
I fondly remember the 3-on-3, arcade-style gameplay, especially since it encouraged hitting and Derian Hatcher was an unstoppable checking machine.

In fact, the first hockey video game I ever played was NHL Hitz 2003, which my brother and I rented from Blockbuster (you’re welcome for making you feel younger again). My sincerest apologies to anyone who now feels incredibly old. This is due to a variety of reasons, but the main reason why is because I wasn’t even born yet when it came out. Personally, however, I’m not a big fan of the game, mostly because I’ve never played it before.

It’s not an absolute truth (for instance, Down Goes Brown prefers NHLPA ‘93), but the old Sega Genesis classic is still regarded fondly in many hockey fans’ hearts. If you ask people what the greatest NHL video game of all time is, the most common response will probably be NHL ‘94.
