#NHL 09 DOWNLOAD UPGRADE#
#NHL 09 DOWNLOAD FULL#
#NHL 09 DOWNLOAD PRO#

The first time you find yourself alone on a breakaway, you'll be absolutely hooked.

#NHL 09 DOWNLOAD UPGRADE#

A third-person camera follows your character on the ice, and experience points earned in-game can be used to upgrade your attributes. This Be-a-Pro mode is similar to Superstar mode in Madden NFL 09.

You can then plug him into the AHL affiliate of your favorite NHL team and try to take him from a wet-behind-the-ears rookie to an NHL legend.

When you first pop in the game, you're asked to create and customize your own Be-a-Pro character, from the length of his mullet to the flexibility of his hockey stick.

#NHL 09 DOWNLOAD PRO#

Most of the development time on NHL 09 appears to have been spent off the ice on two new modes: Be a Pro and the EA Sports Hockey League. And if you still hate the skill stick, you can opt for the two-button NHL-94-style controls. Fortunately, several tutorials are included that introduce player controls and some basic strategy tips. There’s nothing quite like that first moment on the ice as a professional.īecause this simulation approach forces you to play real hockey, casual players that loved the old arcade style may feel lost. Hockey purists won't like all the off-the-puck hits that could easily be whistled as interference, but these concessions to video game fun are balanced well against the game's dedication to realism. If you pull defensemen out of position to deliver a big hit, you'll open up the slot, and skilled opponents will take advantage. This eliminates arcade-style hit fests and forces you to play more conservative defense. A stationary defenseman is more likely to harmlessly shove an attacker than knock him off his skates.

#NHL 09 DOWNLOAD FULL#

Checking is mapped to the right analog stick, and the physics have been improved so big hits can only be delivered at direct angles (provided the defender has a full head of steam). Rest assured, there are fewer scoring opportunities than in years past, and NHL 09 is a much better overall hockey experience because of it.īut in large part, the overall gameplay on the ice remains very faithful to last year's game. Simply zigzagging past defenders on the breakout isn't going to work, especially on higher difficulty settings. You'll have to take what the excellent defensive AI gives you working passes into the slot or behind the net and cycling the puck to create scoring opportunities. Indeed, flip-dumping the puck into the offensive zone-another new maneuver this year-will allow speedy wingers to get behind aggressive defenders sliding in for the pinch. If anything, the new skill-stick additions transform NHL 09 into a defensive-focused game, forcing you to use actual hockey strategy to get past the blue line. When not in proper position, you're likely to be whistled for high-sticking or slashing, but this aggressive defensive move adds another risk/reward element to the action. On defense, you have 360-degree control to clog passing lanes, deliver poke checks, and pull your opponent's skates right out from beneath him (two minutes for tripping.) There's also a dedicated stick-lift button that, when used in proper position, will whack an attacker's stick away from the puck. Move it left or right to deke, press up for a snap shot, down then up for a slap shot, and to the side then up for a wrist shot. With skill-stick control, your right analog acts as your hockey stick. In NHL 09, EA expands on its already outstanding gameplay with a host of addictive game modes that make this, quite simply, one of the best sports games of all time.Ī variety of game modes and outstanding gameplay will keep you coming back for more NHL 09. But if you played EA Sports hockey in the past two years and experienced the stellar control mechanic known as the skill stick, you already knew all this. No, you have to outmaneuver the defense with quick skating and smart passing, work your way into scoring position, and then manually put the puck where the goalie isn't. It's more than aiming top-shelf and pressing a button before the goalie gets into position. There are few moments in any sports video game more satisfying than scoring a goal in NHL 09.

Nhl 09 download