NHL 2K9
Encyclopedia
NHL 2K9 is an ice hockey
simulation made by 2K Sports
, part of the NHL 2K
series, and published on the PlayStation 2
, PlayStation 3
, Wii
, and Xbox 360
consoles. It features Columbus Blue Jackets
left winger Rick Nash
on the cover. A demo was released on August 13, 2008 on the PlayStation Network and on August 21 on Xbox Live Marketplace
(Gold members only).
celebrations, playoff beards and more than 1,400 new gameplay animations. New to the online is the ability to play with up to six separate consoles against other teams made of up to six consoles for a 12 console/player game.
, Drew Remenda
, and John Shrader
(Intermission Host / Rinkside Reporter) of the San Jose Sharks
.
during both intermissions while playing a game. On the Wii, the Wii remote is used as a steering wheel to give the driving a more intuitive feel.
, body checking by shaking the Nunchuk, and fights using both the Wii Remote and Nunchuk.
The song "Bad Boys" is always played when a player is sent to the penalty box and when a fight between two players starts.
Each team also as a track played at their home arena when they score a goal.
has assured fans that these are rare and isolated occurrences.
The game also features historical dynasty and popular teams. These include the New York Islanders
of the 1980s, Montreal Canadiens
of the 1950s (and others), however; the accuracy of the teams are questionable as they have arbitrary players identified as position not name and jersey numbers that do not correspond to the real teams. Additionally, some historical sweaters that can be chosen to be worn in the game are designed inaccuarately, an example being the Boston Bruins
' 1926 jersey among others.
Also the numbers that are on the front of jerseys for Tampa Bay Lightning, San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres and Dallas Stars do appear in the game they are just hard to see.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
simulation made by 2K Sports
2K Sports
2K Sports is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. It comprises a single development studio, Visual Concepts, which was purchased from Sega in the year 2005. 2K Sports mainly develops and publishes American sports video games such as NBA 2K series...
, part of the NHL 2K
NHL 2K
NHL 2K is a series of hockey games by 2K Sports for the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Xbox, iPhone, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and the Wii. Its main competitor is EA Sports' NHL video games...
series, and published on the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
consoles. It features Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
left winger Rick Nash
Rick Nash
Rick Nash is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League ....
on the cover. A demo was released on August 13, 2008 on the PlayStation Network and on August 21 on Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace is a virtual market designed for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console that allows Xbox Live members to download purchased or promotional content...
(Gold members only).
Gameplay
NHL 2K9 brings new control schemes for the veterans of the series. The NHL 2K series has updated its stick handling moves, adding more superstar moves (from 2K8), further developed its skating engine, checking, added a new fighting engine, hit by puck collisions, blocked shots, user-controlled Stanley CupStanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
celebrations, playoff beards and more than 1,400 new gameplay animations. New to the online is the ability to play with up to six separate consoles against other teams made of up to six consoles for a 12 console/player game.
Presentation System
Improving on 2K8, there is a new menu interface, pre-game intros, different crowd animations that are wild, new game summary replays, and a new commentary team featuring Randy HahnRandy Hahn
Randy Hahn is a play-by-play commentator for the San Jose Sharks on Comcast SportsNet California, and has held that position for over 17 seasons. He has over 25 years of broadcast experience, mostly in hockey. He broadcast his 1,000th Sharks game on December 5, 2009 when the San Jose Sharks faced...
, Drew Remenda
Drew Remenda
Drew Remenda is a Canadian former hockey coach and current radio broadcaster and television hockey analyst. He serves as color commentator for television broadcasts of San Jose Sharks games on CSN California, as well as the co-host of Sports Night with Jamie Nye and Drew Remenda for CKOM in...
, and John Shrader
John Shrader
John Shrader is an American sports broadcaster, currently working for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area and Comcast SportsNet California.He was a sports anchor and fill in host for KNBR , San Francisco, known locally as "The Sports Leader." In addition to his regular duties, Shrader was a sideline...
(Intermission Host / Rinkside Reporter) of the San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Extras
Like other 2K sports games, NHL 2K9 features a Reel Maker on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 where players are able to edit saved replays, share them with others online, and rate other players creations via PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. Included are mini games; users will have to option to drive the ZamboniIce resurfacer
An ice resurfacer is a truck-like vehicle or smaller device used to clean and smooth the surface of an ice rink. The first ice resurfacer was developed by Frank J. Zamboni in 1949 in the city of Paramount, California...
during both intermissions while playing a game. On the Wii, the Wii remote is used as a steering wheel to give the driving a more intuitive feel.
Wii specific features
NHL 2K9 is notable as it is the first full-featured NHL hockey game to be released on Wii. The control set is tailored specifically to the unique features of the Wii control set. Control features include point and click passing, shooting by swinging the Wii RemoteWii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
, body checking by shaking the Nunchuk, and fights using both the Wii Remote and Nunchuk.
Music
The soundtrack is as follows:- Bad ReligionBad ReligionBad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
– "New Dark Ages" - Genghis TronGenghis TronGenghis Tron is a three-piece experimental metal band formed in Poughkeepsie, New York, USA, and currently based in Brooklyn, New York and San Francisco, California. Genghis Tron signed to Relapse Records after releasing two recordings on Crucial Blast. The band is noted for its creative...
– "Things Don't Look Good" - High on FireHigh on FireHigh on Fire is a stoner metal band from Oakland, California, that was formed in 1998. Matt Pike, the band's frontman and founder, previously played guitar for the influential stoner doom band Sleep.-History:...
– "Rumors of War" - Inner Circle – "Bad BoysBad Boys (Inner Circle song)"Bad Boys" is the title of a song by the reggae band Inner Circle, made popular by the television program COPS, where it is played during the opening title sequence. It was Originally Recorded By Inner Circle...
" - Joe SatrianiJoe SatrianiJoseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations...
– "Crowd Chant" - MastodonMastodon (band)Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1999. The band is composed of bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor...
– "Iron Tusk" - NOFXNOFXNOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
– "Linoleum" - Operation IvyOperation IvyOperation Ivy was the eighth series of American nuclear tests, coming after Tumbler-Snapper and before Upshot-Knothole. Its purpose was to help upgrade the U.S. arsenal of nuclear weapons in response to the Soviet nuclear weapons program...
– "Bankshot" - PennywisePennywise (band)Pennywise is a Californian punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California, formed in 1988. The name is derived from the monster, It, from the Stephen King novel of the same title....
– "Knocked Down" - Protest the HeroProtest the HeroProtest the Hero is a Canadian progressive metal band from Whitby, Ontario. Originally named Happy Go Lucky, the band line-up has remained the same since their formation in 1999. The band changed their name to Protest the Hero shortly before releasing their debut EP, Search for the Truth, in 2002...
– "Goddess Gagged" - Recliner – "Find a Way"
- The Night MarchersThe Night MarchersThe Night Marchers are an alternative rock band formed in 2007 in San Diego, California. The band is composed of singer/guitarist John Reis, guitarist Gar Wood, bassist Tommy Kitsos, and drummer Jason Kourkounis. Reis, Wood, and Kourkounis had previously performed together in the Hot Snakes, while...
– "Closed for Inventory" - The OffspringThe OffspringThe Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
– "Nitro (Youth Energy)" - The Ramones – "Blitzkrieg BopBlitzkrieg Bop"Blitzkrieg Bop" is a song by the American punk rock band Ramones. It was released as the band's debut single in April of 1976 in the United States...
"
The song "Bad Boys" is always played when a player is sent to the penalty box and when a fight between two players starts.
Each team also as a track played at their home arena when they score a goal.
Criticism
Some owners of the game, specifically Wii users, have experienced frozen screens and self-deleting save files. The save file disappearances tend to be linked with playing extended hours of the franchise mode. Through community testing, it appears saving franchise mode immediately following an automatic game save causes the franchise data to be lost. Also, playing through more than a couple of months of a season in succession has resulted in frozen screens that can lead to lost data. Take-Two InteractiveTake-Two Interactive
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a major American publisher, developer, and distributor of video games and video game peripherals. Take-Two wholly owns 2K Games and Rockstar Games. The company's headquarters are in New York City, with international headquarters in Windsor, United Kingdom...
has assured fans that these are rare and isolated occurrences.
The game also features historical dynasty and popular teams. These include the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the 1980s, Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
of the 1950s (and others), however; the accuracy of the teams are questionable as they have arbitrary players identified as position not name and jersey numbers that do not correspond to the real teams. Additionally, some historical sweaters that can be chosen to be worn in the game are designed inaccuarately, an example being the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
' 1926 jersey among others.
Also the numbers that are on the front of jerseys for Tampa Bay Lightning, San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres and Dallas Stars do appear in the game they are just hard to see.