Best NHL Video Games Ranked (All-Time)

S-Tier Classics

1. NHL '94 (EA, 1993)

NHL '94 is regularly called not just the best hockey game ever, but one of the best sports games, thanks to licensed teams and players, the introduction of the one-timer and fluid, pick-up-and-play controls. Real organ music, playoff and best-of-seven modes, and a shootout mini-game gave it unheard-of depth for the era and cemented its cult status that still fuels tournaments today.

The controls were simple enough that anyone could score, but deep enough that skill gaps showed up fast in head-to-head play. That balance turned NHL '94 into a couch rivalry staple that never really went away. People still run Genesis and SNES tournaments for this game three decades later.

2. NHL 2004 (EA, 2003)

NHL 2004 is a turning point for the EA series, adding a revamped Dynasty Mode with finances, roster moves and long-term team building, plus far better checking, puck control and presentation. Many players still mod the PC version with modern rosters, and fan lists frequently rank it top-three all-time for its balance of sim feel and old-school fun.

Dynasty Mode was the hook. You could finally run a franchise for decades, manage cap space, scout prospects, and watch your fourth-round pick turn into a franchise center. The gameplay felt weighty without being slow, and the PC modding community kept it alive long after EA moved on.

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3. NHL 14 (EA, 2013)

NHL 14 often tops "best EA NHL" lists, praised for doing "everything well" with strong EASHL, HUT, Be a Pro and Be a GM modes in one package. It won "Best Sports Game" at E3 2013 and is still fondly remembered for weighty hitting, reliable skating and a huge online community at its peak.

This was the last great PS3/Xbox 360 NHL game before the series jumped to next-gen consoles and stumbled. NHL 14 nailed the physics, the online modes were packed, and the feature set was complete. Nothing felt half-finished. If you wanted NHL betting knowledge or just loved the sport, this game had something for you.

Golden Era EA Entries

4. NHL 07 (EA, 2006)

NHL 07 introduced the next-gen skill-stick control system on Xbox 360, with analog shooting and much smoother animation, feeling like a major leap over previous years. It set the gameplay template for later EA NHL titles and frequently appears in top-five rankings for its impact.

The skill stick changed everything. Suddenly you could deke, shoot, and pass all with the right analog stick, giving you far more control than the old button-based systems. It wasn't perfect at launch, but it laid the foundation for every EA NHL game that followed.

5. NHL 10 (EA, 2009)

NHL 10 is widely seen as one of the series' most complete entries, adding Be-A-GM, board battles, improved goalie AI and more realistic post-whistle scrums. The result was a game that appealed to both offline franchise grinders and competitive online players, keeping it in the conversation for best of the HD era.

Board play finally felt physical. Goalies stopped letting in soft wristers from the blue line every other shift. The modes were deep but not overwhelming. NHL 10 was the sweet spot where simulation depth met playability, and the community stuck around for years.

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6. NHL 06 (EA, 2005)

NHL 06 polished the PS2/Xbox generation with sharper controls, better dekes and improved presentation that built on NHL 2004's foundation. Fans often cite it as the sweet spot between arcade flash and early-2000s sim depth, especially on PS2.

This was the last year before the next-gen jump, so EA squeezed every bit of performance out of the aging hardware. The Dynasty Mode was still excellent, the gameplay felt refined, and the learning curve was friendly enough for casual players without dumbing down the sim elements.

2K Series & Non-EA Standouts

7. ESPN NHL 2K5 (Visual Concepts/2K, 2004)

NHL 2K5 is frequently called the best sim-style hockey game of its time, with ESPN broadcast presentation, deep franchise options and smart AI. On original Xbox in particular, its realism and feature set pushed EA to improve, and many fans still miss the competition it brought to the market.

The AI was the star. Teams actually played systems. Defensemen pinched at the right times. Forecheckers collapsed intelligently. NHL 2K5 felt like watching a real game unfold rather than playing a video game with hockey assets, and that realism gap forced EA to step up their own sim credentials.

8. NHL 2K7 (2K, 2006)

NHL 2K7 is described as the 2K series' peak, featuring advanced AI that pinched, broke out and cycled like real teams, plus strong graphics for early HD consoles. It remains a favourite for players who prefer a slower, more tactical brand of virtual hockey over EA's faster style.

This was 2K's last great stand before they exited the hockey market. The presentation was polished, the franchise mode was deep, and the gameplay rewarded patience and positioning over arcade speed. If you understood hockey terms and actual strategy, 2K7 let you execute real systems.

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9. Blades of Steel (Konami, 1987/88)

Blades of Steel earned cult status with fast arcade action, simple controls and mid-game fighting sequences that felt mind-blowing on NES. Despite fictional rosters, its city-based teams, commentary snippets and pace made it the couch-multiplayer hockey game before EA's era.

The fights were hilariously basic but incredibly satisfying. Lose a fight, and your team went on the penalty kill. Win, and you got momentum. The actual hockey was fast and responsive, and the digitized "BLADES OF STEEL" voice clip at the title screen became iconic enough to live in meme culture forever.

Retro Favourites & Honorable Mentions

10. NHLPA Hockey '93 (EA, 1992)

NHLPA '93 added licensed players, harder hitting and more physicality than its predecessor, laying groundwork for NHL '94. Many retro fans still rank it just behind '94 for its raw, chaotic feel and classic Genesis/SNES rivalry memories.

This was the bridge between early EA hockey and the masterpiece that followed. The hitting was brutal, the pace was frantic, and the player licenses made it feel legitimate. If you grew up with a Genesis or SNES, you probably logged hours on this before graduating to '94.

11. Ice Hockey (NES, 1988)

NES Ice Hockey is remembered for its simple genius: picking thin, medium or fat players to trade off speed and strength, then playing frantic 5v5 games. Its chunky sprites and basic mechanics still hold up as a party game, which is why it shows up in most "best hockey games ever" retro polls.

The fat players were slower but impossible to knock off the puck. The thin guys flew up the ice but got bodied constantly. That simple roster-building choice added surprising depth to an otherwise straightforward arcade game, and the chaotic gameplay made it perfect for quick versus sessions.

12. NHL Hitz Pro / NHL Hitz 20-03 (Midway, early 2000s)

The NHL Hitz arcade series strips hockey down to 3-on-3 or 4-on-4, with huge hits, big heads and over-the-top checking. NHL Hitz 20-03, in particular, is often singled out as the high point, blending outrageous physics with surprisingly solid underlying hockey.

Hitz was NHL Street before NHL Street existed. The hits were absurd, the goals were highlight-reel only, and the whole thing felt like a Saturday morning cartoon version of hockey. But underneath the chaos, the puck physics and AI were surprisingly competent, which kept it from being pure button-mash nonsense.

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