When people look back at their youth it's often through rose tinted spectacles and everything seems like it was much better back then. The food you ate had more taste and the days never seems to end. These days there is not much that you can put your finger on and say that it is definitely better now. That is apart from NHL games for Xbox & Playstation game consoles.
It's no longer a case of pushing a little puck which looks more like a white dot around the screen. Or even controlling a matchstick version of Wayne Gretsky around as if that made you feel like it was him on the screen. No though people can play a game of hockey on their console for pure enjoyment. Not all progression in presentation means that you will end up with a better game. Lots of the time all you need to enjoy yourself is the basic shapes but you need something. Something like speed and or accuracy to test your reflexes and skill. The greatest games ever played were not great because they were visually stunning even if they really were. They were played over and over because people enjoyed playing them. Having a really great and playable game is much more fun than looking at something that is just pretty and can hardly move.
While both of these games had the very best levels of playability, they really paid little attention to detail with the presentation. The genius that invented either of those really understood what makes people tick. Sadly their talents will be missed but they paved the way forward for sports and action games makers. So with all the information, the game play and the good presentation in today's NHL titles, it's no surprise that they are as popular as a child with sweets in a playground. Like all games consoles and the sports titles that go with them, the hockey titles have progressed a great deal.
It's the clever people who make the games that have made sports games of today such as hockey, look good and still keep the game play of the games of old. They realized a long time ago that your couldn't just paint a pretty picture on the screen, you had to actually let the player live it too. They now know that there is no point in releasing a game on to the market that is not up to speed. Especially not when the game in question is carrying the NHL brand. So the children of today have had it easy or lucky or whatever they are getting fed up of hearing. But to be fair it's everyone that benefits from NHL games for Xbox & Playstation game consoles especially once the kids are sleeping.