Brett Hull Hockey 95 is a classic NHL game from the mid 90s that saw lots of action, most notably on the Super Nintendo. Considering where computer technology was at when this game came out, it’s showing is impressive. One of the things I like about this game is the flexibility you have in playing. Do you want to play a whole season, or skip right to the playoffs? Would you rather play an exhibition game or ratchet it up a notch and play an All-Star game? In Bret Hull Hockey 95, you have the option to play any type of game possible in real life.
The entire NHL is at your fingertips from the word go, as the developer, Radical Entertainment, obtained an official license to use team jerseys and player names and likenesses. You even have notable Al Michaels offering commentary as you’re playing! The interface for the game is detailed while not being cluttered, allowing you to easily navigate through the options and easily view all the important statistics, penalties, and time clocks.
In Brett Hull Hockey 95, you don’t just become the player – you become the coach too! You can manage your team at all points within the game, from shifting your lines to choosing your strategy – even pulling the goalie in a last minute dare to grasp victory away from your opponent. The player
control is also fairly responsive, allowing you to perform the variety of hockey maneuvers you’ve seen done in real life. For those wishing to engage in a little hockey nostalgia, you can pick from the likes of the eponymous Brett Hull, as well as greats like Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemeiux, and even a fresh newcomer to the league, John LeClair. You can play the PC version with keyboard, mouse, or joystick, so the amount of subtle control available to you differs according to your choice. The game play is fast, though you can pick up the basic mechanics of play fairly quickly. While playing against the computer can range from being pathetically easy to maddeningly hard, I feel the best type of play comes from playing head to head with a friend. Hockey can be a personal game, right? If your areas of finesse are still lacking, rest assured that your players can also deal out the bruising side of hockey too. I remember one particular game of hard hitting that resulted in three fights and seven injuries between the two teams.
Brett Hull Hockey 95 can provide hours and hours of great game play, as each player and each team bring different skills to the ice, allowing you to develop your own unique or favored style of playing. A few downsides are that performing especially adroit stick handlings can be difficult depending on what type of controller you’re using, and I personally wish you could adjust the size of your screen, as the default view only allows you to see about a third of the entire rink at one time. It does keep your fingers glued to the keys, though. Overall, Brett Hull Hockey 95 is a classic and varied hockey game that paved the way for how future hockey games would be designed, as well as being very enjoyable in its own right.
Are you ready to don your skates and compete with the best?
