Unveiling the Creation of 1995's NHL Open Ice 🕹️👾 | The Drop 🏒

Go behind-the-scenes with Arda Öcal and learn about the making of NHL Open Ice: 2 on 2 Challenge. The challenges of making one of the best arcade games of all time leads to stories you do not want to miss! Let us know your favorite duo to use in the comments!
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[@RyanVentura604]

I was today years old when I learned one of the developers of Hit The Ice worked on 2 on 2 NHL Open Ice. Mind blown.

[@ardaocal]

👊🏽👊🏽

[@doomslayerdave]

Jack Haeger is a legendary figure. Worked on the Amiga team. Worked at Williams and Midway. So much great artwork. Tons of amazing games.

[@daviddavenport1485]

We need a remake of this

[@whales_22]

This is hands down my most favorite sports game ever made. I have my PS1 copy still to this day and play it. The arcade and PS copy are different games in having different teams and players on the teams different. They remade Blitz and Jam not too long ago. What’s the hold up guys?! Finish the trinity of Midway sports games and modernize this game with today’s teams and players. Hell, keep it the exact same graphics and gameplay wise but just refresh it and update the logos and players. I promise it would sell more than you think. Let’s make this happen!!

[@mikescorpio13]

yep arcade didnt have Peter Forsberg but my Sakic-Lemieux duo was deadly only Lindros-Renberg gave me trouble oh and John Maclean from NJ was OP hahaha

[@geekloser75]

Including every popular country players

[@Pocketrocket-pj1us]

11:50 The Lunch room scene is soo good. I wish we could see all of that footage! Good Job everyone!!

[@jayemm4]

I was really hoping for an arcade 1up of this game

[@Pugyeg]

Me too. @arcade1up get it done

[@NHL94Podcast]

We used to play during high school lunch. For whatever reason, Guy Hebert played like the second coming of George Vezina and was a wall in goal.

[@HawkVision1992]

I can’t believe you made this. A doc about one of the most unheralded, yet beloved games ever. ESPN… you have kinda redeemed yourselves. “So many hat tricks, he needs a hat rack!”

[@ardaocal]

the game holds a very special place in my heart

[@HawkVision1992]

@@ardaocalSame. The fact that the Hawks are loaded and Pat Foley on the call… perfection.

[@pjmcray101]

"He put the biscuit in the basket" Aww man so many great memories

[@marshmelloman87]

This was my favorite game at the Golf Mill Mall arcade in Niles, IL. I spent so much of my allowance playing this game back in the day 😂 so much fun!

[@MikesArcadeMonitorRepair]

22:43 I can fix them!

[@darktetsuya]

sports games aren't normally my cup of tea, but once Midway got started with it I fell in love with all of theirs! didn't play a ton of this in the arcade but I did love the N64 wayne gretzky game, which I think was a similar concept of NBA JAM on ice!

[@avrysportsshow]

Such a cool feature, such good work by Arda! I do wonder about this NHL Celebrity Hockey game that was scrapped...reading that treatment and timeline.....I wonder if Midway turned this into what became NHL Hitz?

[@93hockeygod]

I’d love a modern remake of this. I doubt it ever happens but a guy can dream

[@ardaocal]

me too

[@mikescorpio13]

better graphics and all time legends roster would be a dream come true.

[@mavsgillis_]

Really glad to see this game finally getting its due!!!

[@lunielouie]

Those Open Ice logo concepts reminded me of the Bud ICE beer back in the day with the penguin in the commercials. DOO-BEE-DOO-BEE-DO

[@onncga]

Great job on this documentary!!!!

[@ItsyoboyJordy]

Favorite Hockey game of all time finally getting some love!

[@mremis]

Well done Arda! Love this game.

[@ardaocal]

🫡

[@Alexirongatewelding]

With Pat foley. It was absolutely amazing.

[@zillioxj]

Great timing. I've always loved this game, and I've been playing it with friends a lot lately

[@brentm9428]

This is my favorite game ever.

[@pouncingpantherpucks2779]

Wow they actually did a little feature on this criminally underrated and forgotten game. Scott Mellanby is sick on this for the Panthers.

[@mikescorpio13]

Kurvers,Maclean,Gagner,Plante and yes the Panthers are tough with Mellanby,Belanger and Murphy

[@trojans7]

AND STILL a better game than any EA NHL game in the last 20 years.

[@imhim-xw9wx]

Knock it off😂😂😂 u just don’t kno how to play EA NHL 24

[@evanwiger]

@@imhim-xw9wx its 100% true bub

[@jdepaz5933]

@@imhim-xw9wxnhl 24 is trash but 21 and 22 are decent, ive heard 14 is legit too but I haven’t played it

[@doomslayerdave]

NHL 14 is one of the greatest hockey games ever made

[@kranibal]

Absolutely. We need a 2024 version.

[@Pocketrocket-pj1us]

Hit the ice was CLASSIC

[@Pocketrocket-pj1us]

Awesome, well done. I'll let you know if the kids enjoy it , I Love this game!! Thanks for the footage and help!!! Thank you!!

[@mikescorpio13]

this was the best Arcade game ever,me and a friend would be unbeatable for many hours hahaha.This has the best feel for a hockey game and it was better than NBA JAM by a mile. Getting across that blue line shooting at the goalies head hahaha fun times.Played it on PC but wasnt feeling the same. Winners didnt pay for the next game and this was the best part of it.And after 3 weeks of going solo play during my lunch break from work haha i made it to the top of the leaderboard with 395 wins ! week-end after the other crazy dude went to far ahead of me i quit... must have been the owner of the arcade playing at night lol Oh and the special codes !!!! Big heads,mini players there was so much content.

[@swissbeats2k]

We need an Arcade1up countercade or full-size cabinet for this game.

[@FloridaManRacer]

I have the arcade version on my PC in emulation... Play it all the time. it's just as good as NBA Jam

[@tarantinoish]

In Swingers they’re not actually playing NHL 94, they’re playing NHL 93, which can be seen when he checks Gretzky and makes his head bleed. There was blood in 93, and they removed it in 94 and after.

[@Pocketrocket-pj1us]

19:30 Great Job Guys. I'm talkin letting everyone in the making of the game, in to the Gsme!!

[@Gizapowerplant]

Jack Haeger is the man! Thanks again Jack and Roger!

[@daviddeming1916]

They need to bring this back!!

[@insertcoindoc]

So amazing to see this!

[@ardaocal]

You rock Josh thanks for all your help with this!

[@user-nv2rk9ql1e]

I played NHL Open Ice 2 on 2 Challenge Arcade game many times at Circus Circus Reno

[@alexisguerra929]

That’s so cool! 🙌🏼

[@lunielouie]

Was this all shot in Chicago? When he said a rink on California, I wonder if he meant McFetridge Park which is still open and busier than ever!

[@Pocketrocket-pj1us]

3:11 I'm sure it didn't hurt that Bettman had become, 'THE COMMISH' of the NHL, after he had left his NBA posisition, only 4 years ago!!!

[@felixdaass]

Respect this game!

[@Marcus_K]

Not a mega-hit like NBA Jam, but Open Ice remains a cult classic. I played the arcade version a lot, usually picked Lemieux/Jagr or Tkachuk/Selanne. I wonder why you so rarely see top-corner shots in Open Ice. The characters mostly just do low-height and mid-height shots.

[@mikescorpio13]

you have to crank from the red line and release high shot at the blue line... knocks the goalie down easy open net.

[@DonJulioPerez-bl4vt]

Best nhl game ever EA SPORTS YOU HAVE A LONG JOURNEY AHEAD OF YOU. ILL NEVER BUY FROM YOU EVER AGAIN WELL UNTIL YOU MAKE IMPROV. GOOD LUCK EA! No hard feelings been hitting you up since 94

[@iAmCyberwaste]

I know there was 3v3 Arcade a while ago, but I'd love for this to come back with the 32 teams

[@gregmahaffey907]

Need arcade 1 up cabinet please

[@Pocketrocket-pj1us]

Okay, who's boon? Obviously the guy worked on the game!! Somebody get that awesome crew together and get Score or Fleer to start using those same faces, we've seen Gretzky Tooo Much:)

[@Ellersbee]

Oh I would travel a half hour in 1995 to play this game

[@mikesill5462]

I don't know how I completely forgot that Roger Sharpe of Pinball legalization fame was at Midway for a bit.

[@babylush11]

I had to emulate this game cause it’s so expensive to get lately.

[@glamrockfoxy6667]

Yes old hockey

[@petergallina1610]

I used to play this game at the rink before my games. The fact that more people don't know about this game is a travesty.

[@bbutters2]

This game was better and more fun than NBA Jam.

[@Pocketrocket-pj1us]

I despise the N64. I sold off me entire collection of 100 games, last week. My Sister, who collects with me, kept her to 20. I kept 1 game.... NBA JAM!!! The 2 on 2, I had on PS1

[@changkwangoh]

PUPPAAAAA!!! PUPPAAA!!! lol #GoBolts

[@glamrockfoxy6667]

Yes Florida Panthers

[@anticorporatists9959]

Is this getting a 1up arcade port

[@daviddeming1916]

Makes u wonder

[@one7decimal2eight]

Watch this at 1.25 speed instead.

[@geekloser75]

Agreed with female hockey stars Kendall schofield

[@johnenwright500]

I was always the Whalers

[@figment1988]

My go to team was the Detroit Red Wings when Dino Cicciarelli, Steve Yzerman and Sergei Fedorov were there.

[@aceassn716]

Brass Bonanza @figment1988 Also a fellow fan here 🐙

[@bobbyboucher-mt2kz]

lol no one played this game lol its NHL HITZ your looking for lol

[@danfortuna1984]

The video game footage for this video is awful lol

[@brenoandrade7775]

16:30 Thats not Pit Fighter. This image doesnt even relates to the comparison made. Pit Fighter also uses real images for the characters, but it wasnt as good as Midway did at that time. You put a pixelated game that has nothing to do with the one he was talking about.

[@idjitsinthekitchen]

Pit fighter on the 7800. Exact screen shot homie. They aren’t talking about the later 16 bit.

[@brenoandrade7775]

@@idjitsinthekitchen No. Theyre not talking about the 16 bit. Theyre talking about the arcade one, that also has full digitalized graphics. Not this one on the screen.

[@bbeaup]

@@brenoandrade7775it’s not a big deal man. You’re yelling at a cloud.

[@brenoandrade7775]

@@bbeaup i just made a correction. The image didnt match waht he was saying. Im not yelling at nothing. This is comment section. If we were suposed to just watch and say nothing if we saw something that catch our attention they would turn it off or put on tv.

[@kylewalsh8809]

This is hilarious 😂