Overview
Outdoor Greatness. NHL Slapshot is
EA's first hockey game for the
Wii, and it seems to be aimed towards a younger audience. It will feature "Peewees to Pros" mode, a variation of the
main NHL series' Be A Pro mode and a hockey stick peripheral.
Wayne Gretzky will be on the cover, as well as be prominently featured in the game. Judging from promotional materials, the game seems to be running on a modified version of the engine used for EA's NHL games on the previous generation of consoles (
PS2,
Xbox) as well as the
PC.
The producers have claimed that the game will run at a smooth 60 frames per second.
Stick Peripheral
Speak softly and carry a small stick. Every copy of the game includes a 21 inch (53 centimeter) stick peripheral that holds the Wiimote and Nunchuk and can accurately detect wrist and slap shots, poke checks, and cross checks. The stick is not WiiMotion Plus compatible as the Nunchuk serves the purpose of the WiiMotion Plus. The analog stick on the Nunchuk is used for skating and triggers are used for pass and deke modifiers.
Creative director and former NHL goaltender David Littman designed the prototype stick peripheral by sawing down a real hockey stick and duct taping the Wiimote and Nunchuk to it.
Features
Peewee to Pro
Anachronistic Greatness. Similar to the Be a Pro mode found in the main NHL series as well as EA's
FIFA games, Peewee to Pro allows players to take Wayne Gretzky, a created player, or an existing NHL star (like
Sidney Crosby or Roberto Luongo) from the ranks of Peewee hockey (which is played three-on-three and in outdoor rinks) all the way through the junior and professional levels (both of which are regular five-on-five action). If the user doesn't control Wayne Gretzky, the Great One will act as a coach as the player progresses through their career.
The game will feature a CHL license just like
NHL 11 and players can be signed, traded, and experience all of the other key features from the Be a Pro mode found in the other NHL games.
Mini-Games
One of the mini-games in NHL Slapshot is Shooter Versus Goalie, a one-on-one, split-screen multiplayer mode where one player fires pucks at the goalie, who is controlled by the other player. The Free 4 All mode found in EA's previous-generation NHL titles also returns, allowing four players to play at once as they control NHL stars and try to score on a CPU goaltender.
Other Modes
The game will also allow players to play through a single NHL season or just a single
Stanley Cup Finals series, like the Battle for the Cup mode found in the
Xbox 360 and
PS3 versions of the game.
Soundtrack
NHL Slapshot features a licensed soundtrack as many officially licensed sports games do. Both of EA's 2010-released hockey titles feature a remarkably authentic playlist, as many of the songs in the game are often played at real-life hockey games. NHL Slapshot will have all of the following songs (which are also found in NHL 11):
- Danko Jones - Full of Regret - Below The Belt
- 2 Unlimited - Twilight Zone - Get Ready!
- Black Box - Strike It Up - Dreamland
- Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Mama Taught Me Better - Beat The Devil’s Tattoo
- Bouncing Souls - ¡Olé! - Hopeless Romantic
- Darude - Sandstorm - Before The Storm
- Dropkick Murphys - Shipping Up To Boston (Live) - Live On Lansdowne, Boston MA
- Europe - The Final Countdown - The Final Countdown
- Foxy Shazam - Unstoppable - Foxy Shazam
- Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop - Ramones
- The Black Keys - Howlin’ For You - Brothers
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