Play NHL 97 (USA, Europe) Online
NHL '97 on Genesis feels like EA was already eyeing newer consoles—cleaner sprites but same old hockey. Mash buttons in fights, laugh at the overhyped announcer, and curse those unpredictable goalies.
NHL '97 was EA's sixth hockey game in the series, and honestly, it felt like a weird transition year. The Genesis version didn't get the fancy 3D motion capture that the PlayStation and Saturn did—you could tell they were already shifting focus to newer consoles. The sprites were cleaner than NHL '96, but the gameplay didn't change much. Still, if you grew up with a Genesis, this was the last decent hockey game you got before EA moved on.
I remember the announcer sounding way too excited about basic plays, and the AI goalies either being brick walls or letting in the dumbest shots. At least the fights were fun—just mash buttons until someone's helmet pops off.
Download NHL 97 (USA, Europe) ROM
You can download this ROM to play NHL 97 (USA, Europe) offline using an Sega Genesis (Mega Drive) emulator (Top Emulators).
*This ROM is provided for backup and educational purposes only.
