
You have four difficulty settings - beginner, rookie, pro, and all-star - which can be adjusted by assigning up to three advantage points to a team for easier scoring. It only works with the upper echelon players, however, so don't expect to see the likes of Tie Domi and Donald Brashear celebrating many picture-perfect tallies. You don't know exactly what you're going to get, but it generally allows your star players to perform spin-o-ramas and highlight reel dekes. The skill move was particularly impressive. I played the first couple of games on rookie level with five minute periods and scored some nice goals.

All the features we've come to expect from EA Sports are present, meaning that the game translates the NHL feeling very, very well. I was very impressed by my first few looks at NHL 99 - the video intro is very well done, and the interface is strong and very easy to use. But wait, my dear editor wouldn't want to jump on the weakness only, I will try my best to let you have it all. Although the graphics and major aspects of the gameplay are very well done compared to NHL98, there are some enormously annoying new gameplay problems. As is usual with this series, you can't run to an easy judgment. And for those who need fast answers because they really want to run out and buy it: tough, you'll have to wait a minute and read along. Another season of NHL hockey has started and EA Sports is right on time with NHL99, the latest incarnation of the long-running NHL line.
