Software:NHL '94

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NHL '94
NHL '94
Sega Mega Drive/Genesis cover art
Developer(s)EA Canada (SNES)
High Score Productions (Genesis, Sega CD)
Park Place Productions (MS-DOS)
Empty Clip Studios (Rewind)
Publisher(s)EA Sports
Electronic Arts Victor (Japan)
Designer(s)Jim Simmons
Programmer(s)Mark B. Lesser
Composer(s)Rob Hubbard
SeriesNHL series
Platform(s)Original
Genesis, Super NES, Sega CD, DOS
Rewind
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
ReleaseGenesis:
  • EU: 1993
  • NA: September 1993
Super NES:
  • NA: November 1993
  • EU: March 31, 1994
  • JP: April 8, 1994
Sega CD:
  • NA: January 1994
  • EU: March 1994
Rewind:
  • WW: October 30, 2020
Genre(s)Traditional ice hockey simulation
Mode(s)Single-player
Multiplayer

NHL '94 is an ice hockey game by EA Sports for the Genesis, Super NES, and Sega CD, as well as the first release for the PC (DOS), simply titled "NHL Hockey", without the "94" in the title. The game is officially licensed from the National Hockey League and the NHL Players' Association, and was the first game in the series to have both combined licenses.[1] The third game in the NHL series media franchise, it was released in September 1993 for the Sega Genesis and November 1993 for the Super Nintendo.[2] NHL '94 launched to critical acclaim, and it has since been referred to as both the greatest sports game of all time as well as one of the best games ever made.

Gameplay

NHL Hockey (DOS) gameplay.

The game maintained the series' signature vertical camera angle, which offered the player distinct gameplay and strategic advantages over contemporary side-view hockey games, and kept the 2D sprite character models of NHLPA '93 (albeit with some new animations). The team rosters and player attributes in the game reflect that of the 1992-93 season, and include the league's two new expansion teams for that season, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (now the Anaheim Ducks) and Florida Panthers.

Many improvements were made to the engine by EA between 1992 and 1993. Notably, NHL '94 introduced the "one timer", an authentic hockey move where a player shoots the puck directly off of a pass, and manual goalie control. NHL 94 also added the ability to save user and player records,[3] and has five modes: Exhibition Game, Playoffs, Best of Seven Playoffs, Shootout, and Demo. There are no international teams, but both all-star teams are present. Also introduced were team-specific organ songs played at the start of periods and after goals—examples included the Hartford Whalers' trademark "Brass Bonanza", "Halte-là! Les Canadiens sont là!" for the Montreal Canadiens, "When the Saints Go Marching In" for the St. Louis Blues, "The Sabre Dance" for the Buffalo Sabres, and the Chicago Blackhawks theme song "Here Come the Hawks". "Birthday" by the Beatles is also featured as an organ song after a goal is scored.

Game modes

  • Exhibition Game
  • Stanley Cup Playoffs: Single Game Series
  • Stanley Cup Playoffs: Best of Seven Series
  • Shootout Mini-Game
  • Demo

Other versions

A version titled Lua error in Module:Lang/utilities at line 332: attempt to call field '_transl' (a nil value). was released in Japan for the Super Famicom which has all the important text in Japanese including the main menu, the actual hockey players, the secondary (end of period and post-game) menus, and the crowd meter. However, the passwords still use ASCII letters and numbers exclusively.

The National Hockey League had EA Sports remove fighting from the Sega CD version of the game.[4]

The NHL 94 game engine was later used (albeit modified for extra violence) for EA's Sega Genesis game Mutant League Hockey.[5]

The game was included in the PlayStation 2 version of NHL 06. The port included was based on the Sega Genesis version, but lacks the official NHL rosters from the original title. Furthermore, the Hartford Whalers were known as the Hartford Canes in that version, as a nod to the team's current name, the Carolina Hurricanes.[3]

On July 11, 2013, it was announced that NHL 14 would include an NHL '94 Anniversary Mode, celebrating the 20th anniversary of NHL '94. It changes NHL 14 audiovisually and control-wise to resemble NHL '94, using the teams and players from the 2013-2014 NHL season, alongside the music from the Sega Genesis version. It also changes other gameplay elements like including faster game speed and having relaxed game rules.[6] It would later return in the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of NHL 15, using the teams and players from the 2014-15 NHL season, and NHL: Legacy Edition, using the teams and players from the 2015-16 NHL season.

On October 2, 2020, it was announced that a port of NHL ‘94 tilted NHL ‘94 Rewind, developed by Empty Clip Studios for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, using the Arsenal emulation software engine, would be released on October 30 for players who pre-ordered NHL 21. In December 2020, it became available for purchase to anyone, regardless of ownership of NHL 21.[7] This version is based on the Sega Genesis version and features the teams and players from the 2020-21 NHL season.

Reception

Reception
Review score
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStarStarHalf star (Genesis)[8]
StarStarStarHalf star (SNES)[9]
StarStarStarStarHalf star (PC)[10]
StarStarStarHalf star (SCD)[11]

Computer Gaming World in 1993 stated that NHL Hockey for DOS had "a playing environment that is flush with realism, excitement and credibility". The magazine concluded that "players will lose themselves in the simulation and feel they are in control of a televised NHL broadcast ... an experience well worth the price of admission".[12] In June 1994 it was a finalist for the magazine's Sports Game of the Year award, losing to Front Page Sports Football Pro.[13]

GamePro gave the Sega CD version a perfect score, citing improved controls and playability from the already outstanding Genesis and SNES versions, as well as the use of real life NHL footage.[4]

Allgame editor Scott Alan Marriot described NHL '94 as "the best playing hockey game at the time of its release".[8]

Accolades

IGN ranked the game 59th on their "Top 100 SNES Games of All Time." They opined that NHL 94 "Truly defined hockey adaptations in the 16-bit era." They also praised the four player function and described the single player gameplay as "Fast and frantic pace of skating and slap-shotting here felt utterly unrivaled." The only criticism they had was that NHL 94 removed the option to brawl with the opposing team.[14] In 1994, PC Gamer US named NHL Hockey the 11th best computer game ever. The editors called it "nearly flawless in its representation of the speed and the strategies of full-tilt, real-time NHL hockey — and besides, it's one of the best PC games available."[15] That same year, PC Gamer UK named it the 41st best computer game of all time, calling it "one of the most enjoyable PC sports sims to date".[16] In 1996, GamesMaster ranked the Mega Drive version 65th in its "Top 100 Games of All Time."[17]

Legacy

In the years following its release, NHL '94 has come to be considered one of the greatest sports games of all time. The Genesis version was included as #61 on Electronic Gaming Monthly's "100 Best Games of All Time" in 1997[18] and as #47 on IGN's Top 100 Games of All-Time in 2005.[19] It was named All-Time Greatest Sports Video Game by Boston.com.[20] It was also ranked second by ESPN on its all-time sports video games rankings.[21] Bleacher Report listed it as the second best hockey video game ever made (behind NHL 10 but also cited it as "one of the best video games ever made.")[22]

Former NHL player Jeremy Roenick credits his fame to the exposure he received from NHL '94, as he was listed as one of the best players in the game.[23]

In 2012, GamesRadar ranked it as the 25th best Sega Genesis game due in part to its realism.[24] In 2014, GamesRadar updated the list and NHL '94 was ranked 15th.[25]

The goal horn sound from the Sega Genesis version was used in the World of CHEL mode since NHL 19 as an unlockable goal horn.

Notes

References

  1. ↑ McIndoe, Sean (January 21, 2014). "'NHLPA '93' vs. 'NHL '94': The Ultimate Showdown". Grantland. https://grantland.com/the-triangle/nhlpa-93-vs-nhl-94-the-ultimate-showdown. "This was the first game in the series to hold both licenses. So you had everything: player names, team logos, and even the Stanley Cup." 
  2. ↑ "Usenet"
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "History of NHL94". http://nhl94.com/html/about/history.asp. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Coach Kyle (May 1994). "NHL '94: CD Perfection!". GamePro (IDG) (68): 109. 
  5. ↑ "Mutant League Hockey". 29 December 2021. http://segaretro.org/Mutant_League_Hockey. 
  6. ↑ Sarkar, Samit (11 July 2013). "NHL 14 lets you relive your childhood in NHL '94 Anniversary Mode". Vox Media. http://www.polygon.com/2013/7/11/4514154/nhl-14-nhl-94-anniversary-mode. 
  7. ↑ "NHL 94 Rewind - Out Today, Look in Store to Download (If You Pre-Ordered)". 30 October 2020. https://www.operationsports.com/nhl-94-rewind-out-today-look-in-store-to-download-if-you-pre-ordered/. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Marriott, Scott Alan. "NHL '94 - Review". AllGame. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=12277&tab=review. 
  9. ↑ Wigmore, Glenn. "NHL '94 - Overview". AllGame. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=14129. 
  10. ↑ "NHL '94 (PC) Review". http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=13191&tab=review. 
  11. ↑ "NHL '94 (Sega CD) Review". http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=11920&tab=review. 
  12. ↑ Goble, Gordon (November 1993). "First Round Pick". Computer Gaming World: 33–34. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1993&pub=2&id=112. Retrieved 28 March 2016. 
  13. ↑ "Announcing The New Premier Awards". Computer Gaming World: 51–58. June 1994. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=118. 
  14. ↑ (in en) Top 100 SNES Games of All Time - IGN.com, https://www.ign.com/lists/top-100-snes-games, retrieved 2022-07-01 
  15. ↑ Staff (August 1994). "PC Gamer Top 40: The Best Games of All Time". PC Gamer US (3): 32–42. 
  16. ↑ Staff (April 1994). "The PC Gamer Top 50 PC Games of All Time". PC Gamer UK (5): 43–56. 
  17. ↑ "Top 100 Games of All Time". GamesMaster (44): 76. July 1996. https://retrocdn.net/images/c/cf/GamesMaster_UK_044.pdf. 
  18. ↑ "100 Best Games of All Time". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (100): 122. November 1997.  Note: Contrary to the title, the intro to the article explicitly states that the list covers console video games only, meaning PC games and arcade games were not eligible.
  19. ↑ "IGN's Top 100 Games of All Time". http://top100.ign.com/2005/041-050.html. 
  20. ↑ "All Time Greatest Sports Video Game - Boston.com"
  21. ↑ Robinson, Jon (6 May 2013). "ESPN's Sports Video Game Rankings". ESPN. http://espn.go.com/espn/playbook/story/_/id/9236225/jon-robinson-ranks-best-sports-video-games-all. 
  22. ↑ Urtz Jr, Tom. "The 15 Greatest NHL Video Games Ever Made". Bleacher Report. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1439006-the-15-greatest-nhl-video-games-ever-made/page/2. 
  23. ↑ Pinchevsky, Tal. "EA's NHL '94 remains landmark game after 20 years". National Hockey League. https://www.nhl.com/news/eas-nhl-94-remains-landmark-game-after-20-years/c-660713. 
  24. ↑ "Best Sega Genesis games of all time". GamesRadar. 2012-04-17. http://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/. 
  25. ↑ "Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games of all time". GamesRadar. 2014-08-14. http://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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