NHL 12

Review

Common Sense Media says

Hockey sim with new features but more fights than before.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

AGE
6
QUALITY
 

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that NHL 12 is a hockey simulation game that has some violence (more violence than previous versions), including the option to engage in a fist fight with another NHL player. From a first-person view, you can punch the other player in the face. Those who play online can talk with others (strangers). The game also has a lot of branding. For the first time, you can design and play with female players.

  • Positive messages3
    While there isn't a clear message meant for players, sports games are usually a more family-friendly alternative to violent action and role-playing games. It could be argued the game teaches teamwork, professionalism, and athleticism. Also, female players can be created and used for the first time in NHL 12.
  • Positive role models3
    Professional hockey players appear in this game. The hockey players are role models in real life. Some are good, such as Wayne Gretzky, some are not, such as Donte Stallworth, who was charged and convicted of DUI manslaughter.  
  • Ease of play3
    While the game has a lot of options -- more so than in past versions of NHL games -- it's still easy to pick up and play. The analog sticks and face buttons are used for player control, passing, shooting, and so on.
  • Violence2
    Like professional football, NHL is a full-contact sport and so the game also shows hockey players body-checking each other, as well as fighting. Players can engage in a fist fight with another player from a first-person perspective and pull them down by their jerseys at the end of the brawl. NHL 12 is more of an aggressive game than its predecessors, overall, including a more realistic "full contact physics engine."  
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism4
    There is a lot of branding in this game. Players will see logos for many companies on the ice, around the rink and in the stands. This includes Reebok, Honda, Old Dutch, CCM, NHL.com, Bank of Montreal, Bauer, Verizon, Master Card and EA Sports, to name few. However, players will see this kind of branding in a real NHL game.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
  • Privacy & safety2
    Some privacy concerns. Both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game support online play, including optional voice chat support via a headset microphone. Players might also hear profanity or other potentially offensive language.  
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What's it about?

Rabid hockey fans who simply can't wait until the 2011-12 season to start the second week of October can get a taste of their favorite sport now in the new NHL 12 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. As with past years, gamers can play as or against their favorite team and lead them to the coveted Stanley Cup. Alternatively, you can create a player from scratch and master everything from skating, passing, and shooting to deking, hitting, and fighting. The game is meant to recreate the speed, skill, and drama of professional hockey, plus this year EA Sports has ramped up the overall presentation and intensity of the action. Along with multiplayer options for head-to-head games in front of the same television or online, this year's game adds some of the NHL's greatest living legends -- including Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, and Mario Lemieux -- as well as the introduction of the NHL Winter Classic, the league's outdoor hockey spectacular held on New Year's Day in Pittsburgh.

Is it any good?

 

While EA Sports' claim of more than 300 gameplay improvements sounds a little high –- not to mention there's some awkward animation in the cut-scene sequences and somewhat confusing menus -- NHL 12 is one of the better offerings in recent memory. Why? The game is both fast and fierce, includes many different modes to sink your skates into, and the new control nuances, smarter player artificial intelligence (A.I.),and a better physics engine (for more believable hits) all make for a feature-packed hockey experience. The new "Be a Legend" mode is a highlight as you can take NHL greats from history and put them in the game today -- including nine former NHL legends, such as The Great One, Wayne Gretzky. The "Be a Pro" mode is just as deep as last year's game as you work your way up from the minors to the big league. Or you can play a single match, playoff game, or entire season, or challenge friends beside you or online via the matchmaking system. Hockey fans who love video games won't be disappointed in NHL 12.

Note: Both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 version of the game are the same.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about whether other platforms should get this game, such as the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Sony PSP and PC. These platforms have been supported in the past, but aren't any longer; the computer version was dropped after NHL 09, while the Nintendo Wii now has the more arcade-like NHL Slapshot.

  • How do you feel about punching another player in the face? What is the impact of media violence on you?

This review was written by Marc Saltzman
Kid, 12 years old
December 20, 2011
AGE
6
 
Overreactive much?
It's not bad at all. If you are seriously thinking about not buying this for the fighting, then don't let your child watch hockey on tv.
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (5) | Had useful details (5) | Read my mind (5)
Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 13 years old
January 21, 2012
AGE
9
 
Boss
Must Have Game!!!!!
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (2) | Had useful details (2) | Read my mind (2)
Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 13 years old
April 9, 2012
AGE
3
 
NHL 12
NHL 12 is a great game. Fighting is optinal! U dont HAVE to fight.
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
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This review was written by Marc Saltzman
Platforms:Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Sports
Developer:EA Sports
Release date:September 13, 2011
Price:$59.99
ESRB rating:E10+ for Mild Violence
This review was written by Marc Saltzman

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
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