Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

NHL 97 delivers a crisp, arcade‐meets‐simulation hockey experience that builds on the solid foundation set by NHL 96. On-ice action feels faster and more responsive, thanks to the shift from bitmap sprites to fully polygonal player models. Skating, passing and shooting controls are intuitive, and thanks to the revamped “virtual stadium” camera system, you can choose from multiple perspectives—top-down, broadcast or dynamic side-angle—to suit your play style or to pick out a tight passing lane in traffic.

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Beyond standard exhibition and playoff modes, NHL 97 offers a full season mode complete with line changes, trade deadlines and playoff qualification battles. The ability to create custom players and swap them between teams injects a strong role-playing element into the on-ice competition: watching your drafted rookie grow into a franchise cornerstone adds a gratifying long-term goal. The trade screen is straightforward, and AI general managers will negotiate in good faith, giving you the freedom to rebuild a struggling club or shore up a Stanley Cup contender at the deadline.

One of the edition’s standout features is its support for up to eight simultaneous players over a local network or via Gravis’s GrIP system. Multiplayer sessions turn your living room into a frenetic pass-and-slash free-for-all, complete with heated rivalries and last-minute comebacks. Whether you’re teaming up with friends as line mates or squaring off in a goalie duel, the smooth frame rate and tight controls keep the action fluid, even when the rink is bursting at the seams with players.

Graphics

NHL 97 represents a major visual leap for the series. Gone are the flat, pixelated sprites of earlier editions—players now skate, shoot and check in full 3D, with realistic proportions and carefully motion-captured animations. The puck spins naturally on passes, skates carve visible grooves into the ice, and boards flex realistically under heavy hits, lending a palpable sense of weight to every collision.

The reintroduced top-down camera angle is a welcome nod to classic hockey sims, offering a strategic vantage for pinpoint passing and defensive positioning. Meanwhile, dynamic broadcast and bench-level views heighten immersion, complete with rink‐side benches, animated puck shadows and subtle reflections on the ice surface. Even on mid-range hardware of the era, these effects remain smooth, and loading times are kept to a minimum.

EA’s trademark multimedia polish is in full force with the “Goalie Mask Viewer,” an off-ice showcase that lets you inspect the hand-painted helmets of all 30 NHL netminders. Zoom in on team logos, custom graphics and personalized tributes—an attention to detail that underlines the developers’ commitment to authenticity. Menus, scoreboard overlays and scoreboard announcer clips all carry the familiar EA Sports sheen, making NHL 97 feel like an official, TV-style broadcast between shifts.

Story

As a sports title, NHL 97 forgoes a scripted narrative in favor of emergent storytelling driven by your on-ice decisions and off-ice management. Each season you play unfolds like its own drama: underdog squads punching above their weight, star players challenging franchise records, and the runaway train of a dynasty quest. The thrill of clinching a playoff berth on the final night encapsulates the unpredictable nature of a real NHL season.

The player creation and trading systems serve as your storytelling tools. Draft a raw rookie, nurture his development through training camp and the minor leagues, then watch him blossom into the face of your franchise. Conversely, orchestrate blockbuster trades to send aging veterans to new teams, triggering mid-season shakeups that can redefine your championship aspirations. These personalized arcs keep each playthrough fresh and memorable.

Beyond individual storylines, the rivalries you forge with friends or the AI elevate the drama. A hard-fought win against an arch-rival in Game 7 of a simulated conference final can feel every bit as intense as a Hollywood script. There’s no canned cinematic, but the blend of dynamic gameplay moments and managerial choices creates a tapestry of hockey lore that’s uniquely yours.

Overall Experience

NHL 97 stands as a hallmark of 1990s sports gaming, merging improved visuals with engaging, deep gameplay systems. The leap to polygonal players and multiple camera angles not only enhances realism but also provides practical benefits—better puck tracking, clearer defensive reads and a more cinematic feel. Meanwhile, the robust season mode and career-style progression keep you invested well beyond a single match.

Multiplayer remains a highlight: whether you’re passing the joystick in a living room showdown or linking up via Gravis GrIP, the shared excitement of playoff overtime or a breakaway goal unites friends in classic competitive spirit. Even today, the core gameplay mechanics—fast skating, crisp passing and gritty checks—hold up as a testament to EA’s design philosophy of accessible yet tactical hockey simulation.

For collectors and retro enthusiasts, NHL 97 offers a nostalgic glimpse of hockey gaming evolution. Newcomers will appreciate how its balanced approach to arcade action and strategic depth laid the groundwork for future installments. If you crave a title that captures the raw energy of NHL matchups, complemented by managerial freedom and multiplayer madness, NHL 97 remains a worthy pick for your library.

Retro Replay Score

7.8/10