An Icy Reign- NHL 11 Review

Few sports franchises have had a career as memorable as Electronic Art’s NHL series. Staring life as an untested rookie nearly two decades ago, the game immediately connected with players seeking a convincing simulation of the ice-based sport. Across the next three console generations, each iteration of the game exhibited steady improvement, adding elements such as a 3D engine (NHL 97), a dynasty mode(2004) and the ability to use the right stick for puck handling (2007). The release of NHL 09 showed the franchise on the cusp of its prime, as EA Canada was able to harness the power of now-gen consoles.

With last year’s NHL 10 winning twenty-two ‘sports game of the year’  awards, the Vancouver-based development team must have been hard-pressed to tamper with such a successful showing. Yet, NHL 11 remarkably improves upon its predecessor in several noteworthy ways. Beyond the inclusion of a Dynamic Season component  (a feature in NBA Live which allows actual performance during the season to influence your player stats), there’s surprisingly little room left for improvement in next season’s inevitable sequel.


You now have the ability to hop over downed players.


Undeniably, NHL 11‘s most noteworthy improvement hails from the title’s revamped physics engine. Often precanned motion capture in sports games lead to tedium, as players see the same recurring animation routines. This year, every shoot, hit and puck deflection is calculated in real time, allowing NHL 11 to fully capture the unpredictability of the sport. Player collisions now range from faint contact to formidable checks into the boards, all dependent upon player speed, trajectory and ability. Now, skating, passing, and shooting feel startlingly lifelike and blend together seamlessly, allowing players to become fully immersed in each match. More importantly, the title’s on-ice fundamentals are deep enough to conceal nuances which only reveals themselves after extended playtime.

To accompany the enhanced physics system, EA Canada has added both dropped and broken sticks into the simulation. While shattered sticks occur with worrisome frequency, they do add an interesting wrinkle as players are forced to scramble across the ice to the bench for replacement wood (or, composite material). Witnessing a player crack his implement, and then frantically kick the loose puck with his skate is one of those wonderfully outlandish moments which nearly guarantees a review in the game’s versatile replay viewer. Face-offs have also been overhauled to allow for a variety of maneuvers- from adjusting grip, lifting your opponents stick, and adjusting your players position for the puck drop. With all these tactic elements, the game could have used a picture-in-picture close up, as used in the old 2K series.


Face-off aren’t just button-mashing affairs anymore.


Following the lead set by the FIFA and Madden series, NHL 11 includes its own adaption of the Ultimate Team component. Here, each game rewards the players with pucks- the game’s currency used to purchase packs of player cards. With this mode players formulate a burgeoning team, as new cards offer the ability to expand your roster, coach players, and maintain existing contacts. Ultimate Team’s sole downside is a dependence on micro-transactions if players desire anything more than a rookie team; pucks are given out fairly frugally by the title.

Last year’s Be a Pro remains relatively unchanged, with the exception of adding CHL teams into the Memorial Cup Tournament draft showcase. Unfortunately, the game’s otherwise-solid framerate can weaver in this mode, especially when players cross center ice or congregate near a goal. While both systems offered a graphically impressive recreation of hockey, the 360 version takes a slight visual edge over the PS3 iteration due to its anti-aliasing. Both systems feature exceptional commentary from Gary Thorne and Bill Clement, who offer some of the bestcalling around. Although phrases will repeat during a season, the speed and accuracy of their delivery should be a model for all sport games.


“Have a nice trip, see you next fall!”


Whether players prefer to experience hockey looking through the visor of a budding rookie or tucked away in the general manager’s office, methodically steering a team toward Lord Stanley’s Cup, NHL 11 offers a multitude of entertaining diversions. Returning players interested in the maturity of the game engine will be delighted with the new physics system which meticulously recreates the complexities of hockey, while the Ultimate Team mode offers yet another way to keep players enthralled. Like the Montreal Canadians during the late seventies, the NHL series is enjoying one of the impressive dynasties in all of sports gaming.

About Robert Allen

Since being a toddler, Robert Allen has been immersed in video games, anime, and tokusatsu. Currently, his days are spent teaching at two southern California colleges. But his evenings and weekends are filled with STGs, RPGs, and action titles and well at writing for Tech-Gaming since 2007.

62 comments

  1. Been waiting for this review!

  2. I’m not a huge hockey fan, but NHL 10 was really good. I might have to get this one.

  3. you make some good points- especially about the picture in picture thing.

    The only thing was in the 2K games, that always slowed down the game- they never fixed that.

  4. Yes, hockey seasons about to start. Open the Labatts and drop the puck.

  5. the sad thing is that this won’t sell anything close to Madden numbers in the US.

  6. I heard you have to be connect to live to play Ultimate Team, true?

  7. I though the demo was spot on, I got hooked to the team building card thing.

  8. I downloaded both the 360 and PS3 demos. Did anyone notice the 360 version seemed to be a bit faster?

    Overall, they slowed the game down, which I’m not crazy about.

  9. nickel and diming people to play the extra mode bites. Screw EA and their money-grubbing ways.

  10. JessicaSimpsonisHavingmyBaby

    yeah great review and all, but its hockey.

  11. Good review. On par if not better than most of the big sites. the one in the Xbox Mag was pathetic. “Mitch” deserves to be buried in a ditch.

  12. Intelligent Zombie

    the amount of in-games ads in making my eyes bleed.

  13. A- for this?

    I give this review a 1 out of 10.

  14. I liked it all except for the 360 bias part thrown in there.

  15. great review, one question though how is the online play? I haven’t played a NHL game in years and would like to know if theres lag.

  16. what the hell is up with Be a Pro this year? My guys scores two goals and they dont give me enough experience to raise a single one of my stats. WTF?

  17. clearly, you must be able to make prinnys or blue-haired feminine players. Thats would explain the score.

  18. just let me know how the goalies are this year, K?

  19. good review. As always I enjoyed the read. And it wasn’t too long.

  20. just to buy new cards. I’m pretty sure.

  21. Uh, why?

    Most hockey fans are pretty pleased with this years game, and this review covered most of the important details.

  22. $60 for a roster update? No thanks.

  23. I give NHL 2011 an F– for Jonas Hiller getting scored on on the title screen. Boo.

    I kid. It’s actually pretty great.

    GO DUCKS!

  24. HAHA, well it has to be someone. Just glad it’s not Jimmy Howard

  25. so seriously, what kind of score would you give it?

  26. don’t you know the game gets your net data, and throws up a picture of the closest team getting scored on?

    Seriously, I never understood why games don’t use your geographical data to suggest a favorite team? It would take like 5 or 6 lines of code.

  27. How the fighting now?

    Can you get a Gordie Howe hat trick achievement?

  28. LOL. that should be the opening cinema!

  29. I have a hard time rating sports games, because I’m not good at them. It’s no NHL95 for the Sega CD, but it’s pretty damn good.

  30. I didn’t think the demo was that different from NHL 10.

  31. I noticed a bit of slowdown with the PS3 version of the game.

  32. and that is why NOLA doesn’t cover sports games!

  33. Thanks Prenut. That was priceless!

  34. You have to play way more games. They adjusted it this year so you don’t have Mario Lemieux by year two.

  35. I’ve got to try this. I know if I see it on the shelf I’ll probably buy it on sight.

  36. great review brah

  37. Much better than some of the big sites reviews. Nice job.

  38. did the read the review. Its hardly a “roster update”.

  39. do broken sticks really happen that often in the NHL?

  40. I have to agree with the review saying the game pushes you to buy cards. I’ve been playing this game like a madman all week, and I barely have enough to buy a decent set.

  41. SHAME ON YOU!

    Also, any true Ducks fan will tell you that the REAL mascot is Goldie: the Inflatable Serta Mattress Sheep:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5USX3KUNbo

  42. that should be a minigame where you scare the crap out of kids by piloting a giant inflatable sheep through the arena.

  43. they happen especially with composites. Just not as often as the game.

  44. how is scoring this year? Last year it was easy on pro, but too hard on all-star.

  45. An icy rain would be slick….The NHL 11 demo seems like it would fit the bill.

  46. So is hockey the reviewers favorite sport? He seemed pretty enthusiastic about it.

  47. thanks for the review. I need to get this!

  48. I hear if you fill your Honda with Serta mattresses, the team will come over and cook you breakfast.

  49. so the 360 version is slightly better? I was hoping EA would make them perfectly equal by now.

  50. They’re going to put “out of healing potions” on Deagle’s grave one day 😉

  51. I guess I need to try the demo and see what I’m missing.

  52. I’m debating on picking this up. I have NHL 10 and am short on cash right now. But the new physics sounds really cool.

  53. Myave the didn’t include Dynamic Season because hockey is different that basketball…

  54. Ive never seen any of my Xbox friends ever play a game of hockey. Football, Basketball, baseball, yes, but not hockey.

  55. I played the demo (I haven’t played a hockey game since 2002 or so) and liked it, but I had a hard time getting used to to the controls. Two sticks makes things hard.

  56. scoring is the same, pretty easy up until the top difficulty level.

  57. My last hockey game was Gretsky for the PS2. Might have to try this.

  58. I might grab this with my $20 Halo credit. Sounds pretty fun.

  59. I’m surprised that many people care about hockey. This and soccer bore me to tears.

  60. I’ve been playing the series for years. Remember Canadians love hockey like Americans love Football.

  61. I expect this to get just an many and maybe even more sports GOTY awards.