NHL '94

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'''''NHL '94''''' is an [[ice hockey]] game by [[EA Sports]] released for the [[Sega Genesis|Genesis]], [[Super NES]]. and [[MS-DOS]] in 1993, then the [[Sega CD]] in 1994. The MS-DOS version is titled '''''NHL Hockey''''', without the "'94" in the title. It is the third game in the [[NHL (video game series)|''NHL'' series]] and the first in the series to be officially licensed by both the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL) and the [[National Hockey League Players' Association|NHL Players' Association]] (NHLPA).{{cite web |url=https://grantland.com/the-triangle/nhlpa-93-vs-nhl-94-the-ultimate-showdown |title='NHLPA '93' vs. 'NHL '94': The Ultimate Showdown |last=McIndoe |first=Sean |date=January 21, 2014 |website=grantland.com |publisher=Grantland |access-date=December 21, 2022 |quote=This was the first game in the series to hold both licenses. So you had everything: player names, team logos, and even the Stanley Cup.}} ''NHL '94'' launched to critical acclaim, it is widely considered the greatest hockey game ever made, and one of the greatest sports video games of all time.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-94-enduring-popularity-25-years-later-301326816|title=NHL '94 video game has enduring popularity 25 years later|last1=Satriano|first1=David|last2=O'Leary|first2=Daniel|date=October 27, 2018|website=nhl.com|publisher=NHL|access-date=November 23, 2024|quote="NHL '94 in my opinion is the greatest retro sports video game in history," said hockey broadcaster Arda Ocal, who will announce an "NHL '94" championship tournament Sunday in Vancouver.}}

'''''NHL '94''''' is an [[ice hockey]] game by [[EA Sports]] released for the [[Sega Genesis|Genesis]], [[Super NES]]. and [[MS-DOS]] in 1993, then the [[Sega CD]] in 1994. The MS-DOS version is titled '''''NHL Hockey''''', without the "'94" in the title. It is the third game in the [[NHL (video game series)|''NHL'' series]] and the first in the series to be officially licensed by both the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL) and the [[National Hockey League Players' Association|NHL Players' Association]] (NHLPA).{{cite web |url=https://grantland.com/the-triangle/nhlpa-93-vs-nhl-94-the-ultimate-showdown |title='NHLPA '93' vs. 'NHL '94': The Ultimate Showdown |last=McIndoe |first=Sean |date=January 21, 2014 |website=grantland.com |publisher=Grantland |access-date=December 21, 2022 |quote=This was the first game in the series to hold both licenses. So you had everything: player names, team logos, and even the Stanley Cup.}} ''NHL '94'' launched to critical acclaim. It is often considered among the greatest sports video games.

==Gameplay==

==Gameplay==

===Accolades===

===Accolades===

''[[IGN]]'' ranked the game 59th on their "Top 100 SNES Games of All Time." They opined that ''NHL '94'' "Truly defined hockey adaptations in the 16-bit era." They also praised the four-player multiplayer mode and described the single-player gameplay as "Fast and frantic pace of skating and slap-shotting here felt utterly unrivaled." The only criticism they had was that ''NHL '94'' removed the option to brawl with the opposing team.{{Citation |title=Top 100 SNES Games of All Time - IGN.com |url=https://www.ign.com/lists/top-100-snes-games |language=en |access-date=2022-07-01}} In 1994, ''[[PC Gamer US]]'' named ''NHL Hockey'' the 11th-best computer game ever. The editors called it "nearly flawless in its representation of the speed and the strategies of full-tilt, real-time NHL hockey — and besides, it's one of the best PC games available."{{cite journal |author=Staff |date=August 1994 |title=''PC Gamer'' Top 40: The Best Games of All Time |journal=[[PC Gamer US]] |issue=3 |pages=32–42}} That same year, ''[[PC Gamer UK]]'' named it the 41st-best computer game of all time, calling it "one of the most enjoyable PC sports sims to date".{{cite magazine |author=Staff |date=April 1994 |title=The ''PC Gamer'' Top 50 PC Games of All Time |magazine=[[PC Gamer UK]] |issue=5 |pages=43–56}} In 1996, ''[[GamesMaster (magazine)|GamesMaster]]'' ranked the Mega Drive version 65th in its "Top 100 Games of All Time."{{Cite journal |date=July 1996 |title=Top 100 Games of All Time |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/c/cf/GamesMaster_UK_044.pdf |journal=GamesMaster |issue=44 |pages=76}}

''[[IGN]]'' ranked the game 59th on their "Top 100 SNES Games of All Time." They opined that ''NHL '94'' "Truly defined hockey adaptations in the 16-bit era." They also praised the four-player multiplayer mode and described the single-player gameplay as "Fast and frantic pace of skating and slap-shotting here felt utterly unrivaled." The only criticism they had was that ''NHL '94'' removed the option to brawl with the opposing team.{{Citation |title=Top 100 SNES Games of All Time - IGN.com |url=https://www.ign.com/lists/top-100-snes-games |language=en |access-date=2022-07-01}} In 1994, ''[[PC Gamer US]]'' named ''NHL Hockey'' the 11th-best computer game ever. The editors called it "nearly flawless in its representation of the speed and the strategies of full-tilt, real-time NHL hockey – and besides, it's one of the best PC games available."{{cite journal |author=Staff |date=August 1994 |title=''PC Gamer'' Top 40: The Best Games of All Time |journal=[[PC Gamer US]] |issue=3 |pages=32–42}} That same year, ''[[PC Gamer UK]]'' named it the 41st-best computer game of all time, calling it "one of the most enjoyable PC sports sims to date".{{cite magazine |author=Staff |date=April 1994 |title=The ''PC Gamer'' Top 50 PC Games of All Time |magazine=[[PC Gamer UK]] |issue=5 |pages=43–56}} In 1996, ''[[GamesMaster (magazine)|GamesMaster]]'' ranked the Mega Drive version 65th in its "Top 100 Games of All Time."{{Cite journal |date=July 1996 |title=Top 100 Games of All Time |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/c/cf/GamesMaster_UK_044.pdf |journal=GamesMaster |issue=44 |pages=76}}

==Legacy==

==Legacy==

In the years following its release, ''NHL '94'' has come to be considered one of the greatest sports games of all time. The Genesis version was included as #61 on ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]''{{'}}s "100 Best Games of All Time" in 1997{{cite magazine |title=100 Best Games of All Time |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=100 |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=November 1997|page=122}} Note: Contrary to the title, the intro to the article explicitly states that the list covers console video games only, meaning PC games and arcade games were not eligible. and as #47 on ''[[IGN]]''{{'}}s Top 100 Games of All-Time in 2005.{{cite web|url=http://top100.ign.com/2005/041-050.html |title=IGN's Top 100 Games of All Time |website=[[IGN]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203204104/http://top100.ign.com/2005/041-050.html |archive-date=February 3, 2007}} It was named All-Time Greatest Sports Video Game by [[Boston.com]].[http://www.boston.com/sports/lighter_side/greatest_sports_videogame/ "All Time Greatest Sports Video Game - Boston.com"] It was also ranked second by [[ESPN]] on its all-time sports video games rankings.ESPN>{{cite web|last=Robinson|first=Jon|title=ESPN's Sports Video Game Rankings|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/playbook/story/_/id/9236225/jon-robinson-ranks-best-sports-video-games-all|work=ESPN|date=6 May 2013|access-date=5 May 2014}} ''[[Bleacher Report]]'' listed it as the second-best hockey video game ever made (behind ''[[NHL 10]]'') but also cited it as "one of the best video games ever made." name=BleacherRanking>{{cite web|last=Urtz Jr|first=Tom|title=The 15 Greatest NHL Video Games Ever Made|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1439006-the-15-greatest-nhl-video-games-ever-made/page/2|work=Bleacher Report|access-date=7 January 2017}}

''NHL '94'' is often considered among the greatest sports games ever made,{{Cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-94-enduring-popularity-25-years-later-301326816|title=NHL '94 video game has enduring popularity 25 years later|last1=Satriano|first1=David|last2=O'Leary|first2=Daniel|date=October 27, 2018|website=nhl.com|publisher=NHL|access-date=November 23, 2024|quote="NHL '94 in my opinion is the greatest retro sports video game in history," said hockey broadcaster Arda Ocal, who will announce an "NHL '94" championship tournament Sunday in Vancouver.}}{{cite web |url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/a/marc-griffin/best-sports-video-games |title=The 25 Best Sports Video Games of All Time, Ranked |last=Frydenlund |first=Zach |work=[[Complex (website)|Complex]] |date=January 8, 2026 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/playbook/story/_/id/9233144/jon-robinson-ranks-best-sports-video-games-all |title=Sports Video Game Rankings (1-5) |last=Robinson |first=Jon |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=May 10, 2013 }}{{cite web |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25235818-ranking-best-sports-video-games-all-time |title=Ranking the Best Sports Video Games of All Time |last=Akerman |first=Nick |work=[[Bleacher Report]] |date=August 18, 2025 }} including number one by [[Boston.com]].[http://www.boston.com/sports/lighter_side/greatest_sports_videogame/ "All Time Greatest Sports Video Game - Boston.com"] The Genesis version was included as #61 on ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]''{{'}}s "100 Best Games of All Time" in 1997{{cite magazine |title=100 Best Games of All Time |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=100 |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=November 1997|page=122}} and as #47 on ''[[IGN]]''{{'}}s Top 100 Games of All-Time in 2005.{{cite web|url=http://top100.ign.com/2005/041-050.html |title=IGN's Top 100 Games of All Time |website=[[IGN]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203204104/http://top100.ign.com/2005/041-050.html |archive-date=February 3, 2007}} ''[[Bleacher Report]]'' listed it as the second-best hockey video game ever made (behind ''[[NHL 10]]''{{--)}} and called it "one of the best video games ever made".BleacherRanking>{{cite web|last=Urtz Jr|first=Tom|title=The 15 Greatest NHL Video Games Ever Made|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1439006-the-15-greatest-nhl-video-games-ever-made/page/2|work=Bleacher Report|access-date=7 January 2017}} In 2012, ''[[GamesRadar]]'' ranked it as the 25th-best Sega Genesis game due in part to its realism;{{cite web |title=Best Sega Genesis games of all time |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/ |work=[[GamesRadar]] |date=2012-04-17 |access-date=2013-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120827133433/http://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/ |archive-date=2012-08-27}} it jumped to 15th when the list was updated in 2014.{{cite web |title=Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games of all time |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/ |work=[[GamesRadar]] |date=2014-08-14 |access-date=2015-08-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140815031623/http://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/ |archive-date=2014-08-15 |url-status=live}}

Former NHL player [[Jeremy Roenick]] credits his fame to the exposure he received from ''NHL '94'', as he was listed as one of the best players in the game.{{cite web|last=Pinchevsky|first=Tal|title=EA's NHL '94 remains landmark game after 20 years|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/eas-nhl-94-remains-landmark-game-after-20-years/c-660713|work=National Hockey League|access-date=7 January 2017}}

Former NHL player [[Jeremy Roenick]] credits his fame to the exposure he received from ''NHL '94'', as he was listed as one of the best players in the game.{{cite web|last=Pinchevsky|first=Tal|title=EA's NHL '94 remains landmark game after 20 years|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/eas-nhl-94-remains-landmark-game-after-20-years/c-660713|work=National Hockey League|access-date=7 January 2017}}

In 2012, ''[[GamesRadar]]'' ranked it as the 25th-best Sega Genesis game due in part to its realism.{{cite web |title=Best Sega Genesis games of all time |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/ |work=[[GamesRadar]] |date=2012-04-17 |access-date=2013-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120827133433/http://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/ |archive-date=2012-08-27}} In 2014, ''GamesRadar'' updated the list and ''NHL '94'' was ranked 15th.{{cite web |title=Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games of all time |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/ |work=[[GamesRadar]] |date=2014-08-14 |access-date=2015-08-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140815031623/http://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/ |archive-date=2014-08-15 |url-status=live}}

The goal horn sound from the Sega Genesis version was used in the World of CHEL mode since ''[[NHL 19]]'' as an unlockable goal horn.

The goal horn sound from the Sega Genesis version was used in the World of CHEL mode since ''[[NHL 19]]'' as an unlockable goal horn.