NHL 2K9 / NHL 09

[Toe]

Antropov is a powerhouse in NHL 2K9. 4 goals and 3 assists in 3 games playing with Ponikarovsky and Steen.

The game is good, it just is not as fun as the EA games. You don't feel totally in control like you do with 08 and presumably 09. Can't wait to get to EB Games tomorrow to get my game.

[Baddar]

Right so, I'm not really an Ice Hockey fan, but used to enjoy the really old games on PS1.

I see that NHL2K9 is out on Friday, and it's going to be £10 cheaper than the EA game. Can someone explain to me what I'd get in EA's NHL (apart from licences) that I wouldn't get in NHL2K9?

My thinking is that if there's lots of teams/tournaments etc. on NHL2K9, I'd rather just get that anyway.

So yeah, help?

[Plubby]

A better game. EA always creams the 2K series as far as hockey games go.

[alldaws1]

NHL 08 was sports game of the year last year and NHL 09 is arguably the best sports game in the last decade according to reviews I've read. So as Plubby said, a better game.

[Toe]

NHL 09 has better graphics and I think it plays better. Also, it promises to have more online stuff too (although I haven't jumped into that yet). NHL 2K9 is still good though. This year, you cannot go wrong when purchasing a hockey game.

I wonder if the Wii version of NHL 2K9 is any good?

Oh, Be A Pro Mode update!

I am a forward with the Toronto Marlies. I was originally going to try to be an offensive defenceman, but changed to a power forward center, so my stats are a bit screwy. Whatever. After four games, I have three goals and an assist while leading the AHL in hits and PIMs. I knocked Josh Gratton TFO!

Be A Pro is incredibly fun. Especially when you change lines just to check the fuck out of someone, then switch off again.

Edited September 10, 2008 by Toe

[Cactus Drags]

Just putting in a placeholder for the EASHL EWB 360 representative (we can come up with a catchy name like the Battleground Bombers or something later). I'll chuck in the list of players and positions so we can avoid doubling up and stuff.

I fucking suck on the demo, so I shall be a goalie.

[RoyWill Rumble]

Goalie's even harder. I'll nominate myself for center, but I'm not against playing any position.

And I'll echo the sentiments of 09 simply being the better game. I said it before, it's one of the best games I've ever played sports or otherwise. Today I decided to import goal horns.

I've missed a few, but I'll do the rest once I'm back from work. I love that you can have custom soundtracks for EVERYTHING. Give it a month or so and I imagine the internet community will have all that shit updated and ready to go.

Playing against the Superleague teams is fun, too. I destroyed Omsk (Jaromir Jagr's team) 8-2, with Ovechkin getting six points. One goal using protect the puck and cutting across the crease was brilliant.

What else?

Create-a-play is fucking awesome. I tried to tinker with the 'Flying V' from the Mighty Ducks movies, but it's too ridiculous to work in a game. The breakout create-a-plays using the dump pass are fucking awesome, though.

Be-A-Pro I'm tearing it up. I'm leading the AHL right now with ten points, all of them goals. I cannot draw an assist for the life of me.

As for 2K9, it's still a huge step back in my opinion. I played it a bit more though and it's not an ABSOLUTE disgrace. However, the player models are just fucking horrific. They all look as if they're from NHL 2K3, not to mention every single player is the exact same fucking size - skinny. That's it.

The speed is ridiculous and the computer A.I. is fucking retarded, unfortunately. The goalies still look great and make some ridiculous saves, but half they time it's because they misplayed a shot horribly and are forced to make a ridiculous save. Goalies in 2K9 have no fucking basis in reality. There's way too many times that a goalie goes down in the splits on a low shot when a butterfly save would suffice. It's good and fun for the unpredictability and 'wow' factor, but soon enough you'll get pissed because your goalie let up an awful fucking rebound instead of just making a routine save.

2K9 has equipment customization down perfectly, but it suffers because of player models - especially goalies.

I will say that 2K9 did right in taking their 'pro stick evolution' controls from 09/08. The dekes can be great, but it's too bad that guys like Tomas Holmstrom can pull off moves with the same precision as Pavel Datsyuk.

All in all, I rip on 2K9 but it's definitely still playable and I imagine with the right sliders it's a good game. 09 definitely reigns supreme, though. It's good RIGHT out of the box and I've tweaked it ever so slightly to make it even better. I will give 2K9 props for finally getting the 09 team to put in customizable period lengths. Seven/six minutes is perfect in 09.

I'd say 09 is probably a 9.2 or so, maybe even a 9.5 depending upon what the EASHL is like. I haven't tried online yet.

2K9 I'd say if you can find the right sliders, maybe 7.5-ish. The absolutely atrocious player models, game speed, and the whole '3rd liners able to pull off these amazing toe drags and shit' thing brings it down. The A.I. can be absolutely terrible, too. It's very much a one-trick pony of crashing the net and chasing on D. I imagine it is better on higher levels though, so I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt. 2K9's still playable, but I'd wait until it's marked down a bit.

Edit: http://www.easportsworld.com/en_US/video/556236 - Mathieu Garon robs Todd Bertuzzi. I was Garon.

Edited September 11, 2008 by Will.

[Ruki]

If I get the game, I'll be the right wing, or right D, and totally suck.

[Toe]

I will be winger if you guys will take me.

Be A Pro is addictive. My Marlies are sucking - we are 5-7-2 and are currently 4 points back of 4th in the Conference. Part of this stems from Toronto's decision to sign Dan Cloutier and start him instead of Pogge. Our captain and best defenceman, Phil Oreszkavic is hurt for a while, and because of my stellar play I was moved to the top line and named captain. How do I respond? Two goals and an assist. I would do better with linemates that could shoot, as I set up Bates Battaglia at least 3 times each game wide open in the slot.

I lead my team with 11 goals and 5 assists and 55 PIM in 14 games. I am the AHL leading goal scorer. And, as Cloutier has been called up, Pogge is starting and we just got him a 1-0 shutout to hopefully start our march back to the top of the league.

Coach needs to get off my back about these penalties I am taking. If I didn't play with an edge, I wouldn't be a goal scoring machine!

[RoyWill Rumble]

Fifty-five penalty minutes? Jesus Christ, sir.

We should play online if you've got it for 360. It'll be a gay old time.

[Ruki]

I might be getting it tonight! Assuming my trade ins count for more than 75% of the it. Then, I will do the Be a Pro, and...and then....and then lose to Will and Toe online! And then form a super team!

[Toe]

Does anyone know the code to unlock the third jerseys?

[Maxx]

Might be getting it on Friday, I'll join the super team, assuming we can all get online at the same time. For me, it'll be late nights and almost nothing else.

[Ruki]

I'll be away this weekend, so, pretty much tonight and Sunday night is when I'll be able to play at the earliest.

Also, Toe:

RBK will release the code in Nov after all the third jerseys are released. Phoenix is the last scheduled team to release there's on Nov. 28.

Edited September 11, 2008 by Ruki Kōzuki

[Ruki]

So I got the game, for pretty much free.

[Cactus Drags]

I have it too, I'm going to play it a couple of days to get used to everything, then I'll start thinking about the online stuff a bit more seriously.

[Ruki]

I'll do a couple hours of Be a Pro, and then if anyone is online and wants to play, I shall.

[alldaws1]

It took me just 41 in-game seconds to score in NHL 09 (Gomez for NY), ended up beating Dragsy's Avs 3-1, then lost the follow-up with my Capitals losing to his Blackhawks 3-0. Not much difference to last year's but that's not necessarily a bad thing with how good last year's was. Looking forward to tackling the Be A Pro mode at some point.

[Ruki]

Shorthanded goal by Malkin! Suck it Will!

[Toe]

I go through long stretches of being unable to score. Anyone got any tips?

Also, if I am not on your friends list already, add me. My gamertag is: desiredtoe.

EDIT: Also, after two months in the AHL, I have already been called up to the Maple Leafs. I centre a line between Mark Bell and Alex Steen. My first game, I managed three assists and some PIMs.

Edited September 12, 2008 by Toe