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Games of a Lifetime: Xav's picks
After more than ten years devoted to video games and the people who make them, Joystiq is closing its doors. We won't be reporting on the best games of 2015, so join us for one last hurrah as the Joystiq family reveals their Games of a Lifetime. Chrono Trigger In my recent Joystiq Presents episode I talked about the profound impact the strategy guide of Chrono Trigger had on my love of games. Being able to finally play the game, just thinking of the first time I had that chance, still gets me a little choked up. It still stands as my favorite game of all time. I've played it a countless amount of times on so many platforms. It has wonderful characters, a story about fighting fate and shaping the world. I don't know if was supposed to be so "heady," but I think of it that way. It was meaningful, it showed the consequences of action, it had a talking Frog and a badass Robot. To me, Chrono Trigger is perfect.
NHL 94 Anniversary mode is offline only in favor of couch co-op
NHL 94 Anniversary mode, a homage to the SNES and Sega Genesis hockey games of yesteryear, will not be playable online in NHL 14. When asked why this mode wasn't online-compatible, an EA representative told Joystiq it was to recreate the social experience of playing together with buddies on the same couch – like in the old games. "With the NHL 94 Anniversary mode our goal was to recreate the social experience that so many gamers had on the couch next to their friends. This is the mode you play when friends come over and you're up for some friendly old school hockey competition." NHL 14 is currently in development at EA Canada for the Xbox 360 and PS3. The game features updated collision physics modified from the FIFA series' Player Impact Engine. Last month, the NHL 14 cover was awarded to the New Jersey Devil's Martin Brodeur.
Never-ending season: Twenty years later, NHL 94 lives on
In an era where releasing classic games across a multitude of digital platforms is the norm, EA's sports titles have been left behind. One beloved game left to collect dust within EA's retro catalog is NHL 94, this year celebrating its 20th anniversary. After securing licensing agreements with the National Hockey League and the NHL Players Association, NHL 94 became the first game in the series to feature official team names and logos along with authentic team rosters. Fans today still recall some of the game's more infamous quirks, like the game's devastating one-timer and cheap wraparounds. Mention the Chicago Blackhawks in any conversation about the game and fans immediately remember the overpowered squad, recalling the hatred that boiled in their veins when friends would attempt to pick the team during late-night matches. "Everybody that played [NHL 94] has memories of sitting on a couch somewhere, playing that game. For me, it was in my dorm room in university playing against my roommates to see who would do the dishes or who would have to clean the bathroom. Everyone has different memories associated with that game and I think that's what has carried it through time," NHL 14 producer Sean Ramjagsingh told Joystiq. "It was the first time that people felt that hockey was represented properly in a video game." NHL 94 has faded into a distant, pleasant memory for most, but for one community, the retro classic still lives on and new memories are being formed every day.
NHL 14 features offline 'NHL 94 Anniversary mode'
In celebration of NHL 94's 20 year anniversary, EA Canada has announced that NHL 14 will include a mode that brings the classic gameplay of the SNES and Genesis original to the franchise's modern engine. "It is the NHL 14 engine driving it all – driving the gameplay and presentation. That said, we've taken as many nods as we can from NHL 94," EA Sports Producer Sean Ramjagsingh tells Joystiq. "From the moment you start loading into the game you're going to hear some of the retro NHL 94 music. You're going to hear organs throughout the game mode. You're going to see the retro star as a player indicator with their number and position. You're also going to see retro-style art on the rinks." The single-game mode, which will only be available for offline play Ramjagsingh says, is built to be as "over-the-top" as the classic game. Helmets pop off players after bone-crunching hits, glass regularly breaks, and goalies can be hit. "After goals and penalties, you're going to see some interesting some retro nods to NHL 94 as well. It's all part of the visuals," he adds. "All those fun elements back in the game with modern day players and a modern day look."%Gallery-193575%
