NHL 96 — stories left

Salmon stated that while the SNES entry had sharper graphics and gameplay than its predecessors, the combination of a less solid AI and faster gameplay pace led to a lower amount of challenge and capacity for strategy than the Genesis version.

Quick-Draw McGraw of GamePro remarked that the SNES version had muddier graphics and less content than the Genesis version, the fights were dull and hard to control, and the "weak" audio was comparable to "listening to the game from the parking lot".

He added that the game "is still fun to play", and praised the fluidly animated graphics and the precise controls.

Ryan of PC Magazine said "NHL 96 clearly stands head and shoulders above" other PC hockey games: "great graphics and sound, fast-paced action, and an accurate statistical model".

Even non-hockey fans, he said, "may be stunned by the quality".

In GamePros "1995 Readers' Choice Awards", the Genesis version was ranked the fourth Best Sports Game (16-Bit Games), taking 11% of the vote.

Reviewing the DOS version, Todd Vaughn of PC Gamer praised the game's detailed graphics (particularly when higher resolutions are enabled), realistic and challenging gameplay, and modem-enabled multiplayer capability, though noted that not all of the game's camera angles were optimal for gameplay, and that the system requirements were steep.

Hugo Foster of GameSpot criticized that the games are too frequently scoreless, and that success and failure seem to be largely random.

He added that the game "is still fun to play", and praised the fluidly animated graphics and the precise controls.

A version for the PlayStation was announced the same month, but later cancelled because it did not meet Electronic Arts' quality standards.

In GamePros "1995 Readers' Choice Awards", the Genesis version was ranked the fourth Best Sports Game (16-Bit Games), taking 11% of the vote.