Underplayed Gems

NHL 2002 (2001)

NHL 2002 cover
Developer
EA Canada
Publisher
EA Sports
Platforms
Xbox, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 2
Genres
Simulator, Sport
Rating
4.3 of 5, 22 player ratings

How it feels

A straightforward hockey simulation that puts you on the ice with real teams and players, moving at the brisk pace of an actual NHL game.

competitiverealisticfast-pacedaccessibleauthenticsports simulationmultiplayer

About

NHL 2002 is a video game released by EA Sports in 2001. It is the predecessor to NHL 2003. The game's cover man is Pittsburgh Penguins superstar and owner Mario Lemieux, who had just made a stunning comeback after being retired for three and a half years. It was the first installment of the NHL series to be released on Xbox.

What players say

A deep, smooth-skating hockey sim with butter-smooth controls and big hits that cemented EA's dominance of the genre, though the constant speed-burst tapping can feel like a chore. Well regarded in its day as the deepest 3D NHL game on the market.

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