Score: 89 out of 100 (Reviewed on Xbox 360)

Recently, the annual batch of hockey games was released. As, as usual, the competition is tight. This year, NHL 2K10 skates away a winner.

NHL 2K10 excels at presentation. And the addition of outdoor venues make it easy to fire up your own Winter Classic.

NHL 2K10 is all about presentation. Want to see a goal again from another angle? Don’t worry, you’ll get not one but three options to see detailed replays of the shot after each goal. After each period make sure to check out the highlights presented next to the stats for the game so you know directly where you stand. The announcers are engaging and non-repetitive, the camera is low to the ice but still shows everything and the natural, unique feel that each arena encompasses creates a fun experience each time a new game begins.

Beauty, though, is only skin deep, and no matter how pretty a game comes off it doesn’t make it a good game. But NHL 2K10 shines with it’s many unique play options. Aside from the typical quick play, online and franchise modes, there are two modes that won’t get old quickly.

The first mode is called Mini Rink. Pick two offensive players and a goalie for each team and play on ice which has been cut in half for a hard hitting, slap shot buzzing game. The rink is so small that players are constantly running into the opposing team, causing non-stop turnovers and scoring opportunities for everyone. Mini Rink is perfect for the player that wishes to show off their aggressive offensive prowess.

The second mode is called Pond Hockey, which is a no rules, four-on-four outdoor hockey game on a generic pond. Pick any four players and any goalie to make up your team and hook, slash and cherry pick your way to victory. 2K made your team aware that there’s no rules, as they’ll storm past all defenders and wait in your offensive zone, which would normally be offsides.

Maybe you want a little control to your outside game though. Maybe you want to play with standard teams in some good, old fashioned five-on-five hockey with all rules.

Maybe you want to do all this in a football or baseball stadium?

That’s right, you know where I’m going with this—an option that’s been missing for the past two years.

NHL 2K10 includes Winter Classic mode, although you wouldn’t know it if you didn’t do some poking around.

In order to play in Buffalo or Chicago outdoors, go to the Quick Play mode and choose teams. Then, access the options menu and scroll through the various venues. At the beginning of the list is Ralph Wilson Stadium, home to the Buffalo Bills, as well as Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs. This mode adds a twist to the run of the mill Quick Play mode, especially because any team can play at these venues—not just the one’s who participated in real life. The only issue with this mode is, as mentioned before, its accessibility.

2KSports should have put a Winter Classic option in the Game Modes section, as this would be quite the popular option.

One of the neatest aspects of 2KSports is all the little things they do. They don’t just create a video game, they put work into it and create an all around fun experience.

Take their love of mini games for example. Next time you and a friend go head-to-head in a game, examine the screen during intermission. In the bottom, right-hand corner is a message that leads to some serious fun: Ride the Zamboni. The first to clean 50 percent of the ice wins. Of course, this eventually turns into bumper cars on ice with the focus lost on cleaning the ice, but the game can end with the simple click of a button and you’re back to the game. Ride the Zamboni is just a small aspect of the game but really adds a lot.

Of course, no game is perfect, and NHL 2K10 has it’s share of faults. For starters, the menu system is downright annoying. The menu is in 3×3 rows, and in order to select the option in the bottom right corner you have to hold the joystick down and left, then select it. Maybe it’s nitpicking, but it took a while to get used to, and frankly I still forget sometimes.

Another issue concerns the default difficulty setting. This setting is perfect for those getting used to the game, but scoring is way too easy. Shooting is one of the first things mastered in a new game since it’s the action used the most. It’s the little things like poke checking and deking that require practice, but the goalies are so terrible on the default setting that it’s not fun after a while. A deke isn’t even necessary to fool the goalie, simply moving from one side to the next will typically freeze him for a shot at the open net.

Little annoyances aside, NHL 2K10 is a complete game. Whether you buy hockey games for the franchise mode, the online play, multiplayer with friends or just a quick game every now and then, 2K10 delivers a satisfying experience every time.