The game is buggy, the graphics are blotchy, and gameplay is just plain ugly.

The idea behind Open Ice Challenge has good potential it's a shame it couldn't have been done better. Well, now I know, and it turns out this review could be nothing but a Quick Take. Expect it to hit the console sometime later in the year. But, if you're tired of Jam and are able to see through this thinly-veiled transformation from hoops to hockey, move on. If you love hockey and are hip to Jam, then you'll drool over this coin-op. Expect players to catch fire after three goals, watch players do flips during a powered-up slapshot, and laugh as the opposing player is sent flying after you lay into him with a hit. Pick your favorite team, put your favorite players on the ice and then flail away at those buttons.Įverything-from the set-up screen to the button configurations-is the same as in NBA Jam. Nothing less than NBA Jam with a hockey puck, Open Ice has the fast-paced, over-the-top action that made the former title so popular. I'll admit up-front that my love for this game stems from my obsession with hockey. The coolest game the company showed us was NHL Open Ice. If there's one thing I noticed at E3, it was that Williams is poised to kick some serious butt down at your local arcade.

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