NHL Faceoff 2001

Overall: B
Violence: B+
Sexual Content: A
Language: A
Drugs/Alcohol: A

Platform reviewed: Sony Playstation
Publisher: 989 Sports
ESRB rating: E

I was born in Scotland so it wasn't until I immigrated to Canada that I made this life-altering discovery: The game of hockey is everything to Canadians that fitba' (soccer) is to Brits, and football is to Americans. Because of this important truth, I dedicated almost every waking hour after school and on weekends to playing either street hockey or the miniaturized tabletop version. Had Canada been my birthplace, I might have started skating around the age of three; spending my childhood and teen years playing organized hockey while working toward a goal of playing in the NHL. But I didn't learn how to skate until, as an adult, I participated in a recreational hockey league with a bunch of other wannabes and has-beens. Unfortunately, playing at midnight (the only time ice was available) with no fans screaming our names or cheering us on, didn't quite measure up to the glamour experienced by the talented few who make it to the "bigs."

For those of us relegated to playing hockey vicariously, 989 Sports offers their latest in armchair athletic accessories: NHL Faceoff 2001. Using multi-tap adapters, up to eight players can realize their dreams of carrying a big stick, delivering thunderous bodychecks, and sending a piece of frozen rubber hurtling at speeds in excess of 90 mph in the general direction of someone foolish enough to stand in the way.

The game's database consists of all 30 NHL teams (including the most recent expansion franchises, The Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets) along with a few international squads. Rosters are accurate for the most part (with the obvious exceptions being trades made just prior to the start of the season) and by assuming the role of management these team rosters can be further tailored through drafting, signing, releasing, or trading players. After selecting your dream team, you'll be required to choose from game scenarios such as Practice situations, Tournaments, Regular Season (82 games plus an All-Star event), Playoffs, and Shootouts (individual players go one-on-one with opposing goalies). When all this front office paperwork is taken care of, it's time to strap on those pads, lace up your skates, and hit the ice (preferably in an upright position).

Perhaps you're unfamiliar with the game and don't know the difference between a Zamboni and a pre-game pasta dish. Don't worry. We all have to start somewhere, and Faceoff 2001 accommodates by making things as simple or as complex as you'd like. But even if you've acquired a lifetime of hockey knowledge, trust me... until you get a feel for the controller and the flow of the game, it's best to set the Difficulty level to Rookie (unless you want to see your players acting like spectators and your goaltender getting sunburn from the constant glow of the goal light).

Important details like Shot aim (shots on net) and Line changes (player substitutions) can be handled manually or by the computer; Penalty and Injury occurrence can be set to happen as little or often as you'd like (wouldn't it be nice to have that power in real life); Offside passes, Two-line passes, and Icing can be toggled on or off (note the singular use of the word offside, not plural as represented in the game). Fatigue factor (the rate your players tire between line changes) can also be fine-tuned, and just in case you hockey purists were wondering... there is an option to enable fighting between consenting players. (Concerned parents should note that fighting action is so elementary it's probably not worth the trouble, and violence other than normal bodychecking is non-existent. In other words... no Marty McSorley incidents here).

Other attempts at realism include the singing of National anthems prior to the commencement of each game (they even sing all the words to O Canada correctly); the option to pull your goalie in favor of an extra attacker; various camera angles; accurate representations of all NHL arenas; and most importantly... the ice-resurfacers (a.k.a. Zamboni operators) get to strut their stuff during each intermission!

Although NHL Faceoff 2001 can't duplicate the chill of the air felt when you step onto a frozen pond, or the rush of adrenaline that accompanies skating out to center ice, waiting impatiently for the referee to drop the puck... it sure beats dusting off that old worn-out tabletop game (and the kids don't laugh as much, either).

Jim Fleming

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