It’s hard to
believe how far hockey has come, both as a sport and as a video game. Look at
its eight-bit roots – Ice Hockey didn’t incorporate half of the innovations we
have today. Yet no matter how far games advance, they always come back to a
more traditional, arcade style of gameplay.
Gretzky NHL
2006 is one of the games trying to capture the magic of the past. Its Wayne
Vs. Wayne mode is surprising at first, perhaps even a little jolting. Its
hyper gameplay moves at a pace far beyond the typical hockey game. The players
skate so fast you’ll swear they were on steroids. No need to report them to
the NHL, it’s just the game’s unusual way of presenting hockey.
Once the
initial feelings (most commonly including "Where’d the puck go!?" and "Didn’t
he just score a minute ago!?") have left, the need for a frame-by-frame replay
passes. Slowly Gretzky’s world begins to surround you, taking you deep into
the land of speed skating, and even deeper to a world of over-the-top
mechanics you thought died with arcades.
Out
of my way! Coming through!
The Wayne
Brothers…uh…Twins?
Gretzky 06
is all about The Great One. He’s not the only star player, but he is the only
one with a special mode where he gets to face himself. In this mode, which is
appropriately titled Wayne Vs. Wayne, players must be the best they’ve ever
been. Score more goals, pass more effectively, and prevent fewer goals from
getting in. It couldn’t hurt to steal more, nor could it hurt to improve your
puck-hogging skills. Do all that, and more, and you’ll earn what the game
refers to as 99 Time. Whoever reaches this point, you or the opposing team is
granted with a sixth player: The Great One himself. It’s temporary, but in
that brief timeframe you could easily take the lead and turn the tide in a
game that wasn’t going your way.
Playing as
Gretzky makes you want to act like a tough guy – the impervious bully that all
the kids hate. (Or the evil government agents that lurk around every corner.
I’ve been watching too much Prison Break.) Gretzky is obviously faster and
stronger than every player on the ice, and even if another player could get
the better of him, it wouldn’t happen in this game. His scoring ability is
what makes him a great game character, because you just can’t shoot the puck
and lose. Unless your opponent is really good, or if you really suck. Then you
might miss, but it wouldn’t be Gretzky’s fault.
If you’re a
master at hockey, have impeccable luck or some other unexplained gift, you
might be good enough to achieve 99 Time five times in one game. Do that and
you can have five Gretzkys on the ice at the same time! They’re fully playable
and under you’re control. But keep in mind: your opponent can do the same
thing.
I’m rubber and
you’re glue. Your slapshots bounce off me and stick to you.
I’d
Like to Buy a Franchise
Just because
Gretzky 06 was inspired by one hockey figure doesn’t mean it can’t have all
the features you desire from a hockey game. The Wayne Vs. Wayne mode is its
best feature, but the Franchise mode is a close second. It’s very close to NHL
06’s Dynasty mode. Hire coaches, set contract negotiations, draft players,
etc. If a general manager can do it in the real game, you can too. The best
part is the games themselves, and how you work your way through the season, up
to the point where you can compete for the Stanley Cup.
Interestingly, it also takes advantage of a newfangled thing called team
chemistry. It’s old news for anything but video games, which seemed to have
ignored it until this point. By assisting your teammates whenever possible,
players will notice that the chemistry between those players is rising. You
can also increase your chemistry by sharing the puck and by putting on a
strong defense, though that last one is a bit harder to gauge. By doing this
continuously you will discover that your team play has increased and that your
player attributes have improved.
Other modes
and features, like Gretzky Challenge (beat Gretzky’s real NHL records to earn
points – use ’em to unlock playable versions of Gretzky and other goodies) and
EyeToy compatibility (take a picture of your face and make YOU the next great
hockey star) make the game even better.
Uhh…does
anyone have a fire extinguisher I could borrow?
Choosing
between Gretzky NHL 2006 and NHL 06 is not easy. They both have unique
strengths that create must-play experiences. Gretzky fans already know where
to turn – the one with The Great One. What if you just want a great hockey
game and you don’t care who the star is? Gretzky’s Franchise mode is more of a
simulation hockey experience, but on the whole this is an arcade-style game.
It’s a cross between NHL 06 and NHL Hitz. I love it, and if you give both
Gretzky and NHL 06 a shot I’m betting you’ll have just as a hard a time
choosing between them.
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Gameplay: 8.0
One word can
describe the Wayne Vs. Wayne experience: hyper. Make that very hyper.
Whereas EA and 2K Sports go for the simulation win, Gretzky is sort of a niche
game as the only new arcade-style hockey title on the market. The target
shooting system is the best in the league. I can’t say that every control
feature absolutely had to be included, but having the ability to do more just
while skating – it’s those tiny touches that make this game stand out in a
crowd of fierce competitors.
Graphics: 8.2
Gretzky 06 is
another sign that we’re not that far away from achieving photo-realistic
visuals. The crowd, the ice, the arena – all those tiny, less significant
items have been given a facelift, while the players are looking better and
more like their real-life counterparts than ever before. Not a huge leap over
last year’s addition, which is hard not to notice with the next generation
right around the corner.
Sound: 8.5
A pumpin’
soundtrack with above-average rock music from bands we’re all familiar with.
The sound guys did a great job of increasing the intensity by using key sounds
(intense music, loud fans, etc.) during key moments. The commentary’s decent
but suffers from the same problems that face other sports games (pre-recorded
voices cannot perfectly announce a game as you play it). Overall one of the
better-sounding sports games on the market.
Difficulty: Medium
It’s harder to
keep track of the puck than you’d think! At least it is when it’s moving at a
million miles per hour. Gretzky NHL 06’s exaggerated speed takes some getting
used to. Once you get past the learning curve it’s no more difficult than its
competitors.
Concept: 7.5
The gameplay is
not going to blow you away with some new, unfamiliar mechanic, but the team
chemistry is a solid improvement. And you gotta give ‘em some credit for the
Wayne Vs. Wayne mode – forget innovation, it’s fun!
Multiplayer: 8.0
Nothing like
crushing a friend with The Great One! There isn’t much of anything that
compares to getting crushed by The Great One either. A memorable
experience either way you slice it.
Overall: 8.0
A worthy hockey
game to add to your collection. Great simulation gameplay; even better
arcade-style gameplay; an excellent soundtrack; updated graphics; and a number
of tweaks and additional game modes that would make the guy this game is based
on (what’s his name again?) proud.
