NHL 2K11
Time for a shootout while on the subway!
Posted August 26, 2010
I remember playing the NHL 2K series years ago. There was always a rapid discussion between hockey fans over the differences in quality of the 2K series and EA offerings. 2K won out on the side of gameplay more often than not. This year, 2K released a version of 2K11 for iPhone / iPod Touch owners and at a very competitive price, $1.99. (There’s also a lite version if you want to try the game for free) It’s pretty amazing to see how much they crammed in this mobile version of the game.
Similar to the console versions, you can hop into an exhibition game, head right into a shootout or even start an entire season complete with the playoffs for the Stanley Cup. Sadly, no online multiplayer. 2K11 for the iPhone has all the recently update rosters for the upcoming season and you can fiddle around with them as well if you are matching what’s going on in the real season. Just like the console versions, the AI can be ramped up in difficulty and the fast paced nature of hockey translates really well into the mobile version.
Also identical to the console version, there’s a huge number of options to mess with for customizing the pacing of the game and the rules; a great addition for hockey geeks. The control system creates virtual controls, a movement stick and buttons to perform actions like passing, shooting, speed burst, checking and changing players. It works really well and there were only a handful of times that I would have preferred a real controller. I am a fan of the accuracy on the passing system as well as allowing the game’s AI to determine the ferocity of a defensive check.
For $1.99, I’m left wondering if this game was mispriced when put up on the app store. The large amount of depth, surprisingly tight control system and entertaining gameplay is really exceptional for an iPhone game at this price. It’s easy to look past the graphical and sound issues because the game is a blast to play and is easily the best hockey game on the iPhone, something that fledgling developers have failed miserably at. The purchase price is so low that it will be interesting to see if EA can even compete, if they release an iPhone version of their upcoming NHL title. In any case, you can’t go wrong with NHL 2K11 on the iPhone. Keeping my fingers crossed for Retina graphics and multiplayer in 2K12!
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Similar to the console versions, you can hop into an exhibition game, head right into a shootout or even start an entire season complete with the playoffs for the Stanley Cup. Sadly, no online multiplayer. 2K11 for the iPhone has all the recently update rosters for the upcoming season and you can fiddle around with them as well if you are matching what’s going on in the real season. Just like the console versions, the AI can be ramped up in difficulty and the fast paced nature of hockey translates really well into the mobile version.
Also identical to the console version, there’s a huge number of options to mess with for customizing the pacing of the game and the rules; a great addition for hockey geeks. The control system creates virtual controls, a movement stick and buttons to perform actions like passing, shooting, speed burst, checking and changing players. It works really well and there were only a handful of times that I would have preferred a real controller. I am a fan of the accuracy on the passing system as well as allowing the game’s AI to determine the ferocity of a defensive check.
Graphics
- Where are the iPhone 4 Retina display graphics? My eyes have gotten used to the awesome visuals in games like Doodle Jump and Plunderland. The low-resolution visuals look ok for an iPhone 3GS game, but it’s something that should have been addressed before the game was released.
- That being said, the game performs without a hitch. Animations are fluid and characters (while pixilated) glide along the ice with ease. Also, kudos to the developers for allowing for so many camera angles. Word of warning though; playing the game on older iPhones (2G, 3G) will see performance issues, namely a decreased framerate.
Audio
- Likely the weakest part of the game, the audio is woefully underpowered. The announcer is completely absent for some reason. Crowd noise is ok if you are playing at the home team. There’s also little in the way of extra sound effects like the jumbotron blaring loudly or the foghorn that rips when you score a goal.
Conclusion
For $1.99, I’m left wondering if this game was mispriced when put up on the app store. The large amount of depth, surprisingly tight control system and entertaining gameplay is really exceptional for an iPhone game at this price. It’s easy to look past the graphical and sound issues because the game is a blast to play and is easily the best hockey game on the iPhone, something that fledgling developers have failed miserably at. The purchase price is so low that it will be interesting to see if EA can even compete, if they release an iPhone version of their upcoming NHL title. In any case, you can’t go wrong with NHL 2K11 on the iPhone. Keeping my fingers crossed for Retina graphics and multiplayer in 2K12!
Discuss This Game on Our Official VGT Forum