NHL Slapshot Review & a Move Date

First let  me start this review by saying that I am a Penguins half season ticket holder and have played some type of "beer league" for the last 15-20 years so I already love the game of hockey.  I did not buy NHL2k10 for the Wii last year so NHL Slapshot is my first "motion controlled" hockey experience.  This is EA's first time bringing the NHL to the Wii and did they break out the guns.  With each NHL Slapshot comes a "stick" to use.  I know we have all seen the tennis rackets and golf club attachment for the Wii but the stick is not quite as cheap.  There is a tutorial at the beginning of the game on putting together the stick and how to put the Wii-mote  into this contraption.  This is actually one of the flaws, the segment goes kind of fast and I can just see parents constantly hitting the reset button.  My advice:  look at the stick first and attempt to put in yourself so this way you have some idea whats going on.  Now that the stick is put together you are ready to play.  Just like its NHL big brother Bill Clement will teach you how to move and play.  The controller is somewhat accurate but it makes you wonder why Motion Control plus was not used.  It was a huge hit with Tiger Woods but the plus will not even fit inside the stick.  There are plenty of game modes including season but the hit of the party will be the simply play now option.  You can play in any division, I suggest Pee Wee.  Call me childish but I like the fact they put NHL jerseys on the kids.  Its like you are watching Sidney and Alex growing up on the ponds.  This play is set up a lot like NHL arcade (3vs3), which again is great party game.  I had fun playing but the stick sometimes did not recognize the shot and my teams AI might have been amped up a little but it was still a blast.  I can not stress enough that the game is easy to learn and fun to play.  The graphics are average but this game has potential to become a yearly series on the Wii and knock the folks at 2k down again.

Grade: B

Power Foward with high potential

Sony Move comes out this week, there seems to be some confusion on what day.  Some reports say Friday others Sunday.  The point is by the end of the weekend I will be buying it.  I am going to buy the bundle.  I have a camera but I was doing the math.  The stick is $50, the game Sports Champions which is said to have the best range of games is $40, an exclusive demo with 10+ games on it and the camera.  I figure I can ditch the camera at Gamestop or sell it.  I think I will get a Nav stick also.  Also Move has started to show up on the Sony Rewards website. I will post pictures later this weekend.