Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.life From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Hockey '93 scores on power play Date: Sat, 14 Nov 92 16:22:11 EST Message-ID: \SE B;LIFE;THE RAINBOW PAGE;INSIDE THE VIDEO GAMES \SS (WS) \HD Hockey '93 scores on power play \BY Chip and Jonathan Carter \CR TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES GAMES OF THE WEEK: SPORTS WRAPUP FOR: SUPER NES, GENESIS Ready for some sporting action? Well, let's suit up and hit the field - or ice, or ring, or whatever. NHLPA HOCKEY '93, for Genesis Rating: Big Kid (over 12) 10; Mid-Kid (7 to 11) 10; Kid (under 7) 10 That mouthful of letters in the title assures you of a great game - it means this one's licensed by the people who actually play in the NHL. You wouldn't expect them to let anything shoddy slip by, and they haven't. NHLPA Hockey has already reserved a spot on our best games of '92 list. Each NHL team and its current roster is represented here, from the New York Rangers and Mark Messier's glass-shattering slapshot to the Philadelphia Flyers and Ron Hextall's diving saves. You can play the computer or a friend or team up with a friend to take on the computer. Pick from exhibition games, single-game playoff series or seven-game playoffs. This may be the most realistic sports game we've ever seen, from the skating and checking to the way the goalies go behind the net to clear the puck. The graphics are fantastic, and the action is breathtaking. NHLPA is one of the best reasons anyone's ever come up with for owning a Genesis. EVANDER HOLYFIELD'S BOXING, for Genesis Rating: BK 8 1/2; MK 8 1/2; K 8 This game is a lot like boxing's Holyfield - one class act, top to bottom. Sega's last boxing game, Buster Douglas Knock Out Boxing, took one on the chin when Holyfield decked Douglas in his first title defense. Some jokers claimed Sega should have called that last game Knocked Out Boxing. This is by far the best boxing cart on the market. You custom-design your own fighter, then take on 28 other boxers. Between-match training sessions let you work on weak points, building yourself up for the title bout. If you'd rather spare yourself that pain, you can challenge a friend to go toe-to-toe. SUPER PLAY ACTION FOOTBALL, for Super NES Rating: BK 9 1/2; MK 9; K 5 We weren't too wild about the original NES Play Action Football, but the Super NES version is, well, super! For one thing, you can play on three levels. The high-school game lets you learn the ropes without getting blown out of the water. When you've mastered that, you're ready to take on the college ranks - maybe. The Big N has lined up - get this - 96 college teams, every major school and most minor ones, with the same skills as the real-life squads. You pick your team and schedule. The computer keeps track of other games while you play yours and releases top 20 rankings after each game. Play well enough and you'll be invited to a post-season bowl - and maybe have a shot at being named No. 1. The toughest action comes at the pro level. Again, you have all the real teams. This time you're battling through a 16-game season looking for a spot in the playoffs. In most video football games, all the offense comes through the air. The ground game is useless because it takes too long to unfold. The computer or human opponent can see it coming. Not here. The 45-degree screen angle, along with the gigantic playing field, means players are big enough that you can actually read holes in the line. And there's nothing to give away the fact that you're staying on the ground. Of course, the same is true when the other guys have the ball, which makes defense more of a challenge. INSIDE TIPS: In NHLPA Hockey, look for rebounds. Take a shot on goal, then immediately switch control to a trailing player who can poke the rejected puck past the sprawled goalie. In Super Play Action Football, we've found that a steady diet of sweep plays is incredibly effective against weaker teams. In the college season, pick a decent Top 10 team like Georgia, then stack your schedule with midlevel opponents. That strategy landed us an 11-0 record, a No. 2 ranking (behind Washington) and a trip to a big bowl game. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM