Games like NHL Hitz
There's no new NHL Hitz, and the old ones aren't sold anywhere. The closest things you can play now: Barnburners (PC, Early Access from December 8, 2026), Super Blood Hockey and Bush Hockey League (PC, consoles, Switch), and free browser games like Brudvig Hockey 2027, which is 3-on-3 with big hits, glass that breaks and players who catch fire. Here's the honest list.
What made Hitz Hitz
Midway's NHL Hitz 20-02 (2001) and 20-03 (2002) were three skaters a side plus goalies, relaxed rules, hits instead of penalties, players checked through the glass and into the crowd, and a player who scored enough caught "on fire". Real NHL teams and players, cartoon physics. NHL Hitz Pro (2003) went to 5-on-5 with real penalties, which is a different game. The full comparison is on NHL Hitz 20-02 vs 20-03 vs Pro.
So "like Hitz" usually means: 3-on-3, arcade, hits that send people flying, short games, a friend on the couch or online.
The list
| Game | Where | Cost | Players | Format | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHL Hitz 20-02, 20-03, Pro | PS2, Xbox, GameCube (and 20-03 on Game Boy Advance) | Used discs only | Up to 4 on one console (Pro: 8 on a PS2 with a Multitap) | 3-on-3 (Pro: 5-on-5) | The originals. Not re-released or sold digitally. Needs the old hardware. |
| Barnburners | Windows, Linux, macOS (Steam) | $9.99 planned, free demo | Up to 4 local, 1 vs 1 online | 5-on-5, plus a 3-on-3 Arcade mode and Pond Hockey | An indie arcade hockey game with 24 made-up teams and house rules like big heads. Early Access from December 8, 2026. |
| Super Blood Hockey | PC (2017), Switch (2019) and others | Paid | Up to 4 local | - | Retro pixel hockey with a lot of blood. Not for the kids. |
| Bush Hockey League | Switch (2022); first out as Old Time Hockey on PC, PS4 and Xbox One (2017) | Paid | - | 5-on-5 | 1970s hockey: fights, dirty hits, big mustaches. |
| Blades of Steel | Arcade (1987), NES (1988) | Old hardware | 1 or 2 | 5-on-5 | Konami's classic, famous for its fights. Not on a current store that we could find. |
| NHL Open Ice | Arcade (1995) | Old hardware | Up to 4 | 2-on-2 | Midway's 2-on-2 arcade hockey before Hitz, with the same on fire idea as NBA Jam. |
| Brudvig Hockey 2027 | Any web browser: phone, computer, Chromebook, TV | Free | 1 to 6 online, or a TV with phones | 3-on-3 plus goalies | Ours. Original teams, no penalties, breaking glass, on fire after two straight goals, a tournament mode and eleven mini games. |
Which one, then?
- You want Hitz itself: the originals on the original hardware. Midway went bankrupt in 2009, and a re-release would need new NHL and players' licenses. Don't hold your breath.
- You want new arcade hockey on PC: try the free Barnburners demo on Steam now, and keep an eye on its Early Access.
- You want it on Switch: Bush Hockey League or Super Blood Hockey. See hockey games on Switch.
- You want to play with five friends in ten seconds, for free, on whatever they're holding: that's the thing Brudvig Hockey 2027 does. No real NHL players, no fights. Everything else on the Hitz list is there.
What Brudvig Hockey 2027 has in common with Hitz, and what it doesn't
| NHL Hitz 20-02 / 20-03 | Brudvig Hockey 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Skaters a side | 3 plus a goalie | 3 plus a goalie |
| Penalties | None to speak of | None. No icing, no offside either. |
| Glass | Players go through it | It cracks, shatters, and players go through it |
| On fire | Yes | Yes: two straight goals by one skater, for 45 seconds |
| Fights | Yes | No |
| Real NHL teams and players | Yes | No. 45 made-up teams. |
| Online | No | Yes, up to 6 by link, plus a TV mode with phones |
| Where | PS2, Xbox, GameCube | Any browser |
| Cost now | A used disc and an old console | Free |
Questions
Is there a new NHL Hitz?
No. The last one was NHL Hitz Pro in 2003. Midway, which published the series, went bankrupt in 2009.
Can I buy NHL Hitz digitally?
Not that we could find as of October 9, 2026. The games were never re-released on current stores.
What is the best game like NHL Hitz?
It depends on where you play. Barnburners on PC is built in that spirit and has a free demo. On Switch there is Bush Hockey League. For free in a browser with friends, Brudvig Hockey is 3-on-3 arcade hockey with big hits and breaking glass.
Is there a free game like NHL Hitz?
Yes. Brudvig Hockey 2027 runs free in a browser at brudvighockey.com: 3-on-3, no penalties, big hits, glass that breaks, on fire streaks and online play for up to eight.