Feature By

Ben Hopper

Sega Sports NHL2K is the first hockey simulation for the next generation of game consoles and is the first release from Canadian developer, Black Box Games. Producer Douglas Tronsgard generously took some time out of his busy schedule to discuss the game and the development process with us, among other things. Doug had previously helped us out with an Ask GameCritics.com question (posted on our old web site) about NHL2K1, and later gave me his comments on my review of the game. So he's been very cool about making himself available to our Web site. GameCritics.com would like to thank him and Black Box Games for the following exclusive interview.

As the first next-generation hockey game, how do you feel NHL2K has been received?

We are pleased with the response to NHL2K. It has been especially well received by the hardcore hockey fans who wanted more of a "sim" game. It will certainly push other developers to improve their hockey titles, and this can only lead to good things for hockey fans.

The guys from the NHL2K team must be big hockey fans. I thought it showed through in the game. After all, it was made in Canada, right? Any Buffalo Sabres fans in there? I'm from Buffalo you know.

We are huge hockey fans. In fact, most of us play hockey regularly. Since we couldn't make it into the NHL, we had to do the next best thing and create hockey games. Only one Buffalo fan however...sorry (doh!).

As producer, what were your responsibilities in the development of NHL2K?

My job was to stay out of the way and buy the coffee.

Several members of your team came from Radical Entertainment—the developers of NHL Powerplay '96 for Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation. That was a game that helped shape the way we look at sports games today. How valuable was their experience during the development of NHL2K?

Their experience was instrumental in getting NHL2K out in time and pushing the boundaries of what has been done before. It's always easier to do something the second time, and for some of these guys, it was the sixth time making a hockey game!