Yesterday was the second time I was afforded the opportunity to play EA's NHL 06. Just in case reading an entire article is too taxing, I'll preface things by saying the game is still looking great. The development team has reached back to the roots of the series and made the gameplay feel a little more like an arcade experience and less technically daunting. Don't worry, players still have the ability to perform all of the deeks, pokes, and jabs that hockey enthusiasts live for, but the moves come naturally and are much easier to perform.

Hockey fans everywhere were given a reason to live this past week as progress was made between the player's union and the owners effectively ending the lockout. The development team was appropriately excited over the news even though the plan was to make a game that would excite the fans regardless of an actual season. We all know that sports gaming is more exciting when it's tethered to a real world equivalent. Why else would licensing be so important?

For a closer look at specific controls you can read my original hands-on impressions here. Overall, the game feels intuitive and quick without getting hung up on complicated controls. First off, deeking is handled through the left analog stick, so fancy maneuvers are a lot easier to pull off. If this sounds familiar, it's because it was modeled on NHL 94, a classic and much-loved version of the franchise. Not only does this result in some visually exciting confrontations at the goal, but deeking is necessary to throw goalies off their skates and open up the net. Simple deeking presents an offensive advantage that must be used to capitalize on the breakaway.

A selected player is outlined by a small circle at their base, however each team also has standout athletes who are highlighted by a star. These players can perform special moves by flicking the right analog stick in one of four directions. Using just my thumbs I was able to manually deek out a goalie, perform a dizzying Spin-o-rama, and flip the puck toward the back of the net. My dazed opponent had plenty of time to ponder their lack of skill while the replay touted every second of my glory.

In reality, I spent more time on defense than offense and the game has new features separate from taking shots on goal. Puck handling looks more realistic than ever with players actually pushing the puck down the ice in front of them. When using a boost, a player's control of the puck decreases significantly as it floats slightly ahead of them. Besides making the boost meter more of a dangerous option, the handling looks more realistic and doesn't have the "magnetic puck" qualities of previous titles.

We've mentioned this feature before but for anyone who still hasn't heard the news, the PlayStation 2 version of NHL 06 includes NHL 94 which is accessible from the menu screen. The Xbox version receives upgraded graphics with bump mapping and a smoother, shinier arena. We'll have more information on this game as it becomes available. In the meantime take a look at our new direct feed videos and judge the action for yourself. Source: www.ign.com