NHL 96

NHL 96
Developer(s)	EA Tiburon (SNES) High Score Productions (MD) Pioneer Productions (DOS) Probe Entertainment (GB)
Publisher(s)	EA Sports (SMD, SNES, DOS) Black Pearl (GB)
Series	NHL series
Platform(s)	DOS, Mega Drive/Genesis, SNES, Game Boy
Release date(s)	Super Nintendo Entertainment System NA September 1995 EU October 26, 1995 Genesis NA 1995 EU 1995 PC NA October 31, 1995
Genre(s)	Sports - Ice Hockey Sim
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Distribution	CD, Game cartridge

NHL 96 is an ice hockey video game developed by EA Canada. It was released in 1995. This game was preceded by NHL 95, and was succeeded by NHL 97.

Game Cover

The cover of the game features Steve Yzerman and Scott Stevens, then team captains of Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils respectively, the two teams of 1995 Stanley Cup Finals.^[1] It was the final game in the series that included more than one player on the cover in North America. Since the release of NHL 97, the games' covers have single players.

Inclusions

Major and double minor penalties were included in the game. The PC version is the first game in the series to have multiple cameras, using EA's "Virtual Stadium technology". The Virtual Stadium technology uses 2D sprites on a 3D environment. The song included is Get Ready For This by 2 Unlimited is used as the game's main theme (for the PC version, the game music is done by game composer Jeff van Dyck).

Although the Quebec Nordiques had been relocated to Denver as the Colorado Avalanche prior to the 1995–96 season, circumstances prevented the new franchise from being added to the EA game, and as a result, the club still appears as the Nordiques. Fighting was also included, with three new animations for a fight ending; knocking the losing player on his back, injuring him to cause him to squirm on the ice, and by pulling the losing player to the ice with the jersey over his head while being able to still throw punches.

The game offered two options for season length. The numbers of games are either 48 or 82 games. The actual 1994-95 NHL season was shortened to 48 games due to the 1994–95 NHL lockout.

Game Modes

NHL 96 has typical modes to play: Exhibition Mode, Season Mode, and Playoffs Mode.^[2]

Soundtrack

Reception

References