NHL 06

With the NHL strike over, we can finally get back to our favorite sport: video game hockey. Thankfully, the team at EA Canada used the time they would've spent watching hockey on TV to tweak last year's icing violation. Improvements in puck physics means that hard shots can bruise your opponents, while last year's overly aggressive defense has been scaled back to realistic levels. Training means something this season, as a player's size directly affects his maneuverability. You can also better control your shots—directing the puck anywhere from the top shelf to the five hole with just a flick of the joystick—and the Dynasty Mode lets you manage a team of players you create. It still runs a close second to NHL 2K6 (which also comes out today), but all of its tweaks demonstrate that EA's more dedicated to the game than the NHL.