Over the years, I have had many opportunities to buy Blades of Steel. Until last month I thought it was a Ninja Gaiden style arcade beat-em up. How wrong can you get? Eventually, fate came my way and I learned that it was a hockey game. I live in British Columbia, Canada. Hockey is the reason I go to school (mandatory in gym). Hockey is the reason I do actual physical activities in the winter. I couldn't wait to play it. I eagerly started my new game and bit my lip. Would this be the ultimate NES sports game? To my suprise, a voice would answer.....

"Blades of Steel!" I nearly died of shock. The game was talking! Wait a second, the game was talking? After a quick recovery, it all came together. The game was made by Konami, ie Lagrange Point. Of course it would have weird sound thingys. That is what Konami does. With calm breathing and my hair turning white from the title screen, I selected 1 player, not knowing what to expect (but hoping ! it was hockey related). To my suprise (again), nothing spectacular happened. I saw a game mode and a team selection screen. I selected Vancouver (my home team) and began to play a tournament.

In-game voice simulations! The Hockey Night in Canada theme! Hockey! I was so happy, I almost didn't notice the fact that the team colours were all messed up. It looked almost like the game took place 70 years ago. Vancouver was wearing what I beleive were Vancouver Millionaire colours, not Vancouver Canuck colours, old or new (Van Millionaires was the original team, changed about 66? years ago to the Canucks...we haven't won the Stanley Cup since). I was actually overjoyed, that means I might have a chance of actually winning! Go Millionaires!

I played a total of 3 games in the tourny, all of which I conquered. I found the controls easy to use although the fight cutscenes a little annoying, and the highlighted characters looked like a Poke'mon cartoon (seizure bots!) but other than that everything was great. I won the College Cup and was on my way to Stanley...

Mediocre graphics, great music and sound and lots of hockey action seemed to make this Konami's best sports game ever...possibly the best sports game ever...(at least for the NES, I love Fifa '98)