Book Description

Take control of the fastest sports game on earth: NHL 2003. Whether you're skating as a rookie or lacing 'em up as a pro, pull off 90 mph slapshots and awesome moves with Dynamic Deke Control. Never before have you had this much control over the stick and puck. Online play uses real-time team and player stats and pits you against other members in tournaments. Show off your superior skills and earn rewards like the Game Breaker, which puts your opponents in slow motion as you blow by them for the open shot. Torching speed and pulverizing action will get any sports fan fired up. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Fun but flawed
The Good

I'm not usually big on sports simulation, but this one is pretty good.It isn't to tough and the options are good(love the create a player mode).I liked the fact that with create players and trading you could take the crappiest team in the league and make them the best(which I couldn't do on the last NHL game I bought which was 94 on the old Sega Genesis.)Or vice versa. Lol.The P.A's hilarious(my favourite is when he announces that their accepting resumes for a new p.a(public address) man.And it's the hometeam that wants to get rid of him.Kudo's for not making the p.a just bland and repeating the same thing about goals and such.

The Bad

Well there's a few bad points to it.Your AI controlled players on your team are next to useless(they give incoming forward wide berths in your zone.and seem to skate senselessly around)Cheap goal(Backhands going in on in from the bluline?100mph slapshots from right in front of the net?) and as some have pointed out already, the AI controlled team goes on scoring spurts where everytime they shoot the puck at your net it goes in.But there's a balance they forgot to mention that you also go on these type of spurts and they don't happen in every game.But it's still annoying when your up 3 goals near the end of the last period and your suddenly down 2 with 10 seconds to go.Also the animations and p.a stuff is a bit repetetive.

The Ugly

Why do all the coaches look the same?(plus the NHL president) and is it just me or do all the coaches look like a young Vince Mcmahon?

if you thought this was good, wait untill you see NHL 2004!!
NHL 2003 is a fenominal game! I have it for PC and it is so cool! the graphics have improved greatly since last year, there is a new game breaker where the game goes in like a slow moe for like 5 seconds so you can see where to shoot to go for goal.The players respond more accurately to the puck. But wait. the year is almost over. why get that when you can get NHL 2004,which is comming. It's more physical than ever before, with new Bruise Control, an all-new fighting system, more realistic player collisions, and powerful visuals such as popping helmets and breaking glass.Total player control allows you to direct 2-button touch sensitive passes anywhere on the ice, call team strategies on the fly, and aggressively tie up opponents against the boards and in front of the net. Take on the role of GM for up to 20 seasons, drafting and trading players, negotiating contracts, and managing the financial bottom line of your franchise. Earn valuable experience points to upgrade your GM office and/or purchase improvements to staff and facilities, thus improving your team's on ice performance. 39 new international teams from Germany's DEL, Sweden's Elitserien, and Finland's SM-Liga. My advice to you would be wait untill NHL 2004 comes out and then see which one you like more.

I played it for a while.....
...and one day when I went to play it and it wouldn't work!! If I was you (and from what I've found out Im not the only one with this problem) I would just wait until 2004 comes out or get 2003.

Best hockey game ever
This game is the best in its class. I thought NHL 2002 was great this is 2 times as better. You have some much control over the players. The graphics are phenominal. The game is so realistic. The deking ability is awesome.

A few problems, but all around a good game.
this game is a good one and worth the money, but just barely.the shooting is realistic, no more shots over 110 mph, and the golies make saves that actualy look like the ones the pros make.the music is cool,and the dekes are awesome. The graphics are very good in this game too. Some of the problems are that the golies are not good.You can sometimes let a backhand shot go from the blue line, and it will go in! unforgiveable.when you are playing, the crowd looks like colored paper, but that is not relivent.Also, there is no player or golie boost in season mode.Also unforgiveable.Don Taylor has dropped many of his dumb jokes, but some are still there. Otherwise, this game is one of the best.I recommend it to all hockey fans ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Online gaming has a new genre in the online-only multiplayer racing gameMotor City Online. Players log into a muscle-car-era virtual world ofbreakneck speeds, hot cars, and (potentially) thousands of other drivers.

The game begins similarly to other massively multiplayer online games. Afterinstalling the game, you log onto the Internet, create a player account (creditcard required), and choose your first beater car. Once you've set up youraccount and your online persona you're off to the races. A skill-level systemallows you to see the relative experience of other drivers, and races can bedesigned with a handicapping system to give newbies a reasonable chance ofwinning. The racing itself is fun, with smooth graphics and interesting tracks,and often more challenging than what you'd find in a traditional single-playergame, since human players are more creative than any game AI.

Since Motor City Online takes place in a fictional city modeled afterevery teenage-buddy movie set in the 1950s and '60s, there is more to do thansimply racing. Every track and quite a few nontrack areas, like bowling alleysand malt shops, have a system for people to sit around and talk about theirvehicles, trade or buy parts from each other, boast about their best races, orsimply shoot the breeze. When you're not on the track you can turn on thein-game radio and hear original surfer music interspersed with weather comments androad conditions. There are plenty of character personalization options: you canget a custom set of plates from many states, territories, and provinces aroundthe world, or design an animated alter ego with many choices, from beatniks tobikers to go-go dancers. Like-minded players can form rider clubs. Club officersget paid a stipend of in-game money for their duties (and hence can get evenbetter stuff for their own vehicles), members get connections and help inacquiring that rare part, and clubs with good drivers can be recognized by MotorCity as the owner of a particular course... until another club dethronesthem.

In the end, the game is about racing. Chatting here and club rankings there givea fun social feel to this online game. If cars are your thing then the feel ofthe racing, the intricate (if not 100 percent accurate) manipulations of gettingevery erg of performance out of your vehicle, and the fun of getting thatoutrageous paint job will make Motor City Online an enjoyable (and muchcheaper) simulation of amateur racing. --Brus Wasson

Motor City Online is a multiplayer online game that you play via theInternet. A stable Internet connection is required to play. Electronic Artscharges a small monthly fee for this game, separate from your Internet serviceprovider access charges. You must provide a valid credit card to register andplay. The first month of this fee is included in the purchase price of thispackage. After your first month, you can use your credit card to buy more time.

Reviews (52)

Motor city online
I was disappointed when I received this game.It is no longer available on EA Games and you have to pay to play using a credit card.I feel that this game is outdated.

A recent EA survey hints at possible MCO replacement!!!
I was a huge fan of MCO, and was especially disappointed when it went under. From the beginning however, I always wished the game had included a version that would run offline on your computer, as all other Need for Speed titles before it. After having passed level 30 in experience, and having a nice collection of rare cars in the game, I felt cheated by EA.
Recently I filled out an online survey from EA, reguarding the new Need for Speed Underground 2 game. In this survey, there were a number of questions about what we the customers would like to see in future NFS games. Many provided answers that include muscle cars and online play. I consider this a glimmer of hope that they might create a new/better version of MCO in the future. Espesially if enough people show interest in the survey. NFSU2 is ok, but I'm still sore that NFSU1 is why they decided to pull the plug on MCO.

Its a sad shame that MotorCity Online is no more...
It was one of the greatest games I have played online and not just for the playability and graphics but for the friends I made from the time of Beta til the death of MCO...and if MCO does return from the grave..I'll be there ;)

too bad..
i just happened to think of this game and i ran a search to see if maybe by some chance this game was going to come back. the only things i found on it was old message boards and cheat codes. motor city online was an amazing game, too bad it was canceled.

Motor City Online is Offline
I was promised a game "The Sims Online" from EA games for being a "Valued Subsciber", I have never recieved it. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Monopoly Tycoon is, put simply, a marriage between the classicboard game and the city-building aspects of Sim City. It's an idea thatshouldn't work as well as it does. Licensed games usually don't take risks, andthat's what makes this one quite brilliant. Instead of churning out a quickMonopoly-related cash-in, Deep Red has dared to take Monopoly concepts and usethem to make a fun, unique game, a game of city building, but also of propertymanagement and brutal economics, all encased in one gorgeous graphics engine. Itlooks as good as it plays.

After playing through a very detailed tutorial series of missions, you'llproceed to the main game: a series of locked scenarios, the next of which youunlock by succeeding at the previous one. There are three difficulty levels, andyou can choose to play as any of the familiar playing pieces, each with its ownpersonality, advantages, and disadvantages. The top hat is a stage magician, thedog is an old-money socialite, the wheelbarrow is a steady worker, and theracecar is a stuntman with a curling mustache. Respectively, the computer playsthese opponents as cunning, shrewd, tenacious, and bold.

The game itself plays on a 3-D map. You can zoom in to see the wandering peopleand their cars, or zoom out to view the map top down like a board game. Thelayout isn't like the board game, however; it's more like a city, but Monopolyconventions hold true. Each block consists of two or three colored propertieswith familiar names. You can't buy these properties. You can build on any ofthem, owning various retail or residential buildings of varying size and height,and pay rent to the property owner, or you can engage in an auction to lease theproperty (for 25 years). If you lease all the properties of a color you gain amonopoly and can build lucrative hotels and even commandeer buildings away fromrivals. You are all competing over convenience-oriented and fickle citizens, soproperty values, selection, and types of goods and services offered is whatattracts them. A grocery store on St. James Place isn't going to command thesame clientele or profit as one on Pennsylvania Avenue, and, of course, controlof Boardwalk and Park Place is essential.

Chance cards exist as single-day random events, and you can even control theRailroads and Utilities and get money from your rivals that way (you get theirservices for free). The action begins in the '30s and moves all the way to thenew millennium. The styles and cars all evolve to show the progression of time,a nice touch.

All told, Monopoly Tycoon is a must-buy for fans of the Sim or Tycoonlines of games. It's deep, fun, has a great multiplayer option, and has justenough Monopoly in it to be utterly charming to anyone familiar with the classicboard game. Infogrames didn't invent the city-building game here, but they didreinvent Monopoly for the 21st century. --Bob Andrews

Pros:

• Attractive graphics
• Deep, charming, and satisfying gameplay

• The interface is a bit cumbersome

Reviews (69)

A great game and business simulator
I never thought that Monopoly could be applied to a game like this.It is really a business/economic simulator, because you have to take charge of aspects such as cash flow, sales, supply and demand, etc.However, a drawback to it is that it does not allow you to play a regular game--you can only play the scenarios.But it is an excellent game, especially if you want to practice business/economics.

Didn't like it at all.
I enjoy Sim games so much that I got this game for my kids last Christmas thinking they would really like it since they love Monopoly.I was wrong. This game needs a doctor because something is definitely lacking. It wasn't what I thought it would be at all.I think the fact that the challenge is a short amount of time is what was the worst aspect of it.

Fantatsic Game!
As with all games you can not please everyone. I have thoroughly enjoyed playing this game. It is hours of fun. There are so many things you can do. It is similar to the Monopoly game we all played as kids, but it has lots of twists to it. I am glad that this game was there to entertain those of us that enjoy a challenge. Thanks to J&R Music and Computer World for having it also.

Monopoly Tycoon is a misleading title
The game works like this:You are given ever increasingly difficult goals (eg. make x amount of dollars by the end of three years) and you build up your ability level.Sort of.It is more of a mission-driven game than a classic tycoon game, which is why I think the title is misleading.

So my critique is:It is not really a tycoon / simulation game at all.You do not get to keep the properties you build up, though you do get to pick the colors, style, and quality of the buildings - which is a little pointless given that you lose the buildings at the end of the level.The game should be cumulative - the board game certainly is.The game does have good graphics, but I find that they only mask an uncomplicated and boring game.It is really unimaginitive, and doesn't inspire creativity at all.Other tycoon games are a better bet, and I would recommend Railroad Tycoon, Roller Coaster Tycoon, or possibly Maximum Capacity: Hotel Giant, for something truly challenging and engrossing.

I like it
don't ask me why ohters are giveing it 3 stars, it has good graphics, sweet gameplay, and a fun but hard single player!I haven't played online but what I have heard of it it sounds fun! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Those who claim the only things that are certain are death andtaxes have never heard of the EA Sports Madden football line.Yep, it's that time of the year again, and Madden 2001 is herewith a vengeance.

There aren't as many new features in this year's version as there werelast time around, but many things have been tightened up and tweaked.The animation is better, computer opponents are more apt to mix up theirpassing and running plays, and the computer also seems to have a betterawareness of the clock.

Madden 2001 requires an obscenely powerful PC to run at fullspeed with all the graphics options cranked to the stops. Our 400 MHzPentium III test machine with a 32 MB GeForce DDR card was producing afootball slide show until we turned some of the effects down (and insome cases off). For those lucky souls with the right hardware, prepareto see playing fields and uniforms that degrade over time, perhaps themost detailed player models ever put in a football game, and evenfootprints on the field. On the audio side, we recommend cranking up theexcellent crowd noises and turning off the idiotic and repetitive play-by-playfrom Madden and Summerall.

We were disappointed with the play editor, which looked like it wasported directly from an inferior console version of the game. In fact,the entire interface appeared to be hijacked from a console, as it isn'tPC friendly at all. It's the game that counts, though, and Madden2001--like its predecessors--serves up some of the best footballaction to be had on a PC. New online leagues and other multiplayeroptions added this year sweeten the deal. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Amazing graphics and animations
• New online options
• The computer opponent has improved

• Steep system requirements if you want maximum detail
• Color commentary is awful

Reviews (43)

its great
its perfect the gameplay is just a little different then some of the new ones

One Of The Best Football Games You'll Play
Although at first, you may think the game doesn't look that impressive, believe me, it is.
Although missing a bit of content that would have made it that much better, it still delievers great gameplay. If you're intending to use this with Windows 2000, you may experience some difficulties as Virus tracking software seriously interferes with the gameplay, the easiest thing to do is to shutdown all Virus trackers and start Madden, and just be patient, it will load.
You can create your own teams on Madden, although creating players is not an option. The graphics aren't stunning as more modern computer games, but they still make it a worthwhile game. You can edit the playbooks, if you want to create your own plays.
You'll want to get a decent gamepad to play the game, as the keyboard is not the best of options for improved gameplay.

However, before you go off and by this, Madden 2004 is VERY VERY soon, and it looks much better than any of the Madden games, if you're looking for a good controller to get the most out of Madden 2004, I suggest the Gravis Eliminator Aftershock. The only place I've seen it really cheaply, is here at Amazon.com

BUT, having said that, if your PC isn't up to speed to play 2004, 2001 one is a good choice game.

Gimme A BREAK!!!
the gameplay of this game is horrible.if the computer is losing by the beginning of the last quarter then they just start to magically catch anything that comes their way even if you tip the pass.the blockers are constantly missing thier blocks.the recievers hardly ever catch a pass unless they are wide open and sometimes even then they drop the ball.running the ballc an be hard at times to because the defense can dive so far away.the graphics of this game are fairly adequate but i think they could be better.

Madden 2k1 is da bomb
Madden 2k1 is a great game for the PC. I was surfing [...] a while ago, and I was trying to look at a good football game for the PC, since I didn't have any other game console. I came across this one and I looked at the graphics. It was the most incredible thing I had seen in a sports game. It was the number one game I wanted to get. When I finally did, I was so excited to install it. When I played it for my first time, it blew me away. I now have a season on it, which is really fun.
Okay, I'll tell you how the game is. There are codes you can put in, which are mostly teams from much earlier from today, (for example: the 1957 Lions) There are also some weird teams. You can even play as mummies with a certain code! You play in Cairo, Egypt! (By the way, you find these codes on [...]) I would rate this (the code mode) 10/10 for fun.
The basics of the game are:
Sound---------9.9/10
Fun-----------9/10
Score---------8/10
Reality-------9/10
Overall-------9/10 (I would make more, but I'll talk about them with detail later on. Besides, I'm tired of typing!)
I would start out with the practice mode if you're a first timer at this. It's fun, even without the real action! It's pretty simple. You choose your team, which side you want (offense or defense), where you want the ball to be, and the play you want to practice. (You have to choose the other sides play, too.
The exhibition games are the second step you should take. You choose your teams, who you want to play with you, (computer or 2 players) and you start with a big, fun game of football! The plays are hard to figure out. I couldn't kick a field goal until I figured this out. If you hit the up or down arrow, it will take you through different modes (shotgun, special teams, I formation, etc.) If you press right or left, it will take you to a different type. For example: If you go to the special teams, it will say PUNT. If you press right, it will say FIELD GOAL. Get it? good,
The season is fun. It is the third step to take. The diffuculty is up a notch from the exhibition games. It is realistic if you are on your right level for you. (Like if your a rookie, put the level mode on rookie) It will be tough, but it is challenging.
Madden had no disapointments (To me anyway). If you're extremely picky, you may find a very slight con. If you think you want to buy this game, don't hesitate. It is Terrific.

The price is right
With the buzz about Madden 2002, why bother with a bargain bin copy of Madden 2001?Despite the complaints, Madden 2001 is a decent football game (not simulation) well worth the current $15 price tag.If you buy a copy, you need to run the "update" function immediately after installation.On a 56k modem, it will take a considerable amount of time, but the update is worth it.Don't try to find an update file on the web... the only way to updateis from the game itself.

Madden 2001 runs well, even on older systems.Be forewarned, to take full advantage of the graphics, you will need plenty of memory and a good graphics card.I suggest a minimum of a 32 meg video card, with 64 meg preferred.

For PC game play, invest in a Gravis game pad or similar control device.The console-style controllers make the game play much more intuitive and enjoyable.You'll also want to to around the web for updated and customized rosters for Madden 2001.For older players, it's fun to use the classic rosters with great players from the 50s, 60s and 70s.

Once you have your PC, controller and an updated copy of the game, you'll be ready for the opening kick off.Football purists can find Madden 2001 frustrating because of the unusual statistics.Within the game, you can adjust sliders to make game elements more or less common.For example, the unadjusted Madden 2001 seems to have two penalties... face masking and offsides.You can reduce the number of face masking penalties (or increase the other penalties) by moving the sliders.My suggestion is to play a full season and then adjust the sliders based on your personal preferences.

The documentation on Madden 2001 is slim, but you can find resources about the game on the Internet.This is helpful for those who don't understand the difference between a "Cover 2" and a "Cover 4" defense.

Gameplay is decent, but full of the usual oddities I have found in most PC or video football games.The computer seems able to complete an inordinate number of long passes, but struggles to run the ball.Player control is decent, but the field goal kicking interface is terrible.There are play editors, hot "reads" and custom rosters for the expert.Franchise mode offers the greatest satisfaction, but computer "owners" are not terribly bright.Player development is decent, but unbalanced.As your franchise progresses, you'll see a high number of great fullbacks and tight ends, but few franchise offensive lineman.As a hint, the "awareness" characteristic of a player seems directly related to the player's overall potential.

If you enjoy PC football, the discounted Madden 2001 is a solid deal.To enjoy the game, make sure you have the right hardware and understand that Madden 2001 is more a football game, and less a true football simulation. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Sports Edition puts you in the hot seat, right across from Regis Philbin. Win a million bucks by answering 15 sports-centric questions from topics including football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and golf. If you are stumped, don't worry; you'll have full lifeline support. Players can ask the audience, phone a friend, or use their 50/50. Do you have what it takes to be a millionaire? ... Read more

Reviews (8)

TOOOOO EASY!!!
This Millionaire Sports is for dummies. The questions are so so easy. I won the million the very first time I played it. I don't even watch any sports at all! I even had a five year old play this game and he even one the million the first time. This software is no challenge at all. If you are looking for a challenging game, this game is definitely not for you. I'm warning you, this game is really really easy....

CHALLENGING...NOT TRUE TO THE SHOW
WELL,THE SPORTS EDITION FIRST OFF ELIMINATED SOME SOUND EFFECTS...THE DUM-DUM THING BETWEEN THE QUESTIONS,AND THE 50/50 SOUND,MAKING IT SEEM LESS LIKE ARE AUCTUALLY ON THE SHOW,SAME WITH THE 3RD EDITION. LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THESE QUESTIONS,THE QUESTIONS,ARE SO HARD...YOU CAN START AT $100,YOU WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE A $16,000 QUESTION!! ONCE WE LOOKED UP A $64,000 QUESTION ON THE NET (OUT OF LIFELINES OF COURSE,BE PREPARED TO LOSE LIFELINES EARLY THE FIRST TIME YOU PLAY THIS,UNTIL THEY START REPEATING THE QUESTIONS!),AND WE FOUND THE ANSWER,BUT THE GAME SAID IT WAS SOMETHING ELSE! GAME IS NOT TRUE TO THE SHOW. BUT FUN IF YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT SPORTS,BELIEVE ME,YOU HAVE TO,TO WIN THE MILLION,CUZ THEY GET SO TOUGH!

THANKS FOR READING ME REVIEW!

Big Letdown
Even though the first two games had thier drawbacks this takes the cake as being the worst in the seires. Iwas excited when I first got this game but right from the start I knew I hated it. I love sports but they should never try this again. First of all the game is so slow not only the intro this time but everything and they give info after some questions to tell you why it is right. Regis goes back to his old tactics crude, annyoing, and obnoxcious. The questions repeat so it is easy to win the million. I was disgusted with this game. This is basically the first edition but somehow worse. Don't get this game it's a waste.

Great game!
We've really enjoyed this game since we got it.I like that the Fastest Finger is better now - the way it was on the first one didn't make any sense.The questions can get tough but, hey, you don't want to win every time, right?A very cool game for sports fans but if you aren't into sports, stick with the regular game - you won't get far on this one!

not a million-dollar winner
On one hand, the questions are HARD. Harder than the WWTBAM 2nd edition. And they are varied in breadth and scope. On the other hand, the game engine tends to repeat questions much more quickly than WWTBAM2. Plus some of the musical cues (the ones which play before a question is displayed, to be precise) are missing. However, for the entertainment value, it's a pretty good buy. Not great, not a million-dollar-level, but if you love the TV show... it's not bad. ... Read more

Features

• Simple, customized set-up; easily enter league scoring systems and rules
• Powerful 2-in-1 fantasy-football software for a draft-day advantage
• Preseason Tool includes cheat sheets and mock drafts
• Draft-Day Tool tracks draft activity for entire league
• Up-to-the-minute updates on player performance expectations

Reviews (4)

do not waste your money.
like I did.I am passionate about fantasy and am furious I wasted hard earned cash on this game. don't make the same mistake I did.

Needs lots of work
About the only useful thing with the software is that it will generate a moderately useful cheat sheet list of positions based on a fairly flexible scoring system.But beware of all of the following:

-The up to date stats are not truly up to date.I still have an RB who is out for the season showing up as #25 on the RB list
-There is no information on defenses / special teams whatsoever
-The cheat sheets only show rank, name, and team name.No other information is available such as score used to create the ranking and there is no ability to customize the cheat sheets once created
-The functionality is programed very basically with many usability problems including the ability to even maximize the window beyond 800x600 to show all of the information at once without having to scroll the window
-The draft tool cannot be saved mid-draft

Good Tool, but limited
This looks like it will be a useful tool for doing my draft this year, but the league settings are limited.For example, we draft a defense as one of our players and this isn't an option in this software.We also deduct points for missed field goals and this also is not an option.One item that would seem to be a 'no-brainer' is to include a player's bye week, useful in helping to not load up on too many players with the same bye.

Also, no information on/in the box about who developed this, how to get help, etc.

Great Product!
This product is by far the best fantasy football product I have used.I highly recommend it.

Can't wait for the NCAA version to come out!

- JC ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The EA Sports NHL series has always offered high-octane, smash-mouthhockey for fans of the game--and even those who just crave great arcade action.Early incarnations didn't simulate hockey very well, instead offering a sort ofXFL version of the game. They were big on action, hits, fighting, and hattricks, but quite small on niceties such as realism. That was forgivable whengaming was new, but as the graphics and technology grew, EA started hearing fromfans of the sport, fans who wanted real hockey--a true simulation rather than anarcade game.

When EA Sports started moving in that direction, the arcade fans grewfrustrated; they missed their fun arcade action gaming. Finally, last year, EASports went a long way toward pleasing both camps. NHL 2001 played likethe arcade game loved by most, but offered gameplay sliders that let simulationheads and hockey purists tweak the action to real-world NHL speed andplayability. NHL 2001 was almost perfect.

Good news: NHL 2002 maintains that near perfection and is essentially thesame game as last year. There are new rosters and stats, of course; and thegraphics have also received yet another coat of polish--making this, by far, theprettiest PC sports game around. The game plays pretty much the same as before,from the excellent controls and the innovative sliders, to the Face-in-the-Gametechnology that lets you add your mug to any player you create, to the wideselection of NHL and world teams, to recurring problems such as poor AI qualitywhen the game handles defensive and offensive positioning. You can still installyour own MP3 files to replace the default tunes and create your own league. Andif that's not all, full and rookie draft options still let you manage yourfavorite team from scratch. It's all here, same as last year but with a slightface-lift.

What's actually new is cheekier commentary. It's still lightning quick and wellvoiced, only this time it has more mostly not-funny jokes. Even the PA announcerhas a few zingers. There's a new camera system that follows the breakaway,called, fittingly, the Breakaway Cam. And there's another in-game gimmick basedon trading cards. The Breakaway Cam is exciting, but it can also be alarming anddisorienting. It can cause you to lose control in a crucial one-on-one with thegoalie. You can turn it off, but, wow, does it ever show off this spiffygraphics engine. The card feature challenges you to perform hockey feats such ashat tricks or a certain number of saves, goals in a season, etc., and it rewardsyou by unlocking cool features like classic teams, sillier features such asthemed rinks, and--hockey purists beware--power-ups like super speed. Anothernew feature is a fully 3-D crowd, which looks better than it sounds. Theaudience jumps, cheer, and adds a surprisingly effective immersive quality tothe game. The effect is much better than the traditional 2-D bit-mapped crowdsof yesteryear.

If you like hockey, you have no choice but this game. Sad but true, this is theonly PC hockey game around. But at least EA's game is still more than worth themoney, even if you're just upgrading from last year. EA, once again, has thecoolest game on Earth. --Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• The best graphics on Earth
• The best gameplay on Earth, whether you're a simhead or action fan

• Defensive AI is still suspect
• Some of the new features are annoying

Reviews (44)

Lots of fun, but one flaw
For all you fans of the series from EA Sports hockey, NHL 2002 is one of the best games yet.Almost everything about this game is cool.The graphics are awsome and the players are realistic. Even the crowd is into he game.This is an improvement over NHL 2001. I find only one flaw. The commentary done by don Taylor is just plain stupid. O.K., to some people, his jokes are mildly funny the first time you hear them and then you get tired of them Then there are people like me who just wish he would say something relivent for once. Other than the commentary, I highly recommend this game to anyone.

the best there is for pc(except for nhl 2003)
This game is kool. With really kool camera angles, a hit camera, a save camera and a breakaway camera you cant go wrong.Make yourself as good as you wanna be.Control your favorite team.Have nhl cards to boost your players and special cards that let you celebrate after a goal, have an automatic penalty shot or make someone on the other team set out of the game(try it on lemieux in game 7 of the stanley cup playoffs and win!)
buy this game! oh yeah, GO CAPS!!

Second only to the Great One himself.
Initially, this game looks a lot like its predecessor, NHL 2001, but once I started to explore the game more, I was amazed at how indepth this game is.It is everything anyone could want in a hockey game.Creating a dynasty, participating in a draft and creating your own team with a fantasy draft are just a few of the things that are like a dream come true.I could not believe the diversity in the commentary, I have played over 500 games and still hear new stuff.NHL 2002 is a massive improvement over NHL 2001, new in-game features along with elimination of some errors in the last one make this a very enjoyable game.

As far as graphics, sound and all around control and gameplay, NHL 2002 is very well put together.The graphics are some of the best in the business and the sounds are very accurate to the real thing. Controls do take a little time to get used to and can seem a bit complicated at first, but the basics are simple and the more complicated controls come with experience like any game.Gameplay is smooth, nothing negative worth mentioning.There is a very high replay value due to all the different options and ability to play ten consecutive seasons with one team.

The one down side to this game is that eventually NHL 2003 is going to come out and hopefully be bigger and badder than this one.So the best bet is to search for this in a bargain bin and pick up a real [bargain] of a game.I give my compliments to EA Sports on this one, They Shoot...They Score!

"...with a Howitzer!"
Everyone who knows video games knows that EA Sports are always the leaders in sports games of all kinds. Ice hockey is no exception, and they've put out the best hockey games on the market since the early 90's. No other company has captured the feel and the intensity of the "coolest game on earth" with such precision, and it seems each year they find a way to outdo themselves. And they've done it again with NHL 2002.

So what's new this year? Well, for starters, the players have all new and even more realistic animations: there are more types of passes, dekes, checks, and goal celebrations, to name a few. Almost every player in the NHL has their real-life mug in this game, and the faces react with even more expression to every event. The "game story" feature gives the game a more "TV broadcast" feel (the highlights are hit-and-miss, though). You've now got a breakaway and save cam, which puts you right over the shoulder of either the shooter or the goalie as it happens. It takes some getting used to, but if you find it annoying you can turn it off. The "emotion meter" actually pumps up your players as the momentum shifts, and they'll play better if it's peaked. You can even collect Upper Deck NHL cards and use them to increase your players' stats. This just adds to an already great game; you've still got the season mode, create-a-player, and all the rest from previous games, too. But best of all...now, at last, you can play ONLINE. Finally, you can see just how good you truly are by taking on anyone in the world. These guys ain't the innovators for nothing! Of course, everything graphics, sound, and stat-wise is just as spectacular as always. You're definitely there as it happens. And, there's the return of Mario Lemieux...
Great as this game is, though, I actually found a couple of faults with it. Standing out the most is the color commentary. While it's humorous at first, it gets very repetitive very quickly. (Bring back Darrell Reaugh! Or John Davidson at least...) Good thing you can turn it off. Also, if you're new to the NHL series, get ready for pain. They've turned up the AI this year, and even on medium difficulty, I got bounced around a lot no matter which team I used or who I was playing. Start out on easy or even beginner mode and learn the basics first. Another big one is that even though you can create a whole team from complete scratch, you still can't take it through the season mode. You can still take it online or play it in a regular game, but I'd love to put a team together and take the Stanley Cup with it.
On the whole, EA Sports has delivered again, and hockey fans and gamers around the world can now rejoice. Don't miss out on this one. The world is watching you...

This game is cool!
This game is a great game for my whole family! My son has told me about it. He said the graphics were great, even with the on-play-player-detail down alot. The gameplay is extremely great. With the on-play-player-detail down, it is fast. Very fast. It works on Windows 98 perfectly. You can make your created player a star with all ratings up, and take your team from the cellar to the cup. It is also cool that you get an Upper Deck NHL trading card with it. One package has a Mario Lemieux autographed card, so you can get an autographed card with a cool game! My son owns NHL 2000 on PS1, and he likes that game. He says this is a 1000% improvement from NHL 2000!!!!!!! Three words: BUY THIS GAME!!!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Caution: you will loose sleep if you buy this product
Driving simulations, thanks to today's fast personal computers are VERY realistic, and 'NASCAR Racing Season 2003' (NASCAR) is one of the best, but also consider 'F1 Championship Season 2000' (F1CS2K) also available through Amazon. In either case, don't let the dates make you think these simulations are old-they simply refer to the tracks, cars and drivers from that year.

Before you read further, understand that you WILL want a $55-$100 USB steering wheel and pedals set too. They really are a necessity. Both NASCAR and F1CS2K can be driven with keyboard input, but how realistic is that? That said, if you download one of the demos from the publisher's Web site you can "try before buy" using the keys and get an idea how the programs work. But a force feedback steering wheel makes it an entirely different, and very realistic, experience.

NASCAR cars are big, heavy and powerful. The sim does an amazing job of modeling the feel of drifting and sliding; you really can steer with throttle and weight shift. Instant replays are fun to watch, and the program even includes a limited editor so you can create your own movie with highlights using several different camera angles. The sound of the big V8s really adds to the fun, and for you hot-rodders out there you can tweak just about everything about the cars to try to scrape another .1 second off your lap time. Online racing against drivers on your LAN or around the world on the Web is also possible too. A downloadable demo is available free from various sites, but they're huge at 100+ gigabytes, so unless you have DSL or cable modem just let Amazon sell you one. You'll be glad you did.

F1CS2K cars are small, light, very nimble and very fast. With a force feedback steering wheel you can feel the road better than with NASCAR, indeed you can even feel the rumble strips at the apex of a turn and the wheel gets loose when you're briefly airborne over a rise. To drive fast you MUST practice, and the drivers' school, which is very demanding, really helps improve your skill. F1CS2Kis, in my opinion more realistic than NASCAR, but it's also the hardest to drive well and thus-for my money-the more enjoyable. But I still drive NASCAR periodically, just because the big cars are fun in their own macho noisy way. Once you're turning respectable laps on a Grand Prix track (my favorite is Spa in the mountains) try it again in the rain! Very humbling even with the "grip" set-up. LAN and on-line racing also available with dozens of pre-established cars and set ups and thousands of possible combinations, as with NASCAR, if you want to tweak things yourself. You can save a loop of the last 20-120 minutes of driving at each track for instant replays depending on how much disk space you have (min. 500Mb but none required to drive). Free download demo also available on the Web.

My Logitech Momo Racing USB steering wheel and pedals set work very well with NASCAR and F1CS2K. If you have an old, slow computer go for the NASCAR sim which has more 'low end' graphics options. But with any G4 or G5 Mac both NASCAR and F1CS2K will bring youamazing graphics, realistic handling, lots of fun and, if you enjoy them as much as I do, hours of lost sleep.

BTW, if you ever thought a couple of beers doesn't effect your driving, have a couple and watch what happens to your lap times. Very sobering.

Caution: you will loose sleep if you buy this product
Driving simulations, thanks to today's fast personal computers are VERY realistic, and 'NASCAR Racing Season 2003' (NASCAR) is one of the best, but also consider 'F1 Championship Season 2000' (F1CS2K) also available through Amazon. In either case, don't let the dates make you think these simulations are old-they simply refer to the tracks, cars and drivers from that year.

Before you read further, understand that you WILL want a $55-$100 USB steering wheel and pedals set too. They really are a necessity. Both NASCAR and F1CS2K can be driven with keyboard input, but how realistic is that? That said, if you download one of the demos from the publisher's Web site you can "try before buy" using the keys and get an idea how the programs work. But a force feedback steering wheel makes it an entirely different, and very realistic, experience.

NASCAR cars are big, heavy and powerful. The sim does an amazing job of modeling the feel of drifting and sliding; you really can steer with throttle and weight shift. Instant replays are fun to watch, and the program even includes a limited editor so you can create your own movie with highlights using several different camera angles. The sound of the big V8s really adds to the fun, and for you hot-rodders out there you can tweak just about everything about the cars to try to scrape another .1 second off your lap time. Online racing against drivers on your LAN or around the world on the Web is also possible too. A downloadable demo is available free from various sites, but they're huge at 100+ gigabytes, so unless you have DSL or cable modem just let Amazon sell you one. You'll be glad you did.

F1CS2K cars are small, light, very nimble and very fast. With a force feedback steering wheel you can feel the road better than with NASCAR, indeed you can even feel the rumble strips at the apex of a turn and the wheel gets loose when you're briefly airborne over a rise. To drive fast you MUST practice, and the drivers' school, which is very demanding, really helps improve your skill. F1CS2Kis, in my opinion more realistic than NASCAR, but it's also the hardest to drive well and thus-for my money-the more enjoyable. But I still drive NASCAR periodically, just because the big cars are fun in their own macho noisy way. Once you're turning respectable laps on a Grand Prix track (my favorite is Spa in the mountains) try it again in the rain! Very humbling even with the "grip" set-up. LAN and on-line racing also available with dozens of pre-established cars and set ups and thousands of possible combinations, as with NASCAR, if you want to tweak things yourself. You can save a loop of the last 20-120 minutes of driving at each track for instant replays depending on how much disk space you have (min. 500Mb but none required to drive). Free download demo also available on the Web.

My Logitech Momo Racing USB steering wheel and pedals set work very well with NASCAR, and F1CS2K. If you have an old, slow computer go for the NASCAR sim which has more 'low end' graphics options. But with any G4 or G5 Mac both NASCAR and F1CS2K will bring youamazing graphics, realistic handling, lots of fun and, if you enjoy them as much as I do, hours of lost sleep.

BTW, if you ever thought a couple of beers doesn't effect your driving, have a couple and watch what happens to your lap times. Very sobering.

No Mac/PC compatibility
Okay, the game is fun. The graphics are great. The cars and tracks are very realistic.

IF you are thinking you can race against everyone, though, you are going to be disappointed. Mac players CANNOT play against the PC version. If this is a typical Aspyr copout I can see why Mac games don't sell as well as the PC side. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Powerful
The most powerful chess program for the best price.It can beat 99.9999 percent of the human race.It will improve you defensive skills. ... Read more