NHL 99 on N64 was one of those games where you could tell EA was really starting to nail hockey. The players actually looked like hockey players instead of blocky polygons, and the animations—especially the goalie saves—felt surprisingly smooth for the time.

First thing you’ll notice? The speed. This wasn’t some sluggish arcade hockey—it played fast, almost too fast if you weren’t ready for it. Passing felt crisp, and the one-timers were stupidly satisfying to pull off. The rosters were updated (for ‘99, anyway), so you could actually play as your favorite teams without pretending half the stars didn’t exist.

It wasn’t perfect—the AI could be a little predictable on lower difficulties—but for couch multiplayer? Absolute chaos in the best way. Still holds up if you’re into retro sports games.