NHL Hitz 20-02 vs 20-03 vs Pro
Most people who say "NHL Hitz" mean 20-03: the second game, still 3-on-3, with the most to do and the best reviews of the three. 20-02 started it. Hitz Pro (2003) is a 5-on-5 game with real penalties, closer to a regular NHL game with arcade hits on top. All three are PS2, Xbox and GameCube games from Midway.
Side by side
| NHL Hitz 20-02 | NHL Hitz 20-03 | NHL Hitz Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Released (North America) | PS2: Sept 25, 2001. Xbox and GameCube: November 2001, at their launches. | Sept 16, 2002 | Sept 25, 2003 |
| Developer | Black Box Games | Black Box Games (GBA version: Exient) | Next Level Games |
| Publisher | Midway | Midway Sports | Midway Sports |
| Platforms | PS2, Xbox, GameCube | PS2, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance | PS2, Xbox, GameCube |
| On the ice | 3 skaters a side plus goalies | 3 skaters a side plus goalies | 5 skaters a side plus goalies |
| Rules | Relaxed, hits instead of penalties | Relaxed, plus an optional mercy rule | Full NHL penalties, which can be turned off |
| Fights | Yes. The loser leaves the game. | Yes | - |
| On fire | Yes, after a hat trick. Team Fire after three straight one-timers. | Yes | - |
| Main modes | Exhibition, skills challenges, unlockable heads, arenas and throwbacks | Franchise (build your own team and take it around the world), season with playoffs, mini games | Exhibition, Season and Playoffs, Franchise, Pick-up Hockey, Hockey School, PS2 online |
| Online | No | No | PS2 only, through GameSpy, which shut down long ago |
| Metacritic | GameCube 79, PS2 78, Xbox 79 | GameCube 82, PS2 82, Xbox 81, GBA 68 | - |
NHL Hitz 20-02
The first one, and a launch game for the Xbox and the GameCube. Three a side plus a bench of three, and no season mode. Hits knock players down without a penalty. Score a hat trick and you catch fire. It's the purest version of the idea, and the thinnest.
NHL Hitz 20-03
The same game with a lot more around it. Periods of one, two or three minutes. An optional mercy rule. Checks that send players through the glass into the stands. A Franchise mode where you build your own team and take it around the world. A season with playoffs. Goalies who can shoot. Mini games. A Game Boy Advance version with four-player link play. When people argue that Hitz was the best, this is usually the one on the screen.
NHL Hitz Pro
A different developer and a different idea: five a side, full NHL penalties (you can switch them off), 23-man rosters, Pick-up Hockey and a Hockey School with Scotty Bowman. Up to eight players on a PS2 with the Multitap. Good reviews at the time, but if you wanted Hitz, Pro is the one that feels least like it. It was also the last Hitz.
So which one is best?
- Best Hitz: 20-03, by reviews and by most people's memory.
- Most arcade: 20-02, the simplest.
- Most hockey: Pro. Five a side and real rules.
- GameCube, PS2 or Xbox? The reviews scored them within a point or two of each other. Pick the one whose controller you like.
None of them is sold today. For arcade hockey you can still play, see games like NHL Hitz. If you want the 3-on-3, no-penalties, glass-breaking part in a browser for free, that's Brudvig Hockey 2027. It's not Hitz and doesn't pretend to be. Its teams and players are made up.
Questions
Which NHL Hitz is the best?
NHL Hitz 20-03 usually gets the vote: still 3-on-3, with a Franchise mode, seasons and mini games, and the best reviews of the three (Metacritic 81 to 82 on consoles).
Is NHL Hitz Pro 3-on-3?
No. Hitz Pro (2003) is 5-on-5 with full NHL penalties that can be turned off. 20-02 and 20-03 are 3-on-3.
Who made NHL Hitz?
Midway published all three. Black Box Games developed 20-02 and 20-03, Next Level Games developed Hitz Pro.
Can you play NHL Hitz online?
Only Hitz Pro on PS2 had online play, through GameSpy, which shut down years ago. The series is not sold or playable online today.