Bush Hockey League

The fun and nostalgic creative choices of '70s ear Bush League Hockey aren't quite enough to make up for its clunky gameplay and bad AI. Its 4-player local multiplayer may appeal to hard-core hockey fans, but consider it a healthy scratch for everyone else.

Though the execution of Bush Hockey League doesn't ultimately live up to the novelty of its concept, the artwork throughout and its story mode deserve credit for evoking the rough-and-tumble life of minor league hockey in the '70s just as it was depicted in Slap Shot. Ultimately, it sails wide of its target though by sticking too closely to and yet still trailing behind the NHL series when it comes to the controls and not being innovative enough in the gameplay department. It does make an attempt to implement some mechanics that lean into the more violent tendencies of the sport, but they aren't nearly as rewarding or enjoyable as you would hope.

While I haven't really played any hockey games in probably at least 20 years, back in the day I had a great time with some classics including the old-school EA Sports NHL series and going back even further to the terrific Blades of Steel...

Bush League Hockey got just about everything right except for the actual Hockey part, which is a shame because this is a charming arcade-style game but it's not something that I can see a lot of people wanting to play over long periods of time.

Fighting is a big part of Bush League Hockey but it is also undercooked. Punching doesn’t feel naturally responsive and although it’s got it’s charms it fails to hit the mark. Where the game does shine a little is when you play with friends. Grab a few mates round with a few beers and there is fun to be had for a few hours but the overall package is buggy, laggy and just not as much fun as it could and should have been.

This game is best enjoyed in small doses with friends on a couch, which is not the ideal form of play anymore.

From the grind of a seemingly pointless Story, and the one off hits of an even more pointless Exhibition Game, you won’t find much to keep anyone other than the most ardent of hockey fans from going back  - and even then it’s never going to have much of an appeal over the NHL games that are out there. By all means give it a shot with a mate or two, but the repetition will soon win over the day.

Bush Hockey League is great fun — a reason to invite a friend over

If you are looking for a fun sports party game (with an M rating), Bush Hockey League provides solid gameplay and some good laughs.