NHL Breakaway 99 was one of those N64 hockey games that actually felt like hockey—fast, a little chaotic, and just arcade-y enough to keep things fun. The animations were surprisingly smooth for the time, especially when you pulled off a big hit or a one-timer. I remember the first time I booted it up, the crowd noise and the organ music immediately sucked me in.

It’s got all the NHL teams and players from the late ‘90s, so if you’re nostalgic for that era, it’s a blast. The controls take a minute to get used to (that N64 controller wasn’t exactly built for precision), but once you figure out the dekes and slap shots, it’s satisfying. And yeah, the graphics are definitely dated now, but back then, the ice texture and player models felt pretty legit.

Not the deepest hockey sim ever, but if you want something that captures the energy of the sport without overcomplicating things, it holds up better than you’d expect.