3 Up/3 Down: NHL 16’s Feature Reveal

3 Up/3 Down is a new type of article feature here at Stat Box Stories which analyzes aspects of upcoming or already-released videogames for their strengths and weaknesses.  Today we take a look at the recently-announced feature reveal for EA SPORTS NHL 16.

Last year’s release of NHL 15 for the Sony PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One was a rare misstep for the franchise, a franchise which long basked in Sports Game of the Year awards and was viewed as one of–if not the most–steady and solid franchise in the entire genre of sports video gaming.  Whatever reason it was that the development team at EA Canada had to ship without so many features compared to past versions of the game, it led to great disappointment at launch, disappointment which overshadowed the fact that the game had improved so much in on-ice gameplay and the implementation of a brand-new broadcast presentation using NHL on NBC.

As a result, fan requests have taken center stage for feature implementation in NHL 16, and transparency has become paramount as the official title site for the game features an “Ask EA” landing page where players are encouraged to ask questions of the developers and can even see them answered.  A title which had been a perennial winner faces the unfamiliar situation of having to prove itself this year, and all eyes are on the game to see how it reacts.  Features can be reviewed at the NHL 16 title site here and a full list of included game modes can be found here.  Read on for my 3 Up/3 Down take on the feature reveal of NHL 16:

Stanley Cup Final in NHL 12 — Los Angeles Kings @ New Jersey Devils, Game 5

The hopes of Los Angeles Kings fans in the Staples Center were dashed yesterday here at STAT BOX STORIES, as the New Jersey Devils—down 3-0 in the Stanley Cup Finals—scraped together a gritty 2-0 victory in Game 4 to force a fifth game back in Newark.  Today’s Game 5 sees a similar storyline for each team: a Kings win ends the 2011-2012 NHL season and awards the Stanley Cup to Los Angeles for the first time in franchise history; a Devils win means more hockey and a return to West Coast for Game 6.  Again, we ask: will the Cup be skated tonight?  The only way to find out is to read on!

Stanley Cup Final in NHL 12 — New Jersey Devils @ Los Angeles Kings, Game 4

With a 3-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Finals here at STAT BOX STORIES, the Los Angeles Kings know that the Stanley Cup is in the building as they prepare for Game 4 at home against the New Jersey Devils.  The youth movement in Los Angeles is looking to achieve their goal of bringing home the Kings’ first-ever Stanley Cup; meanwhile, the Devils know that every game is now a must-win in order for them to bring the series back home to Newark and complete the unenviable task of winning 4 games in a row at the highest stage of competition.  Will the Cup be skated tonight?  Read on to find out!

Stanley Cup Final in NHL 12 — New Jersey Devils @ Los Angeles Kings, Game 3

The run to a Stanley Cup title here at STAT BOX STORIES continues today as the series transitions to Los Angeles for Game 3 between the New Jersey Devils and the Los Angeles Kings.  If you’re just joining us and haven’t looked back at the first two entries so far, the Kings took Games 1 and 2 on the road in New Jersey and return home looking to win two more games and skate the cup in front of their home crowd.  On the other side of the ice, the Devils are just looking to get one game in the win column so that they can begin their fight back into the series.

Stanley Cup Final in NHL 12 — Los Angeles Kings @ New Jersey Devils, Game 2

The return of STAT BOX STORIES continues today with Game 2 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals using NHL 12!  In yesterday’s Game 1 entry, the Los Angeles Kings took a 1-0 series lead thanks to an overtime win against the New Jersey Devils on the road.  Can New Jersey even up the series before the venue shifts to Los Angeles, or will the Kings be bringing home a 2-0 lead in their quest to take home the franchise’s first Stanley Cup?

Stanley Cup Final in NHL 12 — Los Angeles Kings @ New Jersey Devils, Game 1

STAT BOX STORIES is back!  That’s right, no need to adjust your internet; this week, we’ll be pumping out a series of content using EA SPORTS NHL 12 to play through the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals, which begin in real life on Wednesday, May 30^th, 2012.  Updates for the site will not be returning to the daily Monday-Friday schedule that we had going last fall, but expect new content much more frequently than what has been posted over the past few months.

 

This year’s series features the Western Conference 8^th-seed Los Angeles Kings against the Eastern Conference 6^th-seed New Jersey Devils.  For goaltender Martin Brodeur—now playing at the age of 40 for the Devils—it is a chance to add yet more hardware to his trophy room after previously bringing the Cup back to the Garden State.  For the Kings, it is only the second opportunity in franchise history that the team has even made the Stanley Cup Final; the last time was in 1993 when Wayne Gretzky was on the team and they were unable to overcome Patrick Roy and the Montreal Canadiens on the way to Roy’s second Cup win.