Canvas Hockey

Quite the fun little hockey game! This is as good as you can get for a hockey game on PC till the day EA gives us NHL

[b] Canvas Hockey was featured on my youtube channel[/b] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2189141439 and now onto the short review [h1]TL;DR Review[/h1] //Description// Canvas Hockey is a top-down, arcade-style party game with local multiplayer, single & co-op career mode inspired from 90's hockey games. //Graphics, Sound & Artstyle// Canvas Hockey uses a painted art-style canvas in a topdown setting to showcase it's aesthetic. Chiptunes that sound straight from the 90's accompany the game to give one the feeling of something retro with modern touches. //Gameplay// It's fast, It's smooth, controls very well and is initially pretty hard to pick up on, but the learning curve is not too hard. After about 3 or 4 games you'll pick up on how to move, check, shoot and pass better. Puck must always meet the hockey stick and stamina plays a huge role in how much you can do in such a little space. //Price// 9.99 USD //How many hours estimated// It's a fun little time killer with friends and with remote play you can also extend the local co-op. With a seemingly deep career mode as well- full on with stat building mechanics I can see myself delving straight into it. Currently I am on Silver Division and 2.5 hours in. I know i'll be playing this at least a good 20-30 hours before I get bored of it. //Final Thoughts// When I saw Canvas Hockey I knew it was going to be a special game- I am not in the least bit dissapointed. I am having a blast- my friend who played with me is having a blast. I wish this game was more on the radar because it is simply a gem. What puts the game over truly is the camapaign mode- it's 1 min periods (which I wish I could turn into 2 min periods) of fast fluid fun set with playoffs at the end to see if your team gets promoted or stays in the same league (I am unsure if relegation is in tact here). I have a few gripes that are pretty small- such as no graphic settings or ability to make the game full screen- I have a feeling devs will fix that soon as I read many quality of life changes are coming.. I'd also love to see a poke check make its way into the game because you get two checks per stamina bar, I am also not very fond of the way to catch a pass only by direct contact to the hockey stick while it does make it more difficult sometimes it can be annoying. Overall it is a true experience with a twist or two here of 90s Hockey games. I'm having a blast and even if hockey isn't your sport- I think this is a great game for all to play and definitely worth it's 9.99 USD asking price [b] BUY IT NOW [/b]

As an AVID player of NHL 94 on my Super Nintendo its nice to finally have something similar on PC. A combination of smooth and fun gameplay and a creative design this title stands out among the indie sports games available on Steam. I can see myself constantly playing this game for the foreseeable future and highly recommend anyone who is looking for a fun hockey game to pick this up. Can't wait to see what the developer adds in the coming updates to enhance the game!

Goalie AI is completely broken, often they find their way too far out of the net. It's fun for a laugh with friends and the art style is cool. Good for $1 on sale, brutal at full price.

Tried to play a local match for achievement, but couldn't figure out how to do it. So i hereby proclaim the UI-designer a world champ here! 10 of 10 broken arms while trying to set up a match!

Awesome game for a couch kickback with friends! The dev is super open to helpful ideas or comments as well, I reached out and he was very quick to respond.

Just do yourself a favor and dont try to play with mouse and keyboard. the controllings are bad in my opinion. the game itself go a nice design. I simply not get along with the controlling. Some others might have fun with it.

Chinese!Chinese!Chinese!We need Chinese.If you have Chinese,we will buy this game more and more people.

I wanted to give this a in depth review due to the fact hockey games are close to my heart (if you grew up skating on frozen ponds and/or slapping the ball around during the summer with your Mylec, you’re my kind of peeps.) Also mind you, I just bought it today and had put a few hours in it right away to be past the refund time amount. I wanted to show that I was committed to a real review. Before I start, please understand that certain games follow a strict code of base build that can make or break. When it comes to hockey games, you do not want to reinvent the wheel. You can build off of it, but not rebuild it. Up front impression: Surprise! A new hockey game a few days before my birthday!?!? Don't mind if i do! Hardware - I tested this on two different computers, one runs an FX 8150 and the other a Ryzen 1600AF. Game runs better than a greased up goth chick from your favorite porn smash videos. I will be testing it out on my Phenom CPU’s to see if it can handle it. (Quad core @ 3.0 ghz and a Triple core [unlocked to a quad core] @ 3.2 ghz) Controllers - The first knock… This one was a padded bra letdown or tube sock stuff failure. I tried the game on multiple controllers to see how it felt...and let down city… Steam Controller - holy crap was it un-playable. I’m talking about The Last Jedi level of “WTF”. The controls were so sensitive that when you try to shoot, your guy would spin in an 180 fashion instantly. This Steam Controller is brand new, as the cherry was popped on it 4 days. (Yes, it’s been in the box this whole time) You will really have to configure the sensitivity of the controller to dial it down. Something this high tech and advanced, should not require this much work. Microsoft Sidewinder Plug and Play - As the creepy old guy from LOTR said, “You have no power here!” with an evil laugh. Windows 10 supports and accepts the controller, and you can play games with it...but not this game… This game won’t even recognize it…Just like that cute redhead at the bar you tried to score with...Rejected… Universal PS3 controller with dongle - (My fav controller) This is my go to for gaming, and I use it all the time with other hockey games on steam. Sadly...just like a proctologist going in 3 knuckles deep...This was a no go with the game… Keyboard - If you have played NHL 95 on PC, then you will remember this layout. Arrow keys to move and other keys to shoot - pass - dodge - body check. Playable and if you’re an old timer, memories… Xbox 360 cabled Controller - The mom jokes of gaming! We all fall back to this one every time when in need. Shooting is perfect on it and the controls feel like it was built for this controller. *Enter shock face* Music - The tunes are peppy and I do enjoy the feature of the overtime music. It feels like Thanos is coming for you… Actual Gameplay - Faceoff will make you go “oh...it’s going to be like that” type move. The opponent AI feels like it varies. It will jump from a shoot-shoot team to a defense type team type feel. Maybe it was me, but you could feel team play varied. Wait till you get to the championship game, the AI is done ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ around and will stretch your sphincter. Goalies - Or as I have called them, Sieves and Colanders… The goalies were drafted from the local beer league rink games, because they can’t stop a beach ball. The only thing on this planet who can rival how open these goalies were, would be Gianna Michaels. She gets paid to be that open and she makes it look good. Shooting - Shooting feels wonky at first, but once you understand that there is a delay, you will plan better. What I don’t agree with is, there are low percentage zones on the ice where an attacking player should not score from, and I have seen goalies let that in. I mean, least soccer goalies have a reason they are horrible...Cause it’s soccer…But this game, if you get a goalie to hug the pipes, they're going to let it in like catching covid. Passing - It works...mostly...it’s passing, it would be a crime against humanity to bork this. Checking - By far, the dirtiest thing you can do in this game. You need to use this...all the time… It’s the Konami code of this game. Treat it like your teen years, if it moves, you bang it… Leveling system will bring you back to the SNES days, and allows you to pimp your player out that way you want and tailored to your play style. Tips: Hit everything...often… On the faceoff, if you’re going to be slow to the puck, you murder the trailing defensemen and remove him from the equation. Breakouts can be turned into goals if you are playing defense and the AI on your team is making a break. How? You nail the trailing defender who is chasing your offense. Do not play the puck once you pass it out of the zone, you play the body and remove that defender from trailing your man. By doing this, you will buy him the needed seconds to pick his spot. You are not Bobby Orr… Do not try that coast to coast crap or you will have your toys on yard sale. When you get your player pimped out, maybe you can do it, but if you want to win early. Play as a team player and you will win. Scoring is very easy. I think I put up 5 quickies in one period due to puck placement. Understand that you can score more with puck placement versus one timers. You will need 1-2 seconds to earn that puck placement and that is achieved by removing the other teams plays from the equation. Which requires you to do so, on the faceoff… Also, if you use the boards and skate along the boards, you force the other team to commit to you, opening the ice for your player to use the speed burst. If you always go down the middle, the AI will clog the lane. We call this “Gap hockey”, you play to the open ice, and force the other team to react. You want them to commit to you accepting the open ice, and then you can make them eat it for doing so. What would I like to see implemented into the game? Better controller support Controller customization/Key Binding Old school blue ice and yellow lines as an option for rinks. This game would look really cool in that format. Frozen pond for a rink. Very simple layout as the boards are replaced with snowbanks, ect. Two tone player colors. I know i know...picky picky...but Bruins fans love to see their colors or pretend to see the Northstars out there again. (Unless it’s Blades of Steel and they made the Northstars purple...purple...because the Vikings were purple…) If inspiration is needed for the player and rink design, look at the movies Mystery Alaska, Youngblood, and Slapshot. Organs need to make a return! Maybe add in the good ole organ music when you score? (if the Dev wanted to be evil) introduce the SNES NHL 95 “Spin’o’Rama” feature and players will scream in rage! Final verdict - Is this game worth it? Yes...Yes it is… It can be a fun couch game where you revisit those old hatred filled “I play winner” type matches you had with your brothers. Or...if you have better brothers than I do...Can be on the same team… I would say that this game is in the top three best PC hockey games currently out and made within the last few years that have been released on Steam. It has the juice to be more, and from what I have seen from the Dev, this game will receive updates and is an affair of passion. Which is what we need from Dev’s. Go get it and go dangle.

Pretty enjoyable to play on quick play when you want to turn your brain off at the end of the day and relax, career mode is challenging, but not impossible, and it's a nice game to play in the couch and chill.