Wayne Gretzky will lace up his skates once again, but this time inside a video game to promote NHL Slapshot, EA Canada's first hockey game designed specifically for the Nintendo Wii console.
Due out this fall, Gretzky will be the cover athlete for the video game, plus he'll serve as a playable character and coach in one of its modes.
"Not only is Gretzky one of the greatest hockey players of all time, but his name is synonymous with quality hockey and community -- so we thought he'd be perfect for the game" says Joe Nickolls, the Burnaby, British Columbia-based producer, in a telephone interview.
"Plus, many know of Gretzky's history, as he worked his way up from peewee to the NHL, and you can mirror this rise to stardom in our game," Nickolls adds.
NHL Slapshot will feature quick pick-up games, as or against your favorite NHL team, as well as a lengthy career mode where you start by playing peewee, 3-on-3, on a backyard rink, progressing through the Bantams and CHL leagues, and eventually getting drafted into the NHL.
While the game doesn't offer an online mode, players can update their rosters with a free download and up to four players can compete in front of the same TV.
NHL Slapshot will use a 21-inch, motion sensing hockey stick that players can snap together and house the Wii Remote controller. With it, players can shoot, pass and stick handle in front of their televisions as if they were on the ice.
"This is hockey, so wiggling a remote around just won't cut it," says Nickolls. "With our stick, the game really feels right -- when you shoot you're doing a shooting motion, and when you check, it just feels natural -- so I think skeptics will realize it's not a gimmick when they get their hands on it."
NHL Slapshot for Nintendo Wii will launch September 7, the same day as EA Sports' NHL 11 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
another wii peripheral for NHL Slapshot
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