NHL 08

For the NHL season starting in 2008, see 2008–09 NHL season.

NHL 08
Eric Staal on the cover of NHL 08
Developer(s)	EA Canada (PS3, Xbox 360) HB Studios (PS2, PC)
Publisher(s)	EA Sports
Series	NHL series
Platform(s)	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PC
Release date(s)	NA September 12, 2007 (moved from Sept 11 to 12 due to shipping problems) AUS September 20, 2007 EU September 21, 2007
Genre(s)	Sports - Ice Hockey Sim
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer, multiplayer online
Rating(s)	ESRB: Everyone 10+ PEGI: 16+
Media/distribution	DVD, Blu-ray Disc

Patrik Elias dekes around Joni Pitkanen in NHL 08.

NHL 08 is a video game that was released on September 11, September 12, and September 13, 2007 in North America. NHL 08 features the Skill Stick System which EA says will allow gamers to more easily control the puck.^[1] There is also a way to release the puck and control your player around the defender then retrieve the puck to perform 1-on-1 dekes.

Features

Gameplay features

NHL 08 also includes "Goalie Mode", where users can control their goalie with a new 3rd person camera. Another new feature is the ability to create custom plays, where you can take a team into practice mode and work on creating a custom play.

New communication occurs through the controller rumble feature allowing users to communicate with a teammate in multiplayer games. Users can call for the puck by tapping the ice with their stick just like the pros.

With the NHL going to the Rbk Edge jerseys with new color patterns and even new logos for some teams, for the 2007/08 NHL season, EA Sports has reported that all 30 teams' new jerseys will be in the game. A code to unlock the new Rbk Edge jerseys was posted on the Rbk Hockey website. This code can be entered in the "Rbk Edge" tab under the "My NHL 08" menu. It was released before all the jerseys were released and then taken off the Reebok site leading some^[who?] to believe that Reebok intentionally leaked the code to give everyone a look.

Gameplay modes

A Dynasty Mode allows users to create a dream team and play through to the Stanley Cup, however there is no fantasy draft on the current generation version of the game (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3), only on the PC and PlayStation 2 versions. The game's customization features have been revamped, especially the Create-A-Team feature. The Create-A-Team feature has a color picker similar to the one used in 2K Sports's All-Pro Football 2K8.

For the first time ever, the game features the 29 teams of the American Hockey League.^[2] Players will be able to develop talent through the AHL, and then call up their prospects to play in the NHL. Every AHL team is fully playable. ^[3] Sweden's Elitserien and Finland's SM-liiga are also included on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, whereas NHL 07 didn't have any European leagues. However, the DEL and Extraliga are only to be found on the PC and PlayStation 2 versions.

Next generation features include the creation of custom plays, on the fly AI, a new skating engine, goalie mode and 3 on 3 (a normal 5 on 5 game, but up to 3 people on each team can control the players) online team play. Commentary is once again provided by Gary Thorne and Bill Clement for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game, however, Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson return for the sixth generation versions.

A more advanced shootout mode allows you to pull out very advanced moves on the new and improved skill stick. For example, you could fake a slap and then pull a backhand. The shootout mode allows you to pull off moves with your favorite players offline and online as well.

Information

The demo of NHL 08 was released on August 30, 2007. It should be known that the demo does not include the Ottawa Senators' or Anaheim Ducks' new jerseys, as it uses their jerseys from the 2006-2007 season. The demo features the 3rd period of a 5 on 5 game between the Anaheim Ducks against the Ottawa Senators; if tied, it will go straight to a shootout.

• Tagline: "No game is ever the same"
• Covers: Eric Staal (Main)

• Henrik Zetterberg (Sweden)
• Teemu Selanne (Finland)
• Jaromir Jagr (Czech Republic)
• Mark Streit (Switzerland)

• The game won Gamespot's "Best Sports Game of 2007" award.

Reception
Review scores
Publication	Score
GameSpot	8.5/10[4]
IGN	8.9/10[5]
Games for Windows	5/10[6]

Soundtrack

NHL 2008 Soundtrack
Artist	Song
Airbourne	"Stand Up for Rock 'N' Roll"
Anberlin	"A Whisper and a Clamor"
Bayside	"The Walking Wounded"
Datarock	"Fa-Fa-Fa"
Disco Ensemble	"This is My Head Exploding"
Dustin Kensrue	"I Knew You Before"
Enter Shikari	Sorry, You're Not a Winner"
Jupiter One	"Turn Up the Radio"
Luna Halo	"Kings & Queens"
Manchester Orchestra	"Wolves at Night"
Mando Diao	"The Wildfire (If It Was True)"
Paramore	"Misery Business"
PlayRadioPlay!	"Compliment Each Other Like Colors"
Pop Levi	"Sugar Assault Me Now"
Santogold	"L.E.S. Artistes"
Scanners	"Raw"
The Black Keys	"Just Got to Be"
The Mooney Suzuki	"99%"
The Ponys	"Double Vision"
The View	"Comin' Down"
The Wolfmen	"Jackie Says"

Easter Eggs

• Wells Greeno-McNeil is the name of a child for the Make-A-Wish Foundation whose wish was to have his name and likeness in a videogame.^{[citation needed]}
• The default created player names are of the game's developers.^{[citation needed]}
• Eric Lindros appears as a free agent despite being retired.
• Alexei Yashin appears as an NHL free agent despite having signed with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League in 2007-08.
• John Leclair appears as a free agent despite being retired.
• In the PC and PSP versions, Ryan Whitney, who at the time was with the Pittsburgh Penguins, is sometimes referred to as "Whitaker" in the game's commentary.
• In the PS2 version, Antero Niittymäki, who at the time was with the Philadelphia Flyers, is sometimes referred to as "Cam Ward" or simply "Ward" when he makes saves.

References

1. ^ GameSpot's NHL 08 First Look
2. ^ AHL featured in EA's NHL 08
3. ^ EA SPORTS NHL08 Features Page
4. ^ "NHL 08 for Xbox 360 Review". Gamespot. http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/sports/nhl08/index.html?tag=result;title;0. Retrieved 2008-04-10. 
5. ^ "NHL 08 Review". IGN. http://xbox360.ign.com/objects/900/900567.html. Retrieved 2008-04-10. 
6. ^ Goble, Gord (October 2007). "NHL 08: Skill-Stick, Same Old Shtick". Games for Windows: The Official Magazine (Ziff Davis Media) (11): 69. 

External links

• NHL 08 at IGN.com
• Free EA NHL addon site lots of mods and downloads
• Free NHL08/09 addons, mods, wallpapers and much more