Top 5 WORST Hockey Video Games Ever Made

When you are tired of rewatching another hockey game while waiting for the new season to start, video games are the next thing that comes to mind to entertain yourself. Of course, good quality and engaging plot are expected of such games. Sadly, some of them fail to reach the expectations and they end up on a list like this. 

The first hockey video game was released in 1988 by Nintendo Entertainment System. Known as “Ice Hockey”, it did not even adhere to proper hockey rules, so we didn’t find it ‘hockey-ish’ enough to end up on this list. Even though it was a classy and fun game, the real video games rush started with the release of Blades of Steel, a truly impressive game that has a lot to offer even 30 years after. 

Since then, the industry of video games has developed so much that it might be hard to choose a game to play. From retro and classic hockey games to hockey-themed slots that welcome players with deposit bonus and free spins, any fan can find a game that will fascinate him enough to spend hours playing it. 

However, not all games are worth a try. Here you can see the worst hockey-themed video games ever. Without further ado, let’s begin.

NHL Powerplay ’96

To be honest, there are not many things you can expect from an old game like this. But, this one was bad even back in 1996. The biggest issue is the graphics. Then we have a control system like no other that is confusing and strange. The camera angles are badly designed as well. Overall, we have one of the worst games here and even retro fans cannot enjoy playing it.

ESPN National Hockey Night

ESPN National Hockey Night brought two huge names together. The first one is ESPN and the second is Sony, who developed the game in 1994. It was supposed to be the best game of this kind and gamers expected a positive review. Sadly, Sony had to gamble with the game so much and failed to meet the expectations.

The worst issue here is the camera angle which is weird and makes gaming almost impossible. The graphics were sloppy as well and the whole game was poorly developed. It is therefore known as one of the worst games of this kind.

NHL 15

Unlike other games on the list, NHL 15 was a reasonably popular game with great features. But, to be honest, it was developed to work on PS3 and PS4 which was a huge mistake. This is one of the NHL games that had countless bugs, was slow at some points and even the graphics were poor in some cases. Yes, it works on all consoles but doesn’t work great on any of them. As such, it is known as one of the worst PS2 games.

ESPN NHL Hockey

ESPN NHL Hockey had a few massive issues, hence it must be on the list. You can see hockey games at an online casino and you will see perfection. Reach elements must be developed perfectly and incorporated in the same way. ESPN NHL Hockey failed to do both of these things.

The camera angles were poor, AI was complicated and useless in most cases and the ESPN element was the worst. Players were unable to get the same or at least similar experience as they were able to see on the TV. It is like playing roulette. You never know what you are going to get.

NHL Faceoff 2003

NHL Faceoff 2003 is not a game that will impress even UK gamers, not that knowledgeable of hockey, let alone Canadians. Even with a massive bonus, there is no need to play this game. There are two main problems here. The first one is the characters. They look poor and they are really awkward. Then we can see the AI. It is known as one of the worst and the ‘’dumbest’’ AI in the realm of gaming.

The game was a flop and it wasn’t developed in a new version nor was the sequel ever released. Overall, the game was a huge disappointment. We can add another issue here as well. The game has only Season mode. But, similar games had a season and also dynasty modes which made them more appealing and more advanced.

Conclusion

If you want to play hockey games online, try some that are modern and have been appreciated by gamers. These ones are not that. They are simply poorly made with countless issues that make gaming complicated, problematic, and have a negative impact overall. Luckily, there are a lot more games that are much better and more suitable for demanding players.