Damn that sucks Datsyuk lost. On a side not I sure hope they improve the game this year. I played a good amount of nhl 11 but nhl 12 seemed like nothing more than a roster update with a few legends added and maybe a little quicker menu and gameplay controls. Id like to see some major changes. They have used the same menu layout for the past three years or more that is looking very stale.
If you are up to date on the game, you will notice the differences. Every year gets incrementally better. That's a development marketing scheme, don't ever add everything the first time around, you always give yourself the ability to upgrade and create the desire for people to upgrade their software, or in this case, buy the new game.
One of the biggest additions to NHL 12 was the goalies became interactive. In previous versions if you ran a goalie, you basically hit a wall and stopped. Now, you can get goalie interference or bump the goalie. Goalies can also fight. They also added crease battles, guys get locked up in front of the crease and battle for position. On 1 player you can't control them since you control who has the puck, but in any other mode that you can control an offensive player without the puck, you can give it your best Homer impersonation. They also added broken glass and the ability to check players into the bench. That's all I really remember off the top of my head, as far as game play goes, but they did do other stuff in other modes like add the Legends and maybe some other stuff with the EASHL, but I only play online so I don't know for sure. There are also always tons of little game play tweaks to fix glitches, bugs, or just to alter or make the physics engine better. I could care less about the menu, except it can be a tad involved, I want game play changes to make the game better.
In previous years they have added features like broken sticks, disallowed goals and reviews, new face off systems, and a completely new physics engine a few years ago, in 2010 or 2011, I don't remember for sure.
I like the subtle changes, it gives you a chance to grow with the game, and IMO it is always getting better. It takes a while to get accustomed to the little things in the game and by only adding a few, they save some features for next year's release, and they let me slowly adapt to the changes they did make. Much like rule changes in the NHL, it's a progressive system. My brothers and cousin still play on classic controls (retard mode I call it). My cousin is finally beginning to accept he can't beat me because he only has limited buttons whereas with default controls, you have much more precision and control.
Edited by rrasco, 01 June 2012 - 10:13 AM.