"Total domination," says the two-time NHL MVP standing beside me as we play NHL 2K10 on the Wii.
I'm at the Hockey Hall of Fame, and Nintendo has brought in the game's cover boy, all-world superstar Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, to play the game against all media challengers.
When it's my turn, I suit up as the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ovie loyally lines up as the Caps.
And yes, he's trash talking.
If you've ever watched Ovechkin play, you know he's a maestro on the ice who's famous for his over-the-top celebrations - some of which are in this game, although he can't seem to actually make them happen with the Wii remote.
The Nintendo PR reps warn me before we play that he's very intense, and while he's admittedly not a video game guy, he's giving his all against the assembled media. The thing is, during our game, it's really nowhere near "domination." It's actually a pretty pathetic display from both of us as we try to put an actual shot on net. "Shoot, Jesus Christ, shoot!" he yells, but he doesn't really manage it.
Later at home, when I do get some time with the game, our ineptitude starts to make sense. While the Wii, and particularly its sports games, have proved easy to use, this game is akin to its more powerful console cousins and has some pretty complicated controls. It's the kind of thing that takes time to pick up, but with some practice it can become second nature.
Indeed, the control system supports four different controller schemes, including the new Wii Motionplus, which makes the controls more sensitive and accurate (it comes packaged with NHL 2K10). That said, I'm not sure how much of a real addition it is, and the game will initially ask if you want to enable it. Motionplus seems to allow more complex stick handling, although I found that it didn't really add much for me.
Another impressive thing about NHL 2K10 is how quickly it gets you playing. The Wii has lagged behind the other major consoles when it comes to online integration, but this game allows you to play a "quick game" - thereby sidestepping long load times - jump online to find an opponent, or invite friends from its title screen. Integration with Wii Speak even allows online trash talking.
Of course, in person it's just as fun. "Come on!" Ovechkin shouts at the TV. I'm not losing, so I'm not going to let him get the only word in.
"What domination? It's scoreless. I thought you were the MVP?" I say.
He harrumphs.
My virtual Crosby grabs the puck, and I try to go in on a breakaway as he plods along.
That's one of my initial complaints about the game: it feels a little slow. Again, after playing at home, I see that the "Z" button provides a burst of speed, but overall, at first it seems like guys just chug down the ice. It's still apples-to-oranges when comparing the graphics to its higher-end console competitors, but the Wii's graphics have improved a bit from last year's version, and the stadiums and commentary are all top notch.
There is one obvious nod to the Wii's family-friendly customer base, and that's the addition of the Mii Super Skills Competition. This puts players' Nintendo avatars through competitions like Hardest Shot, Fastest Skater and Goalie Superskills (which is a mini-game I fell in love with). Sure, the hard-core gamers will probably pass it by, but this is a great little party mode to play with kids, or when newbies to the game pop by.
Back to the game with Ovechkin: one of his guys gives Crosby a hard check in the middle of the ice. He's called for a penalty. It's a power play for my Penguins. I get about two shots off but can't make use of the extra attacker. The buzzer sounds. Our five-minute period is over. The score is 0-0. Considering he's been playing the game all day, and I had five minutes' practice before my scheduled time, I consider it a victory. We shake hands and he takes on his next challenger.
Ovechkin may be the league's MVP, but I'm ready for a Wii rematch.
> Posted by: Iconic Magazine
