Nhl 10

[Max Powers]

It comes out today here. I'm heading off to gamestop in about 30 mins to pick mine up.

NHL 09 is easily my most played game on my 360 and I can't wait to see what they improve upon.

I'm hoping for a fantasy draft in franchise mode and the elimination of some glitch goals.

If anyone else has this and is trying to play my XBL name is MelBlount and I'd love to beat you .

 

[Max Powers]

NHL 2010 picks up right where the spectacular 09 left off, which won numerous sports game of the year awards last year.

It's got a few things that I really enjoy the addition of. The fantasy draft is great and I love that they brought it back, since it was missing in 09. It's a lot of fun to re-do a draft with the whole pool of NHL players and shake all of the rosters up. My Toronto Maple Leafs team that I fantasy drafted only has one player from their actual team (and several ex-leafs).

You can pin players against the boards now. I didn't see the big deal at first, but it helps to combat people who just like to sit behind your net with the puck, it will at least make them struggle to hang back there now.

They have action after the whistle now. I'm not good with that yet because I'm used to nothing being called after the whistle and will usually check a computer player after the play out of habit. Now they call penalties for it, and the guys hit back. Sometimes this will lead to the other guy trying to fight you as well.

Be a pro is pretty much the same from last year (nothing wrong with that, it was great) with the addition of equipment that you can unlock by achieving certain things, for example one of the sticks requires you to score two goals in the Young Stars game (the first game you play in your be a pro career). The equipment then has boost slots. You can fill these slots with various boosts to your player's abilities such as speed, deking, checking...basically everything. Though small, it does help you get your player up to speed quicker.

The franchise mode is now Be a GM mode, where achieving certain tasks (make a 1 for 1 trade, win 3 games) you earn points that you can use towards upgrading your coaching/scouting/training staff, who can make a pretty big impact on your season.

Great game, if you like hockey at all BUY IT. Even if you don't, and you're looking for a good sports game BUY IT.

I don't think many people here are into hockey or NHL games but it's basically the only game I spend any time playing online so BUY THE GAME AND GO ONLINE AND PLAY AGAINST ME

oh yeah BUY IT

 

[Skidmark]

I need your help on this game man!

What D setup do you use?

I keep getting caught on the break all the time and I am always open to the square pass infront of the net.

I love the game but know nothing about hockey, there isn't much on TV over here in the UK.

Cheers for any help.

 

[Max Powers]

Personally, I like to use a collapsing set-up in front of my net. This keeps your guys nice and close in whenever they try to sneak a pass behind you. Be careful of guys hanging out by the sides of the net, as they can stuff it in pretty easily. Whenever they are possessing it for a long time in your zone, try as hard as you can to keep each man covered. Poke check a lot as well, it's a good safe way to intercept a pass and doesn't put you as out of position as a body check does. If you have a good line and are controlling a hitter, go for the check though, just don't miss the hit as that will put you out of position and lead to an odd man rush by them usually. If you are in front of a shot, dive (it's right button + left button) especially if its from further away and you will usually come away with the puck and at least help stop a scoring chance.

Using your LW and RW to cover the two defensemen as shots from the point can be pretty effective as well. Make sure your center is back helping the defensemen, as that's his job as well as offense. If you are getting a lot of pressure close in, bring in your wing as well to help out. The more of a crowd you have back there the tougher it will be for them to make those fatal cross net passes.

Another good way to keep them off of you is to not let them into your zone. Whenever they are approaching your blue line, try to stay right around the line and cut off the pass to anybody, if executed right this should force them to dump the puck into your zone, which hopefully will give you possession.

Really the key to the game is possessing the puck, on offense and defense. Don't always go for your first shot on offense unless you have a nice clear lane. Get all of your guys set up in the zone and then pass it around. Shoot some from the point with your defenders and try to go for deflections, and make safe passes across the net (computer defense is good at intercepting these though).

THis game takes a lot of time to get the hang of, but if you really work on holding onto the puck as much as you can you will have better results.

The AI in this game is pretty tough, and it definitely takes some getting used to, and this is coming from somebody who played 09 to death.

 

[Max Powers]

ignore this.