NHL 12
NHL 12 | |
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NHL 12 The North American cover of NHL 12, featuring Steven Stamkos | |
Developer(s) | EA Canada |
Publisher(s) | EA Sports |
Series | NHL series |
Platform(s) | |
Genre(s) | Sports (ice hockey) |
Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer, Online multiplayer |
NHL 12 is an upcoming ice hockey video game developed by EA Canada and to be published by EA Sports. The game will be released on September 9, 2011 in Europe, and on September 13, 2011 in North America. The game was featured in the 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). Steven Stamkos was announced to be the game's cover athlete on June 22, 2011, at the NHL Awards Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The game notably includes more interactive goalies (i.e. players can have real contact with the goalies and vice versa, and the goalies may fight against each other), better physics engine, improved Be a Pro mode, and the ability to play the 2011 NHL Winter Classic.
Along with several other new EA Sports titles, NHL 12 will be available three days prior the official release date to purchasers of the EA Sports Season Ticket, a new digital program allowing users with a PlayStation 3 and/or an Xbox 360 to download and test the full version of new EA Sports titles for a three-day trial period by paying "an annual fee of $24.99".[2]
Like NHL 11, Gary Thorne (play-by-play) and Bill Clement (color) will provide commentary for NHL 12.
New Features
- Players will have the ability to hit the goalies, and vice versa.[3]
- Goalies will, for the first time with the current game engine that was introduced in NHL 07, be able to fight each other.[1]
- The Be a Pro mode will be more authentic. New additions include the ability to start in the CHL and play there for up to four seasons, play through 18 career levels, be drafted in the NHL Entry Draft, get tasks from the coach, simulate games to the player's next shift, and break historic records.[4][5]
- Improved physics will allow for more realistic hits with helmets coming off, players being hit into the bench, knuckleball shots, shattered glass, and improved puck movements.[6]
- Players will not as easily lose total balance if they're hit. For example, a player might use their hands or stumble to his knees to regain balance if hit.[7]
- In the Be a GM (general manager) mode, players will not be able to use retired jerseys. For this reason, certain jersey numbers may be excluded to players. The Be a GM mode will be more authentic with things like salaries designed for rookie players, and more accurate injuries.[8]
- Players will be able to play the 2011 NHL Winter Classic at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field with fans donning Winter Classic gear.[3]
- An all-new feature, the Action Tracker, will track simulated games' every occurrence and will allow players to intervene when needed.[3][8]
- Simulated statistics and results will be completely dependent on the players' playing style and ratings.[8]
- Improved trading logic will make it much more difficult to trade for elite players in the Be a GM mode.[8]
- For the first time ever, NHL legends will be included in the game and will be fully functional in any modes. The confirmed legends are Ray Bourque, Chris Chelios, Steve Yzerman, Patrick Roy, Jeremy Roenick, Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux, Börje Salming and Wayne Gretzky.[9]
- Players who pre-order from Future Shop receive a code for a free goalie boost.
Leagues and teams
NHL 12 will include seven professional leagues: the National Hockey League (NHL), American Hockey League (AHL), Czech Extraliga, SM-liiga, Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), Elitserien (SEL), and National League A (NLA). Although the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) is ranked as the top professional European league,[10] it never has been included in the NHL series (though the former Russian Superleague was included in NHL 09), nor has it been announced to be included in NHL 12. The game will also include the Canadian Hockey League, which comprises the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Western Hockey League (WHL).
The game will include the new Winnipeg Jets team, originally the Atlanta Thrashers, therefore effectively replacing the Atlanta Thrashers team in the game.[11] The Växjö Lakers Hockey team will replace Södertälje SK in the Elitserien league, as the Växjö Lakers Hockey team managed to qualify for the 2011–12 Elitserien season at the expense of Södertälje SK. EHC München, promoted to the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in 2010, will replace Kassel Huskies. The Chilliwack Bruins of the WHL will be relocated to Victoria, British Columbia for the start of the 2011–12 WHL season and will therefore be replaced by the Victoria Royals, the name of the relocated franchise. The game will also include national teams, but because of the lack of the IIHF license, official jerseys will not be used.
Demo
The demo of NHL 12 was released on August 23, 2011, at the Xbox Live Marketplace and the PlayStation Network (PSN). In Europe the demo at the PSN hasn't been released, but is expected to be released on August 24.[12] The demo includes three modes: the Play Now and Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) modes are included from the NHL 11 demo, but the new additions in the NHL 12 demo are the Be a Pro mode, which includes the new Action Tracker, and the new ability to play the 2011 NHL Winter Classic game.[13] The Play Now mode allows players to simulate a 2011 Stanley Cup Finals game between the Vancouver Canucks and the Boston Bruins to the third period and play from there. For the game the scores are 1 out of 20 random outcomes to start the period. In the HUT mode, players may win two packs of cards, but another may be earned if the player invites a friend to play the NHL 12 demo.[14]
Soundtrack
The soundtrack list was announced on August 16, 2011, including 14 songs. Like NHL 11, the goal with the soundtrack is to reproduce the real-life experience in an NHL arena.[15]
Song title | Artist |
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Occult Enemies | Against Me! |
I'm Alive | Anthrax |
Standing on the Edge of the Noise | Beady Eye |
Mony Mony | Billy Idol |
That Fire | Black Tide |
Farewell (Firefight) | Blackguard |
The Sound of Winter | Bush |
I Wish I could Steal a Sunset | Death Letters |
Hang 'Em High | Dropkick Murphys |
Don't Bring Me Down | Electric Light Orchestra |
You've Got Another Thing Comin' | Judas Priest |
April Fool | Manchester Orchestra |
Busy Bein' Born | Middle Class Rut |
Whatever You Got, I’m Against It | Murderdolls |
References
- ^ a b c "EA SPORTS Unveils New Features for NHL 12". Business Wire. 2011-05-24.
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(help) - ^ Hopkins, Tom (2 August 2011). "Play FIFA 12, Madden NFL 12 Early With EA Sports Season Ticket". nowgamer.com. Imagine Publishing Ltd.
- ^ a b c NHL 12 Hockey Whiteboard. EA Sports.
- ^ EA Sports’ NHL ’12 bits: First video preview, release date set at September 13. ProHockeyTalk. 2011-05-26.
- ^ "NHL 2 Be a Pro Revamped". EA Sports. Retrieved 2011-07-21.
- ^ 'NHL 12' adds goalie fights, shattered glass. EA Sports. 2011-05-26.
- ^ "Full Contact Physics Engine". EA Sports. Retrieved 2011-07-21.
- ^ a b c d "Be a GM Mode". EA Sports. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
- ^ "NHL 12 - Legends Unveil Trailer". GameSpot. 2011-08-12.
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(help) - ^ "European Hockey League Rankings". The Copper & Blue. 2010-03-11. Retrieved 2011-06-25.
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(help) - ^ "NHL 12: Winnipeg hockey team included in latest NHL title". Game Bandits. 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2011-06-25.
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(help) - ^ Ross McGrath (2011-08-24). "'Heads-Up' Game Store Update 24th August 2011". SCEE. Retrieved 2011-08-24.
- ^ "NHL® 12 Demo". Xbox Live Marketplace. 2011-08-23. Retrieved 2011-08-24.
- ^ Chase Becotte (2011-08-11). "NHL 12 Demo Announcement Blog". Operation Sports. Retrieved 2011-08-11.
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(help) - ^ "NHL®12 Soundtrack – Continuing the Authentic NHL Arena Experience". EA Sports. 2011-08-16. Retrieved 2011-08-20.
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External links