An NHL 96 that polishes the formula further without shaking things up. Still snappy and pleasant, holds up despite age.
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Category
Sports4 players3+
Description
NHL hockey simulation for the 1995-96 season with improved visuals. Published by EA Sports, released in the USA in 1995. 1995-96 season rosters, new shot and body check modes and reworked visuals. Third EA Sports NHL on Super Nintendo.
The North American SNES version of NHL 96 (EA Sports, 1995), the last main NHL entry on SNES, released late in the cycle with an NTSC run already shrinking against the PlayStation. That closing position gives it genuine NTSC scarcity, above the very common earlier NHL titles. Clean CIB is sought as the completion piece of an American EA Sports SNES sub-collection, the US cardboard box warping easily.
Better with friends
A polished iteration of the console's star hockey, fuller in modes and still built for four-player rivalry. The competition rewards reading the play and shot precision, in a snappy tempo where any counter can hit home. Solid and accessible, it stays an excellent excuse for sports evenings, punctuated by snatched goals and comebacks that leave lasting memories.
Is NHL 96 still worth playing in 2026?
NHL 96 closes the 16 bit trilogy with even more depth, namely a polished fight system, coaches with contrasting profiles and a more accomplished TV presentation. The pace stays in line with the series, but the balance between arcade and simulation is probably the best calibrated of the trio. The cartridge remains a favorite for EA Sports SFC hockey purists. Recommended to anyone seeking the best compromise between sharpness and depth in the 1990s NHL line.
