Overview
- Number of Players
- 2
- Genre
- Release Date
NES
- Mar 1988
- 15th Apr 1988
Wii (Wii Shop)
- 11th Dec 2006, 500 points
- 29th Dec 2006, 500 points
- 2nd Dec 2006, 500 points
Wii U eShop
- 20th Feb 2014, £3.49
- 20th Feb 2014, $4.99
Nintendo Switch Online (Subscription)
- Available Now
- Series
- Tags
- Controller Support
Reviews
Review Ice Hockey (Wii U eShop / NES)
Not that cool any more
Nintendo released a number of sports titles in the NES era, a reflection of a simpler time when having a fancy home console was enough of a novelty that a game simply called Ice Hockey would seem like an awesome prospect. You like Ice Hockey? You've got Nintendo? Get Ice Hockey, which is Ice Hockey on your Nintendo! That...
Review Ice Hockey (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Ice to see you again
The earlier titles in the NES sports series are probably not remembered by many for being great games, but Nintendo’s Ice Hockey — a latecomer to the series in 1988 — certainly bucks that trend. It is fondly remembered as a semi-faithful translation of the sport which was fiendishly addictive to play and hard to put down...
Screenshots 5
Ice Hockey Guides
Guide Best First-Party NES Games
Nintendo-developed NES games, as ranked by you
Looking for a list of Nintendo's first-party NES games? Wonder what the best first-party NES game is? You've come to the right guide. Our ranked list of the Top 50 Best NES Games Ever covers every game on the system, but here we're looking specifically at Nintendo-developed NES games released in the...
Ice Hockey News
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (December 16th)
We have liftoff!
Well, the weekend has rolled around once again so it's time for a spot of gaming, we'd say. Before we get to that, however, does anyone fancy a quick round-up of the Nintendo highlights from this week? We've been taking a look at what classic SEGA franchises you'd like to see return, keeping up with everything going on in Fo
News Former Nintendo Employee Admits He's Frustrated With Switch Online
"giving people an indication of what the plan is helps"
Everyone has an opinion about the Switch Online service, and it seems former Nintendo employees are no different. In a very honest reply to a fan question, former Nintendo Minute co-host Kit Ellis (who now runs a weekly podcast with Krysta Yang) has shared his own thoughts about Nintendo's...
Feature After Fire Emblem And Famicom Detective Club, What Comes Next From Nintendo's Vault?
Raiders Of The Lost Games
Between the eclectic selection of NES and SNES games served up as part of everyone’s Nintendo Switch Online subscription, Fire Emblem's long-awaited (if time-limited) English language release thirty years after its Japanese debut, and the upcoming remake of their Disc System adventure game Famicom Detective Club, it
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (September 22nd)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
It's the weekend! This wonderful time of the week means that the hard-working members of team Nintendo Life are all heading off to play some of those video game things we all love (while keeping several eyes on the site to make sure it doesn't explode, of course). This week, some of the team are off to EGX,...
Soapbox Why I'm Not Excited About Playing NES Games On The Nintendo Switch
All NES'ed out
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Nintendo Life Operations Director Darren Calvert admits that he's not in the least bit excited about the prospect of playing NES games again in 2018... They say that...
Nintendo Download 24th July (Europe)
A Sen'SeY, Master Reboot, Siesta Fiesta, Mega Man, discounts and more
It's Monday morning, which means it's time for the European Nintendo Download Update, and the latest line-up certainly starts off our week with a bang. There are three promising new titles on the Wii U eShop, an equally tempting and colourful release on the 3DS eShop, three Mega...
Nintendo Download 20th February (North America)
DK is back, NES action, forging weapons, kung fu rabbits and more
The time has come, North America, for details of the goodies that'll be available to download on the eShop stores this week. The latest title from Retro Studios is the headline arrival on Wii U, while two NES games (one on each current Virtual Console) are joined by three promising...
Nintendo Download 20th February (Europe)
It's on like ..., Retro City Rampages again, tasty discounts and much more
Monday morning means happy times for European download fans, and the latest update is through from Nintendo. This is a rather good week by most standards, with an exciting Wii U retail title being joined by some excellent titles on the 3DS eShop, with some tempting discounts...
About The Game
Prepare to face-off for one of the most faithful sports simulations on the NES.
Ice Hockey offers straightforward fun to just jump in and play, either solo or against a friend, yet also requires tactical skills for players who want to fine-tune their team. You can customise each squad member, selecting from three different body types, affecting their offence and defence. Leaner players are faster and better in a face-off, while heavier players have stronger body checks and shooting skills.
Comments 32
this game downright good. if you are a fan of old school games you will like this. you can pick your team from smaller faster guys who get pushed around easier, to fat slow guys that can knock anyone over. i don't even like hockey and i like this game.
This game is the best hockey-game! Still got the bloodiest hockey-fights in hockey-gameing history =) just run and punch they who dear trying to resist your march to win! =D
I downloaded this game, just so I could brag that I had 80's style hockey for my Wii and show it off to people.
It is fun, but I would rather EA get on board and release some games
Ice Hockey is a timeless classic. Anyone who doesn't feel get nostalgiac watching the Zambonis before 3rd period missed out on their youth (or, at least, my youth). Spend 10 bucks and get this and Tecmo Bowl, and have some laughs with the guys. I can guarantee both these games are getting downloaded like crazy on college campuses, and they deserve it. Their simplicity recalls a simpler time, and their pick-up-and-play fun hasn't faded through all these years.
This is an excellent Hockey game. It has a sharp learning curve too, at first you'll be like "gaaaaaah whats going on" but you learn fast. My friend and I played this for two hours from 1 to 3 in the morning, and only at 3 did we realize, "wait, we're playing freaking Ice Hockey for the NES. What are we doing?" But as much as we thought we were playing a dated game, we couldn't bring ourselves to push the Home button on the Wii to go play something else. This truly stands out among the other, mediocre sports titles, and I strongly suggest you download it. It's a great way to let off steam after being frustrated by games like Kid Icarus, and only gets more fun in 2-player. 4 stars definitely, 4 1/2 if you allow fractions.
It'd be nice if someone would mention blades of steel to nintendo for the wii... even though the "Grafix" suck it was one of the first hockey games with fighting in it if I remember right and was in my top four favorites including Sky Shark, Punch-out, and of course Zelda...
Yeah, this game, along with Tecmo Bowl, are heaps above the rest of the sports games the VC offers (which I agree are fairly crummy stuff). Excellent party game, wildly recommended.
THIS GAME IS TIGHT! Me and my friend just downloaded it and we get really into it. Personally I hate sports games, but this has to be the best one there is. Besides, $5 Dollars is a STEAL!
This is one of the few VC games I've purchased, and it was well worth it! It's simple to play, and makes for a great two player game (or fun to pass around at parties). I'd give it 4 stars.
this is an excelent game like tecmo football.viva retro games puneta!
Is there anyway to decide which direction you will shoot when powering up your shot?
This is a great game. I thought this was on Animal Crossing.
That's why didn't downloaded it in the first place.(It isn't!)
Since I knew that, I wanted it so badly, And I still want it!
This is just downright fun to play. It is amazing how good it feels to score in this game. One of the best sport games ever - simple but so much fun.
Minus is that you don't sometimes feel like you are in control because the computer al of your players is so stupid. Also there isn't enough challenge against computer, I can win every time no matter what players I take or what teams.
"It's a shame you can't get more involved in the fight like later Ice Hockey games. In this game the ref will just send one of the players off for a while which seems random."
Yes you get to be involved in the fight, tap the a button as fast as you can. If you do the opponent gets a penalty if not you get a penalty.
I like this game. Sometimes, when I'm ahead, I like to pass the puck to a skinny player, and then run him around the field for about a minute. I love the fact that this game is so simple, and it's meatier than some of the VC sports games out there. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a sports game or just an alternative to a huge, in-depth adventure game.
Should I get this game, or should I wait for Blades of steel?
Oh, and if you're wondering about Blades of steel, Check it out at
http://www.nesguide.com/games/bladesofsteel/.
I personally am waiting for Blades of Steel myself.
BJ
This is such a great game. Everything is so fluid and I would say the physics of skating are probably more realistic than Blades'. Blades' does beat it in the fighting department though.
Not a huge fan of sports games, but MAN is this game great.
I remember a few years ago, me and my cuz broke out the old NES and decided to give this game a spin. It had been years since we last played it, at least since I had played it. That night was pure video game fun.
There really is something special about this game.
22 posts so far an it seems like just about everyone loves this game. I'm no different. Back in the 80's my brother and I would get into actual fights over this game. That was sweet,
Meets the very definition of "pick-up-and-play". Loved this game as a kid and love it just as much now. My advice: play it with a buddy as the game is best enjoyed in a social atmosphere.
I loved how the games could end--if it was a tight game (within two goals, I think) during the last two minutes, the crowd would start cheering!
Then, you went to a shootout if it ended in a tie, and if it was still tied after the shootout, an overtime period with no goalies!
That made for some wild finishes between my brother and I back in the day. I'd find myself sandbagging so the game would be close at the end.
I thought about getting this game a little while back, but since I'm not exactly fond of the other nes launch sports games, I passed on it.
unlike those games though, this one actually looked kinda fun.
This game was simply awesome for the NES and it's still fun to play every now and again today. I immediately bought this and Punch-Out!! the second I got my hands on a points card. I love how you can choose the types of players on your team so you can make a team that works best for your style of play. IMO, this is a more enjoyable game than Blades of Steel.
This is the best sport game i ever played, but i must say I don't really like sports games, exept this one of course!
A very fun little hockey game. Obviously this is not something in the same vein as NHL 94, but for what it is... it's pretty good. This game is loads of fun to play against an opponent. The OT period/SO is wild too, haha.
I've never really figured out why some people like super realistic, overly complex sports titles for consoles. If people want that sort of experience, they can really just go out and join a sports club. To me, video games are about a fantasy experience, something not quite real. This is why Ice Hockey is among the best sports titles EVERY made in my opinion (only tied by the likes of Wii Tennis). It is so simple, that it becomes the epitome of virtual sports.
Blades of Steel is a little better, but this game is still awesome.
I tried this game, and was disappointed that there weren't very many countries in it. I took it back. I'd rather play Tecmo Super Hockey.
Not enough countries so I will not play. An effin awesome game. Every goal scored is like pandemonium.
By far the greatest Hockey game of all time, and possibly even the greatest sports game of all time. I'm super happy that it's finally comming to Wii U VC. Now we just need a 3D classics version on 3DS
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...