruined their cap forever.

[@jeremyrobertson835]

NHL 06 is my all time favorite game. Played it alot as a kid, simple controls, great soundtrack, announcers give interesting information on teams or players who scored, fun skill stick moves

[@hurricanestarang]

Nhl 12 was mine

[@bigdaddytrips6197]

Just bought nhl 12 for 5 bucks , got nhl2k5 and NHL 06 . Just started off with nhl06 , lot of fun but hard to score sometimes.

[@Outta-hz1ej]

Bob Cole and Harry Neale providing commentary was amazing. They were the voices of hockey.

[@chadgrov]

The best pair to ever do it

[@SuperballsSupervidsOnYT]

They are my favorite booth team ever IRL but they never seemed comfortable recording for a game. Their voices are great to hear but their chemistry and energy in the booth never translated well. Oh well at least they never said "geometrically"

[@x4v13rwulf8]

Yay softdrink posted! I've been binge watching ur vids and it's like listening to a time machine. Keep it up man!👍

[@kanetyler4399]

The puck physics in this game were so lit

[@dr.loomis4221]

nobody says lit anymore

[@HT-sm9dm]

@@dr.loomis4221 nobody ever should’ve

[@jaheimmoultrie7584]

Another great video, hopefully you do another NHL video game retrospective, I would really like to see NHL 2k5, NHL 2k6, NHL 2K7, NHL 07, when they introduced the skill stick, NHL 08, NHL 09, NHL 10, I would like to see these 7 future retrospective videos.

[@macinnisss]

Great video man!! NHL 2K3 blew me away back then like no other hockey games did after that, so it would be my pick.

[@Peoplesrepublicoffortnite]

Great work as always. I played 2K8 quite a but when I was a kid, A few years ago I actually jumped back into 2K7 and 10. This video definitely inspired me to run a few franchise modes in 2K8. have to say my favorites will always be 14, 2000 on the ps1, and 06.

[@cheechoo98]

Yup! have to agree with you here! 2K was really building on things that reached it's pinnacle with 2K8. You really felt in-control of all your plays and happenings on the ice. I loved all the Historic teams as well. The goalie AI here was spectacular - and you never felt like there were 'go-to' glitch plays, because you really created your own chances. My friends and I played this and the 2K series to death. Miss it a lot :)

[@Outta-hz1ej]

Being able to play as the Canada Cup and Summit Series teams was amazing. The unlockable teams were so cool. Of course I went in and edited all the names.

[@christianthorpe9848]

NHL 07 was my all time favourite, for all of its flaws. I was introduced to NHL when I picked up NHL Face Off 98 and then NHL 99 from my corner shop for a couple of ££ each. I was addicted to both of those games and, by 2007 I was recording every live game I could find in the UK to a VHS and watch them after school/college the next day. I have since fallen off of NHL in general but I'm deffo gonna look into picking up this game. I picked up NBA 2K11 based off of one of your videos and had an amazing time with it, so I'm hoping for the same again. Keep doing what you're doing!

[@timai7]

Great video !!! I played this game for so long. It was and still is the best hockey game !!! The career mode with the prospect game was so ahead of its time !!!

[@SpecialAgentEBunny]

Blades of Steel, NHL 94, NHL 99 all still get played in my house

[@hankanddaniel6183]

Bruh, I’ve been playing 2k8 since it came out with my friends. The multiplayer franchise mode is so fun for all of us to run our own team. Then we play the games vs each other too! So good!

[@willchomskis]

Keep up the great work! Love your videos!

[@50shadesofbeige88]

NHL 98 was so fun. The cheats and that intro! "Are you willing to donate your body?" .

[@SuperballsSupervidsOnYT]

Great video. I prefer 2k7 myself simply because the 2k3 -2k7 advanced controls to me are the pinnacle of hockey, and contained just about everything you could do with the ea skill stick offensively and defensively to date and it was super polished and fluid. I do see though, that 2k8 does at times throw down better on the ice, but it also plays remarkably similarly to 2k7. Bob Cole and Harry Neale are IRL my favorite booth pair in hockey history, but sadly they just bever seemed comfortable recording for a game, and the play by play suffers for it, and them being brought in for 2k6 was a dream come true, and they were the play by play team in the original 2k game. The guys they got for 2k9 and 10 were peak. I love 2k8. I own literally every 2k hockey game that exists, the franchise was a gaming anchor for me.

[@chadbaileyisawesome]

Awesome. I’m not huge into hockey, but I do enjoy franchise modes. I will look to add it to my collection. Thanks🎉

[@jaheimmoultrie7584]

probably NHL 2K8, NHL 14 is easily my all time favorite retrospective video from soft drink tv video.

[@Unfortunat3S0n]

I remember getting the game used for like $6 over 10 years ago and was surprised at how deep this game was. My favorite part was unlocking all the classic teams with the crazy challenges.

[@energydragon1147]

Yay, Softdrink back with another banger 👏

[@masssification]

I agree. Amazing game flow, goalie ai, and so many little details that add to the immersion factor. Like faceoff animations when there is a false start, kick of the blade to control the puck, etc.)... and that still don't exist on today's games! Plus, what a great selection of jerseys!!! I mean they even have the ugly "Storm jersey" from Tampa. Some weaknesses too, but great package overall, for sure.

[@zlocesti_djedica]

Love your videos btw

[@nickabbott2492]

I forgot I had this game, you’re making me wanna play it now lol

[@wadehenderson9059]

This game brings back so much nostalgia 🥲

[@jduke93]

Thanks for another great upload

[@sallukamara74]

Your videos are fire 🔥

[@KalvinSingh]

I liked NHL 2K9 which I enjoyed the most and still play it

[@EGGUZMAN]

I remember a 2K NHL game that had a score ticker from other games playing around the league. I think it was ESPN 2K5 Hockey. I played that game for hours on the first Xbox console.

[@KevKillinit]

Looking up greatest hockey videogame and finding this video. I was surprised, I thought I was the only one who felt 2K8 is the greatest ever! The franchise mode has so much immersion!

[@TSNAnnotator]

You're right, this is a great game but there's one major issue that I find hard to ignore. I've noticed that sometimes your players don't go after loose pucks. If you're skating towards a loose puck against an opponent your player will feel like it's "magnetized" to your opponent and instead of skating towards the loose puck, they'll go and cross-check your opponent. Very annoying when you want to win the race for the puck, but end up losing it anyways

[@Outta-hz1ej]

Love this game - faceoffs are a little wonky... modded NHL 2004 will still always take the cake for me.

[@reliablethreat23]

NHL 14 is my personal favorite :)

[@TheHuskyK9]

I didn’t play a lot of NHL games but I’m glad I did play this one.

[@tomdub5215]

This was my favorite nhl game of all Time the control was perfect

[@dr.loomis4221]

Always loved the goalie animation in this game.

[@sparticusnumbicus90]

2K7 is my all time favorite, but I had an absolute blast with 2K8; and the goalie system is bar none the best to ever do it.

[@ThunderHockeyTFL]

still have this on ps2, this and 2k3 were my favourite ones

[@TMacGamer]

I still play NHL 99. That is one of my favorite sports games.

[@blairbailey6199]

For N64 I hope ps1 was garbage but hey if that's your jam ant saying shit 🤷‍♂️

[@the.disrespected.sports.gamers]

NHLPA '93, best music, best fights, it's simple but tons of fun still to this day

[@aceassn716]

I still have my Genesis cart as well

[@ajpatella1037]

Hey softdrink, a game that NEEDS some love is Hockey Legacy Manager. While a mobile game, the one-man development team has made an insanely deep managing game that is easy to learn and will keep players coming back for more. HLM 23 is coming out next month and is getting a lot of real neat stuff!

[@bapjap]

Mobile games are different than console ones. Played HLM for three years and found myself bored of it after a while

[@thenotoriousroc3508]

u sound like you're being paid to promote a mobile gm

[@TheTimgta]

​@@thenotoriousroc3508 stg

[@superbaked]

I've been soaking hours into Franchise Mode for over 10 years and can confidently say I have wanted to make this video for a long time and happy someone put some fucking respect on the best NHL game ever made (PS3 version)

[@DarkSideCaster]

Bought a copy yesterday and tried it out. Had a blast with it and love the controls.

[@sketchpen777]

Honestly while I'm not into hockey or sports sims that much, I do love ur content. I miss there arcade like sports games like MLB Slugfest 2003. That game was fun as hell, is the a hockey game in that same vein that can scratch that itch? Yes I've played Wayne Gretzky 3D Hockey, that game was very fun too.

[@aceassn716]

Nhl 2 on 2 open ice Nhl Rock the Rink Nhl Hitz Wayne Gretzky 3d hockey

[@Twigg4075]

I think the only one I own is 2k6? The 2k hockey games were very underrated in my opinion.

[@FG_Plays16]

I love these kinds of vidoes

[@johnfoster2584]

So glad I already have this game!

[@VeNOM3099]

NHL 2K8 is BY FAR, my most cherished NHL videogame ever! Just the goalie engine alone, is worth ten times the price of admission. Like you said, it wasn't about finding the cheese play and constantly score with it, it was about finding the right HOCKEY play that gave you the best chance of scoring. Goalies would move realistically and actually TRY to stop the puck. You could shoot the same way 10 times and the AI goalie would still adjust each time to make a different save. The only sore spot was an animation bug that had them selecting the diving save animation to cover a shot going far side low, (though it wasn't abusable). The franchise mode was phenomenal as well, with all the little things you could do with your team as a coach or as a GM. One more part of the game that's often overlooked was the shootouts or penalty shots. Most games just start with your player immediately picking up the puck from center ice, but 2K8 had various player skate up routines and animations. Even 2K10's skate up animations weren't as varied and as fun to watch.

[@warbeat7639]

Loved playing 2k8 on my ps2 as a kid

[@XxSnipeNationxX]

I remembered this nhl specifically, rare occurrence of grocery shopping with pops. Bought me the game only if I promised to pay him back. Think it was like 40$ ha. Love ya dad, rip ❤️

[@pierresoorden5975]

ESPN NFL 2K5, NBA 2K11, MVP Baseball 2005

[@pierresoorden5975]

the reason those are more commonly said as the GOAT is because the NHL is irrelevent in America

[@peteg2715]

NHL 98

[@pierresoorden5975]

RIP to NHL 2K, MLB 2K, NFL 2K, College Hoops 2K, NCAA College Football 2K

[@VicInNocal]

ESPN NHL 2k5 on the original Xbox (not the PS2 version) is the best game ever. The ESPN presentation and announcing duo of Thorne and Clement put it over the top.

[@F1Fast]

2k was putting out flames back then

[@Opochtli]

Good vid brother

[@basicbattles]

College hoops 2k7 retrospective?

[@mtmcommunity]

Time to head back to my old video game store and pick it up. They had NHL2k02-09 and then some. I got ESPN NHL2k05 today for 6 dollars there. Was also gonna pick up star wars battle front one and II. Also Rachet and Clank. So many classics i gotta pick up

[@dcb99filmz]

I went and picked this up for $4 and had a blast playing it

[@JordanJMyers]

I always liked the old NHL games. Back when Det and Colorado were beast. Used to have some battles lol. Game was so much quicker and just fun. Now its like playing in slo mo

[@randytassugat7400]

I know!!! The EA series were very slow. I preffered the 2K series, increasing every option to play fast and physical.

[@mrZanZibar777]

2K8 sounds awesome, my personal favorite is NHL 07, the PS2/Xbox/PC version. As far as I know, it's the only hockey game that has you pass with the right stick (for some reason they didn't port the new-gen version's skill stick to the old gen but also came up with a new use for the right stick in the process), which IMO is the best use for the right stick in a hockey game.

[@HairyKehvo]

Just found this game for just 2 euros, insta bought! I know what I'll be playing next week 😂 great video!

[@Peccs91]

As a lifelong hockey fan and someone who's played just about every NHL game heavily for the last 15+ years, I'd have to say NHL 09 on PS3 is my favorite, still come back to it from time to time. Not sure what it is. With that said, I wish I would have appreciated the NHL2k games more back in the day. Back then I only cared about graphics, plus the EA titles were soooo much better back then compared to today. Might have to start fooling around with some of these old NHL2k games again.

[@zylenteyez2820]

My favorite is NHL2k6 and I just bought 2k8 off eBay so I'm excited if it will be as fun

[@VideoGameXDomain]

Agreed! 2K5 And 2K8 own all

[@Thewildestvideos2024]

I remember playing this game with my older brother we would play online regular teams and against each other

[@tee_es_bee]

Holy moly, when I was growing up I only had access to/knew of the EA NHL games (was PC locked for quite a long time.) This looks freakin' amazing!!!

[@xKillZone99]

I was the #1 ranked online player in 2k7 and 2k8 such good memories of those 2k hockey games

[@seandillon1359]

Just got it. Thanks man

[@GLee-oe3op]

Something I wonder about updating rosters is updating teams. Implementing the Seattle Kraken or turning the Thrashers into the Jets isn’t as easy as adding modern players

[@jackhewitson1884]

I love this game the franchise mode is insanely deep and it puts later NHL titles which cost far more money to buy to shame. Overall this game is a 10/10 and a must buy for hockey fans.

[@mr198221]

NHL '98 had the greatest intro ever!

[@matthewgattone9893]

2K needs to reprise their hockey franchise. EA only cares about micro transactions and not the quality of their game

[@SportsPlug-cp1eq]

I'm gonna give this one a shot on my ps3

[@SchmidtyFilms]

Only thing that bugs me about this game is how defence doesn’t try to stand up at their blueline. They basically just back right into their net. Goalies also don’t have the ability to direct rebounds. It’s still a lot of fun for a 15 year old game though. I picked up a 360 and a copy of the game 2 months ago and am currently working my way through unlocking the historic teams

[@Limbic82]

Your created player has my last name! Everyone that was in the forums listed their last names with how they were pronounced and the devs had them added to the game. Really miss this franchise

[@oreonation3868]

I never knew NHL 2k existed cause for a while when I was little I thought MLB 2k and NBA 2k were the only sports games that existed. Maybe cause I always played the EA games

[@disco4535]

Obviously it goes without saying, excellent quality video like everything he does. But off topic, I picked up nba 2k22 after not playing an NBA game in over 10 years, and I can't believe how good it is. The franchise mode is insanely deep and customizable. I'm blown away. I see 2k getting hate often, but I'm not sure why. I'd LOVE to see 2k nfl and nhl again. Madden is just awful

[@dennisbowen452]

I don't get it either tbh. I think it's the online multi-player cheese and the microtransactions. which I'd rather have a decent dynasty with no microtransactions in that mode vs a shit dynasty and microtransasctions everywhere

[@MrShanester117]

What I don’t like about 2k is the engine has been the same for years. So what they do is, if something is OP one year they just nerf it. And this nerf just transfers over year after year. So you get a situation where it’s the perfect time to use, for example, a post fade. But then you have to remember that 3 years prior, the post fade was getting spammed online, and 2k just basically broke it as a counter measure. And that carries over year to year so now you have to either, get the one animation that still works or remember what still works and do that instead. That makes it feel like you’re just memorizing animations instead of having free rein to play how you want

[@generalcjg]

The biggest criticism of modern AAA sports games (including NBA 2K) is that they are the same copy paste job on a yearly basis with very little change in between entries, requiring customers to wait years to see if they get anything truly new in the game; it's not like back then in the 90s, 2000s and early 2010s where sports games actually did try to innovate and improve in each entry to make it stand out from the previous one, nowadays all modern sports games mostly copy and paste their games with very little change. The other big criticism of modern AAA sports games is that they have become nothing but money milking machines with the goal to squeeze as much money out of the faithful sports gamers as possible, which makes the developers and publishers of the sports games focus most of their efforts into the Ultimate Team game mode rather than the rest of the game.

[@disco4535]

@@generalcjg Ya that's kind of what I was expecting. Had I been playing it year after year I probably wouldn't be impressed at all lol

[@lucasrios9249]

I get a new NBA 2k every 3 years or so and play exclusively offline and I've always enjoyed it. The yearly changes aren't enough for me to warrant a new purchase and the microtransactions don't apply to me since I don't touch online.

[@Owenthestig]

We need 2k back to make more sports games other than NBA. I loved this game and still go back to it. If EA had some competition I feel they’d kinda have to make their game better

[@iillestrs2153]

Seriously tho! It’s proven on both sides that no competition has made them lazy, even 2k for basketball has gone away from caring about their game or their players due to no competition

[@BrizzleBrah]

you ever thinking of doing a NCAA March Madness series overview?

[@thenotoriousroc3508]

this was smooth. if we cpuld get a best soccer game made soon. feels like the best of sport(s) games have only added to the immersion throughout the yrs looking for something similar w/that sport

[@StevenCurran-uy2yr]

Pond hockey on NHL 2K8 playing Korn and Quiet Riot continue to make my life amazing in December of 2022

[@jwags_]

They need to start releasing nhl like a regular game. Once every three or four years, and just keep updating it. Then, the next game should be vastly different from the last

[@teddyt314]

I instantly picked this up after watching this

[@titowrestling]

NHL Hitz 2002 for me, bro!

[@TheJasonVoorhees]

2K always made arenas unique, old EA games had the same looking arenas for every team

[@Zedman1994]

Fun fact this was my first nhl game and I got it for free when I bought my Xbox 360 from my local Best Buy!

[@mr198221]

Either this or 2K7 had one of the greatest soundtracks ever

[@skeletonmandiecastcollector]

That’s crazy cool how a roster in one of those older games that isn’t EA are still being updated unlike FIFA games. Once a new football (soccer) game comes out, they stop all roster updates because EA wants you to buy the new game. I remember having Fifa 19 and I didn’t want to purchase Fifa 20 yet and when Fifa 20 released, I would go into the roster automatic update in FIFA 19 and it wasn’t working anymore.

[@bigdaddytrips6197]

Just bought nhl2k5 , NHL 06 , NHL 12 , for 5 bucks each . from video game shop that sells old games . I don't know which one to get into first lol

[@kingjoshua1788]

Still waiting on the NFL GameDay retrospective or the rise and fall of 989 studios

[@aceassn716]

Thats 2of us Im sure theres more out there who feel the same I’d even love to see a video about Nfl Fever that game was great as well

[@kingjoshua1788]

@@aceassn716 yeah I agree and NFL Fever was really good very underrated game

[@youngcity4241]

I always heard NHL 94 or 14 were the greatest I’m gotta have to check out 2k8 since I never played it

[@Tomn8er]

You present a good argument and you're making me wish I had played it back in the day - only ever played EA extensively since around 05-06. However, I personally don't like super-realistic sports games. IRL, pretty much half of the goals in the NHL are scored off random deflections or garbage rebounds, there's a ton of emphasis on blocking shots, and players are so big and fast they don't have enough room on the ice to maneuver and properly showcase their skills in 5 on 5. None of that makes for a fun video game.

[@stevengrvp]

I miss the old Sega hockey games

[@PhillyCYOSports]

1:40 - that’s all it comes down to. You like it the most.

[@SpooksDinat]

I miss the 2K NHL Series games..