It's really not that bad a hockey game
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Fun, but it isn't just the puck that gets hit.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 10–12
The good stuff
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Educational value:
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of NHL 2005 was written by Liz Perle
Parents need to know that despite the game's E rating, there is tremendous violence (duh, it's hockey) as players challenge other players to accept a fight. Should a player agree to the challenge, carnage ensues (bloodless but still they beat the living daylights out of each other).
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the role of violence in hockey and why they think hockey, more than any other sport, is so violent.
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More on NHL 2005
What’s the Story?
In addition to 30 NHL teams and players, NHL 2005 boasts 39 teams from the Swedish, Finnish, and German Elite Leagues as well as an additional 21 international teams.
Players can pick their face-off style, their teams, and who they want to be. The game lets a player learn to set ticket prices and call players up from the minors.
Is It Any Good?
It's hockey. What do we expect? There's violence, punching, everything but blood. But if you avoid that part of the game, you have an exciting game that is well constructed and enjoyable.
It's too fast-paced for younger kids and even young teens will find the GM managing aspect a bit challenging. Overall, this game is easier to play for younger kids than the EA football games, and kids have more control over the puck. Players younger than 10 will find that the easiest thing to do is just slap at the puck and occasionally another player. But older teens will enjoy this particularly fast-paced and well-designed game.
Publisher’s Details
Developer: EA Sports
Released on: 09/30/2004, Price: $49.99
ESRB Rating: E
Released on: 09/30/2004, Price: $49.99
ESRB Rating: E
Our Members Say
See all 2 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
In what NHL game can you NOT beat the living daylights out of someone???
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Very fun gaame
Like all NHL installments the game is an excellent representation of the sport. The graphics on this game however for the players were a bit cheezy and without the create-a-player function and with a lacking create a team (we want to pick the colors of our jersey and please give us better logos) the game falls a bit. Fun game though and the one-on-one (-on-one if you consider the goalie in the equation) feature is great fun. Pity about there being no season this year though. Two good bands in the soundtrack (Franz Ferdinand and the Network) improving off only Alien Ant Farm being the only good band last time and Queens of the Stoneage the only good band in 2003. My suggestion is to improve the play as the goalie feature, create-a modes, and maybe have us play as our minor leagues (or pull prospects from the minor leagues up to the NHL) during the season.
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