Common Sense Media Review
By Liz Perle
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun, but it isn't just the puck that gets hit.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
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.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the role of violence in hockey and why they think hockey, more than any other sport, is so violent.
Game Details
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