Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

NHL Powerplay 98 delivers a fast-paced, arcade-style hockey experience that immediately sets it apart from a pure simulation. From the drop of the puck, the emphasis is on quick maneuvers, hard checks and dramatic scoring attempts. The learning curve revolves around mastering a variety of shooting and passing variations, each tied to unique key combinations. Once you get comfortable, you’ll find that faking a slap shot or threading a breakaway pass becomes second nature, letting you focus on outsmarting your opponent rather than fighting with the controls.

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The game offers three distinct modes: a full NHL season, the intensity of the NHL playoffs and an international league featuring 15 national teams. Whether you’re guiding a powerhouse franchise through an 82-game grind or engineering an underdog run for the Stanley Cup, the pacing remains relentless. Tack on the option to trade players mid-season and access comprehensive team statistics, and you’ll find that strategic depth can rival even some of the more simulation-focused titles.

Six camera angles and instant replay sequences heighten the sense of immersion, evoking a true broadcast feel. You can switch from rinkside to overhead views on the fly, picking the vantage point that best suits your style—whether you’re orchestrating a precision passing play or lining up a one-timer from the point. Frozen moments in slow-motion replay not only look great but also offer an opportunity to admire the crisp animations and tweak your tactics.

Beyond pure action, NHL Powerplay 98 includes tactical settings that let you customize your approach in eight key game situations. Do you press aggressively in the neutral zone, or do you sit back and force turnovers? Should your forwards crash the net or hang back for a backdoor setup? Each choice impacts your team’s behavior in real time, granting you a level of control that rewards thoughtful planning as much as skilled stick handling.

Graphics

Visually, NHL Powerplay 98 makes effective use of the hardware capabilities of its era. Player models are well-proportioned, and while not hyper-detailed by modern standards, each uniform stripe, team logo and helmet decal is faithfully reproduced. The ice surface itself shimmers under arena lights, complete with realistic skate trails and puck shadows that move convincingly across the rink.

Animations are a strong point, especially in high-impact moments like body checks and goal celebrations. Skaters twist and spin with believable momentum, and goalies flail in attempts to smother cross-crease passes. The variety of camera angles further enhances the visual spectacle, letting you appreciate everything from a zoomed-in close-up of a point-blank save to a broad, bird’s-eye view of a perfectly executed power play.

The game’s interface remains unobtrusive during play, with crisp score overlays and period clocks that recede into the background until you need them. The roar of the crowd, referee whistles and stick-on-ice sound effects round out the audiovisual package, giving your living room the energy of a packed arena. Instant replays are accompanied by dynamic transitions and tasteful slow-motion, reinforcing the arcade-like presentation without feeling gimmicky.

Story

While NHL Powerplay 98 doesn’t have a traditional narrative, it crafts its own story through the ebbs and flows of a hockey season. Each franchise you select comes with a legacy to uphold or a turnaround to engineer. The regular season becomes a marathon of momentum swings, as hot streaks and losing skids build emotional highs and lows reminiscent of real-world hockey drama.

The playoff mode delivers instant intensity, pitting you against the league’s best in a best-of-seven gauntlet. Here, the stakes feel tangible: one bad game can shift the tide of an entire series. The absence of a linear storyline is offset by emergent narratives you create yourself—whether it’s a rookie leading your team in playoff goals or a mid-season acquisition becoming a postseason hero.

International league play expands the dramatic potential even further. Guiding Team Canada or a dark-horse nation through a round-robin tournament evokes the thrill of the Winter Olympics or the World Cup of Hockey. None of it is scripted, yet each victory lap and upset victory writes its own chapter in your personal hockey saga.

Overall Experience

NHL Powerplay 98 strikes a satisfying balance between accessibility and depth. Its arcade foundation ensures that new players can jump in and enjoy the action, while the deeper tactics and mid-season management tools give dedicated fans plenty to chew on. The licensed rosters and 1996/1997 data lend authenticity, even as the game prioritizes fun over hyper-realism.

If you’re looking for a hockey title that captures the spirit of televised NHL action without bogging you down in menu-driven minutiae, Powerplay 98 delivers in spades. The six camera angles, instant replays and dynamic sound design all contribute to an atmosphere that feels both polished and energetic. Trading players, poring over stats and adjusting tactical settings provide a simulation-lite experience that complements the on-ice thrills.

For hockey enthusiasts of the late ’90s and newcomers curious about retro sports titles alike, NHL Powerplay 98 remains a compelling package. It may not offer a deep single-player narrative, but it gives you the building blocks to create your own drama—one slap shot, one buzzer-beater and one playoff series at a time. In short, it’s a classic slice of puck-based entertainment that still holds up as an engaging ride through the rink.

Retro Replay Score

7.4/10