PlayStation 2
Released in 2001 by Midway
Grade: B+
This 3-on-3 arcade puck party is sneakily fun, injecting just enough tactical sense into its chaotic action.
Where it falls in the series
It’s the first of three Hitz games, and while it’s good, I highly recommend the next installment, NHL Hitz 2003, which has nicer graphics, refined gameplay, more options, and a fun franchise mode. The last, NHL Hitz Pro, changed things up with a 5-on-5 game that’s generally considered a disappointment.
Praises and gripes
While the players don’t actually skate very fast, the game moves in a constant frenzy, full of quick passing and hard hitting. The tiny rink fits the 3-on-3 action well. You always have a move to make, fast, whether it’s getting rid of the puck or chasing down your opponent.
The controls are simple and responsive, although firing shots cleanly takes a bit of practice. I like how your two teammates usually spread out, allowing you to orchestrate an effective passing attack. There’s a bit more strategy than you might think. You can’t just mindlessly march ahead and shoot, and even quality one-timers are often stopped by the goalie.
You’ve got Midway’s usual bombastic style — a loud announcer, crunching sound effects, and silly fights — and it’s cute how the puck just falls out of the sky on faceoffs, but that’s about it when it comes to the over-the-top gags. It may be an “arcade sports game,” but it’s a somewhat gritty one.
The graphics are a bit sketchy and the screen jerks back and forth so much that I had to switch to the side-view camera. The animations are smooth, though, and I like how it’s clear what’s going on, even in the midst of breakneck chaos.
All in all, Hitz 2002 is a fun time, and it was a breath of fresh air when it came out, topping Midway’s earlier arcade hockey games like NHL Open Ice: 2-on-2 Challenge and Wayne Gretzky’s 3D Hockey ’98. But it’s also clearly topped by its successor, NHL Hitz 2003, so it’s not exactly a worthy purchase decades later.