Developer: MBL Research Publisher: EA
Released: October 1, 1998 Rated: E 7/10
I have always known and maintained that NHL 99 is a good game, and in the past few years been able to confirm that it’s certainly the best traditional hockey title on the N64. But oddly enough, I’ve had to realize lately that while it’s good, it’s far from perfect, and yet still a title I would easily call one of my personal favorites, both due to the classic sense of nostalgia I still get from it, but also from the realization that it’s one of the few examples of a straightforward hockey title on my favorite console.
This isn’t something that I think happens often – it notably has never happened with Quest 64, the only RPG I ever played on the N64 for most of my life – but NHL 99 probably gets a boost for me in spite of the realization that EA probably could have followed it up even one time and outdone it. But they didn’t, and their one and done NHL series release on the system is actually still pretty great.
Although it’s actually closer to an updated port of the previous year’s title, rather than the equivalent of NHL 99 on the PlayStation (which is easily identified by David Bowie’s “Heroes” in the opening FMV), the N64’s NHL 99 is probably great because, to me, it feels like their classic NHL titles of the early ‘90s, including the iconic NHL 94. And this may not sound that great to some people – an N64 title from sports gaming’s biggest name that plays like their games from five years prior – but to others, saying the magic words “NHL 94” might sell the game instantly.
Essentially what I mean is that it’s fast, heavy, and hard-hitting, with simple controls but a consistent excitement that makes it easy to stick with it for a full season or even just tell yourself “one more game” before you call it a night with your buddies. It may not be a full-on simulation, but at the same time, I don’t personally feel like hockey games felt like they could truly simulate and encourage the play style of the real sport, establishing zone presence and looking for shooting lanes, as opposed to trading off odd-man rushes and big body checks for two to three uninterrupted minutes, until later in the sixth generation of consoles. But just like it had been for most of the 16-bit era, it’s an addictive play style that leads to bit hits, big one-timers and shots, and big saves and keeps the excitement up, even though the heaviness of the players and their inconsistent momentum can make it feel like you’re fighting the game at times.
NHL 99 simply delivers a strong game of hockey in the classic video game vein, built to represent a classic era of the NHL that boasted some of the game’s most iconic personalities, such as larger than life cover star Eric Lindros, hot-tempered but nearly unbeatable goaltender Patrick Roy, and hard-hitting defenseman Scott Stevens, the latter of which is probably the biggest inspiration for a large number of the game’s commentary lines recorded by ESPN commentator Bill Clement. While the commentary is incredibly sparse, due largely, of course, to storage constraints on the system, but almost every one included is honestly iconic, with classics like “northbound on a southbound freeway, look out!” and “ooh, he’s a brick wall in there” still firmly planted in my vocabulary alongside classics from the likes of Jack Edwards (Boston Bruins play-by-play announcer) and Mike “Doc” Emrick.
In the grand scheme of things, NHL 99 may not objectively hold up against truly iconic years in the franchise or hockey titles in general like NHL 94, 10, or 14, or full-on arcade experiences like Wayne Gretzky’s 3D Hockey or NHL Hitz. It doesn’t have any big feature, advancement, or game mode to plant its flag with. It’s just easily the best option on a system that doesn’t have that much competition, but more than enough to be worth coming back to if you’re a hockey fan.
Continuing Legacy
EA are still the king of hockey franchises, though in 2024 it’s much more a matter of leftover good faith, built largely on successes nearly a decade prior. Like most sports titles nowadays, there isn’t much competition, going back to when NHL 10 and 11 delivered a one-two punch of critical acclaim that pushed 2K out of the market. Iterations have been somewhat up and down since then, but with an overall downward trend as, unsurprisingly, the impression has become that the company is coasting on yearly releases rather than innovating goes almost without saying.
Additional Information
Saves: Controller Pak
Compatible With: Rumble Pak
Players: 1-4
Print Guides: None
Aggregate Critical Reception (GameRankings): 84.29%, based on 14 reviews
Other Releases: EU, November 30, 1998
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