Play Nhl ?97 Online

NHL '97 came out for the Sega Genesis in 1996, published by EA Sports. It was one of the later hockey titles for the system, arriving when the 16-bit era was winding down. You got a solid hockey game that built on what earlier entries had established, without the flash of the newer 32-bit consoles.

You control a five man unit on the ice, skating up and down the rink to score goals and defend your net. The main goal is to win the game, of course, but you're also managing line changes and trying to set up plays. A couple of its signature mechanics were the one timer, where you could pass and shoot in one quick motion for a dangerous scoring chance, and the ability to execute dekes and spin moves to get around defenders. The game had a faster pace than some of its predecessors, and the difficulty could spike, especially when the computer opponent decided to apply relentless pressure. It feels responsive and fluid when you connect on a clean pass or bury a shot from the slot.