Hit the Ice
| Company type | Video game |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Founder | Taito, Williams, Midway |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Hit the Ice (video game) |
Hit the Ice is a sports video game centered on ice hockey, launched in 1990 by Taito, Williams, and Midway for arcades. The title adopts a cartoon-inspired design and features teams composed of three players each: forward, defenseman, and goalie. The gameplay encourages a rough style, permitting actions such as tripping, elbowing, and kicking opponents.
Subsequently, Taito adapted Hit the Ice for several platforms including the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16, Mega Drive/Genesis, Game Boy, and Super NES. Although a version for the NES was developed, it never reached the market.
Gameplay
In Hit the Ice, players aim to outscore their rivals during three periods, simulating an ice hockey match. Unlike conventional hockey teams with six players, this game limits each side to three participants: a forward, a defenseman, and a goalie. The arcade edition features two selectable teams—Red and Blue—with interchangeable players assigned to each role.
The game minimizes standard rules, promoting aggressive strategies like slashing, tripping, and elbowing opponents. Frequent fights break out; losing one causes temporary slowdown, while multiple defeats within a single period lead to player injuries and removal from the match.
Players can execute a charged "super shot" capable of knocking the goalie into the net, guaranteeing a goal. When trailing by a large margin, teams may acquire a "super drink" power-up that temporarily transforms all shots into super shots.
Players
- Iven Yakashev, parody of a 1972 Soviet athlete
- Phil Bunger, parody referencing Phil Esposito
- "Dicky" Fontaine, parody of Dickie Moore
- Al Gigliano
- Johnny Novak
- "Happy" Golecki (a play on "happy-go-lucky")
- Pierre Bourdoir
- Ben Dover
- "Gunner" Hall, parody of Glenn Hall
- "Battleship" Boyd
- Reggie Marsh
- "Bo" Cleveland
Reception
The arcade release experienced notable commercial success in the United States, with average weekly earnings per machine reaching $192.25 toward the end of 1990. In the United Kingdom, Hit the Ice ranked as the best-selling title for the PC Engine in October 1991, demonstrating its popularity across different markets.