NHL 2K9 Demo Out

by JDunman on Aug 14, 2008 11:55 PM EDT Comment 17 comments

I'm not a big fan of video game demos, really. I hate getting into a game only to have it crap out on me just as it's getting good with a message informing me that it wants my money. However, when I noticed NHL 2K9 on the new demo list on the Playstation Store, I decided to give it a try.

Last year, I picked EA's NHL 08, and despite some bugs here and there (replays not matching the plays, wrong players going to the line in cutscenes) the game was outstanding. Innovative controls and a learning AI that had me screaming at my TV more often than not. Come to think of it, I didn't even give 2K8 a try.

The demo for 2K9 has the tried-and-true controls for a hockey game. The kind we all got used to as we took the Penguins to the Cup on our Super Nintendos and Sega Genesises (or Genesi?). I had forgotten just how much fun simple controls could be. As I took the Pens against the Red Wings (only two teams available in the demo) through one period of hockey (all that the demo allows), I had a lot of fun. And yes, the one-timer seems to still be impossible to stop.

For the record, goals from Letang and Sykora took me to victory in my first outing.

The thing that really has me excited, though, are the features. Those of us who have stuck with EA's franchise through the years probably have realized that little by little every extra feature has been cut out of the game. There used to be bonuses you could unlock and tons of extras that would have you trying to play the game in certain ways. No more - they didn't even have retro jerseys last year. Only the new ones that just debuted and the previous years.

2K Sports hockey has always been loaded with extras, and I think that's what's going to sell me on the game this year. If I long for EA's controls, I'll pop in last year's game, but unless they have some kind of selling point (like 2K9 promising playoff beards - or bears, if you ask Frank), I'll pass.

So the moral of the story - if you have a gaming system that can, go check out 2K9's demo and get a little revenge for the Pens.

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Playoff bears? Awesome!

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Aug 15, 2008 6:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The “hype screen” also says you can drive the Zamboni, but I have a feeling that will get old fairly quickly.

I'm sorry, Mr. Hossa, but I'm afraid we can't be friends anymore. Why? Because I hate you.

by JDunman on Aug 15, 2008 7:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

haha that is actually kinda lame. Not gonna lie.

Do you have a link avail for the trailer or anything? I’d love to see this stuff.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Aug 15, 2008 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just put up three fanshots with some footage. Head to IGN for a game description – I’d give a link, but IGN is blocked on my computer at work. Go figure.

I'm sorry, Mr. Hossa, but I'm afraid we can't be friends anymore. Why? Because I hate you.

by JDunman on Aug 15, 2008 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cool – added them at the bottom of your post. Thanks JD.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Aug 15, 2008 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The song from the trailer is by the band Mastodon, off their best album Leviathan. Highly recommended, though not as the soundtrack to a hockey game. That doesn’t make much sense. The whole record is about Captain Ahab and Moby Dick…

Go Avs! Let's get some goals!

by Joe Dunman on Aug 20, 2008 11:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ah, a Mastodon fan. I can’t say I liked their music all that much, but I interviewed them right when that album came out.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Aug 21, 2008 6:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The song played when the video is playing on the ice is by Bad Religion, of which I’m a big fan. I guess the song “New Dark Ages” is directed at Detroit winning the Cup.

I'm sorry, Mr. Hossa, but I'm afraid we can't be friends anymore. Why? Because I hate you.

by JDunman on Aug 21, 2008 8:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I also dig Bad Religion. I remember their ‘newer’ song Sorrow was used in a movie or video game trailer. I can’t remember, but I remember it had something to do with either a war game or a car racing one.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Aug 21, 2008 8:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I vaguely recall reading about NHL09 (EA Sports) somewhere on the blog . . . but maybe it was somewhere else. I just downloaded the demo for PS3 and it is better than the 2k9 demo IMO.

Also, with the multiplayer possibilities it’s going to be quite good. Wasn’t there some interest in forming a Pensburgh team (preferably on PS3, although my roommate has 360 so i could get it for that). FrankD, it’s time to graduate about the PS2.

by JDMaker1 on Sep 9, 2008 6:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Honestly JD – I’ve been thinking about dropping $600 for a PS3, NHL 09 package. I might be out of my mind, but I’ve never been one to comprehend sanity.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Sep 10, 2008 7:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

First, that was obviously supposed to say “graduate away from the PS2.” I must have been in a hurry and decided not to read what I typed.

Second, What does this $600 package consist of? Isn’t the price of a PS3 down to $299ish?? Does that mean the NHL09, a controller, and maybe a bluetooth headset costs $300?? That seems a bit steep.

by JDMaker1 on Sep 10, 2008 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well last I checked the ‘cheaper’ of the two, the $399 one, comes with a controller and system with X amount of GB HD. However the backwards compatibility on it for PS2 games is nonexistent. Should you have money for the more expensive one, $499 with a bigger HD, you can maybe use at least 70% of your PS2 games on there.

I know with a new system you’ll hardly ever want to use the older games, but for the time being while games still cost $50-$60, backwards compatibility is the best option for those starting out. So that kinda hurts a bit as well.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Sep 10, 2008 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I see. I did just check on Best Buy for prices. I thought they had been lowered to compete with XBox’s recent price drop, but I guess I was mistaken.

I got lucky in that I got an older 60gb PS3 last summer (2007), which came with PS2 backwards compatibility. IMO, that might not be a bad option for you as a PS2 owner. That depends on how hard it is to find one on Ebay or somewhere else.

I say I got lucky, but to be honest it doesn’t matter for me since i don’t actually own any PS2 games. But hey, maybe i’ll come across some at some point. And on another note, if you have an HDTV (which by all means you should in this day-in-age) Blu-Ray is a reason to get the PS3 on its own.

by JDMaker1 on Sep 10, 2008 7:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Honestly I’ve never been up on the whole crazy TV tech stuff. Picture clarity and blu-ray/HDHD, etc never phased me the least. If I want to see a movie I’ll see it on any format. But i will admit, when I saw a football game last week on HD I nearly lost my mind.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Sep 10, 2008 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

HDTV blows away SDTV. If you’re talking about sports (especially hockey) it’s not even close. I can hardly watch SDTV sports anymore, they’re terrible.

I can understand what you’re saying about movies, but I still disagree. It isn’t nearly the mind blowing experience that sporting events in HD are, but watching a DVD at 720p is much better than a VHS tape, and a BluRay disc at 1080p is absolutely phenomenal. I didn’t think I’d be able to tell, but everything is crisper, even the sound is a lot better.

by JDMaker1 on Sep 10, 2008 10:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m up on modern tech, I just never actively seek these things out. I guess I’m just not a tech hound. But aside from Lemieuxs retirement (both times) and some tapes from when I worked in television, I don’t even have anything on VHS anymore.

Even HDTV last season for the Flyers vs Penguins game just made for one hell of a game. But when all is said and done and I go home from the bar/friend’s house/both, I’m content just going back to what I have.

But i was at Wal Mart before and felt my credit card twinging when I saw the $399 PS3. Not gonna lie.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Sep 10, 2008 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs