I don’t know what it is about the game of ice hockey, but I felt cooler in several ways just by playing it.

Maybe it was the staring at the icy surface the players use to break their fall and various limbs, maybe it’s just playing a game that, when a fight breaks out, everyone including the referee stands back and enjoys the show. Maybe it was just the knowledge that I wasn’t playing an EA sports title, and that in comparison makes the other version seem like an XBLA game.

2K have had a rough time of sports titles in the past. I was sorely disappointed when their NFL offering was consumed by the juggernaut that is EA in a Beta/VHS scenario all over again. Perhaps it is this adversity that compels them to create great titles, and NHL2K8 is just that.

I have to admit that I don’t watch NHL. In fact, my complete knowledge of American style sports is derived from video games. Wayne Gretzky rings a bell, but I know that he has been retired long enough now that the kids probably roll their eyes at the mention of his name. This makes me the perfect reviewer for this title. If I can get into it, surely anyone can!

Firstly, the menu system is not going to be to everyone’s taste. It is still better than EA’s cumbersome efforts, but I felt as though I was navigating an MS Office application, and that gave me 9-5 flashbacks. The options are quite standard for a sports game, with season, tournament, and challenge mode, with the addition of a welcome franchise mode. The challenge mode allows you to unlock historically significant teams (to anyone who knows anything about the history of the game I suppose) if you can complete an objective during a game, such as score a breakaway goal or at least once in each of the three periods… Yup, I think I just lost myself too.

There’s also a bit of outdoors action if you’re inclined, as well as some party games and mini-rink 2-0n-2 action, my favourite of which is the Circus rink. It feels a little like playing hockey in the middle of a putt putt golf course. This does help to mix things up a bit and adds a lot of enjoyment if you’ve gathered a gaming crowd of Canadians over.

The game play itself is action packed and plenty of fun. Even now though, after years of playing hockey games, I still don’t feel that there is a huge amount of control over the actual shot taking. The key is more about having your players in the right place at the right time to snap off a quick one touch shot past a wrong footed goalie, and the game does a great job in this area by of letting you aim for that through it’s excellent physics and collision detection. The passing feels crisp and intuitive and the puck moves around the rink the way you planned… Unless some huge hairy lumberjack plants a shoulder into your chest. This is undoubtedly the main attraction to the game – the teeth rattling impacts you initiate on the opposition and often receive with the help of the side barriers. I’m still not sure if the shuddering I see on the screen is an effect or my survival instinct causing an involuntary flinching.

The graphics overall are very realistic and the camera does the job of keeping the action framed properly so as to allow you to see everything you need. The first big difference you notice is that the crowd watching you play is by far the best that you will see in any game. Unique, colourful, and definitely not suffering from the Sega Rally syndrome of 2D cardboard cut-outs. It adds another dimension to the immersion level that is created. Reflections and shadows are realistic, player detail is precise and everything you would expect from a 360 title at this stage of the consoles life.

This is a polished title that is a definite for anyone who loves their contact sports. And until there is a suitably violently Next Gen version of Speedball, this offering supplies a satisfying amount of action, smooth graphics and modes to keep you interested. Slip in your box, put in your mouth guard and enjoy.