Be Excellent To Each Other

I've been playing both demos of these trying to make up my mind. Both have gotten pretty good reviews, with EA's offering (09) being said superior and more realistic, whereas 2k's (2k9) is more arcadey and fast.

Both offer player creation facilities, both offer a career progression. Both offer cute sideshows (2k9 lets you drive a zamboni or play on a frozen pond, 09 lets you play in the AHL minor leagues). Both offer proper commentary (though this is absent in the 2k9 demo).

However, the clincher could well be the controls. 09 features the much vaunted stick control system, wherein you control your player with the left stick and your hockey stick with the right stick. Wiggle it left and right to deke and fool defenders and the goalie, pull it back then push it forward to wind up and take a slapshot. While trying to aim with the left stick. While being walloped by the defense.

2k9, by contrast, lets you play with normal buttons, a combination of buttons and stick, or entirely stick. This means you can play it like the old NHL games on the Genesis, or like the new one.

In my first play of 09, I endured the tutorial which explains how the controls work, and set out into my first game. I kept losing the puck, had real trouble getting it away from the opposition, and couldn't score to save my life. The AI, naturally, had no such problems and crushed me hideously.

When I fired up 2k9, I scored in the first 30 seconds, had exciting chases up and down the ice trying to retake the puck, and it felt like I was 15 again, playing NHL94 on the Sega CD in my parents' basement with my friend and his brother.

Has anyone played either of these? Am I wrong to dismiss NHL09 because of its ludicrous controls? Should I accept that I need to practice and that it'll end up being the more rewarding game? Or is the instant fun of 2k9 indiciative of the overall nature of the game (fun over 'realism')?

Ah, I hadn't realised there was a demo of 2k9 about - I'll have to try it myself. I was going to get either 2k8 or 2k9 as I've got 2k7 but looking at the boxes there didn't seem all that much point in upgrading when there's not an awful lot wrong with it.

Looks like the usual mistake of sacrificing accuracy for fun.

I actually like the stick in NHL'08, although i admit it lessened the variation of shots i produced, relying lots on slap shots, the feeling of scoring a hard shot it quite lovely with the stick though

hated the 2k7 demo, just could come to grips with it at all, but might try this now.

I want a good nhl'94 style game on the ds, damn..

Yeah, the sheer number of movements they're expecting you to pull off to take a shot on the net is crazy... especially in a fast paced game like this. Doing the tutorial (where the game shows where it considers your sticks to be) took several tries to ensure I was pushing the left stick at the right time to aim at the net.

played the 2k9 demo and it was far more exciting than i thought, far better than the 2k7 demo at least, classic settings were good, the change in perspective for the face-offs.. was really excited to score against pittsburgh, which they immediately took as a sign and won their first superbowl

there will be an xbla game (800 points) NHL 3on3 tomorrow on xbla.. not sure if it will be fun, but hey!

Overtime!!!!