February 4, 2009

EA’s Matt Mahar takes time to center the puck on 3 on 3 NHL Arcade
By Michael Lafferty

“We wanted to bring a different feel to the hockey video-game market”

3 on 3 NHL Arcade is a bit of the past, a bit of the present and might well signal a bit of the future when it comes to EA branded titles giving players the quick, over-the-top arcade experience mixed with a lot of fun.

For the game, EA Canada has thrown out the hockey rule book and delivered a fast-pace and exciting brand of arcade hockey that should reach a broad range of players. So let’s see … no rules, simulations of some of the game’s biggest stars, a solid online component, wacky powerups that deliver on the fun element – yep, seems like this game has a lot going for it.

But even after getting a build of the game to review, there were some questions concerning the creation of the game. Matt Mahar, lead designer for 3 on 3 NHL Arcade, took time to chat with GameZone about the title.

Question: Coming off the highly successful NHL title of last year, 3 on 3 Arcade completely mixes up the formula and really goes light. Was this just a break from what was previously released, or was the dev team trying to take a trip back and capture the feel of the arcade video games, or both?

Matt: Definitely a bit of both. We wanted to bring a different feel to the hockey video-game market. We looked at Arcade titles as a way to hit a broader audience and when we looked a bit closer noticed that there a no solid arcade sports titles on the market. We thought we could fill this void for the consumer and do it with the best hockey video game experience as the backbone. We definitely looked at arcade classics as a starting point to building this game, cause who doesn’t love NBA Jam, but we wanted to put a modern spin on the experience with the power that NHL 09 intelligence gives us.   

Everything in the game is kept very lighthearted, from the sound effects to the power-ups. How was it determined what style of powerups would make it into the game? When creating this title, did you have an overriding ruleset that governed everything in the game?

Matt: We looked at Powerups from the consumers perspective of “What brings me the most enjoyment”? This helps us narrow down the list a bit. We then put the remaining powerups in the game and played the hell out of the game, making sure that each powerup made the game more exciting and enjoyable. If the powerup made the game more exciting and added an element enjoyment, it made the cut. We looked at the ruleset from the stand point of less is more. By removing the rules we are opening the game up to being freewheeling and a constant user experience. Also, no rules allows more people to enjoy the game, you don’t have to worry about offside or any penalties, you simply pick up the game and play.      

Was it hard to find a balance between arcade elements and the actual feel of the game of hockey?

Matt: Not really. With the pace of hockey and the physical content in the game, it actually lends itself to the arcade genre very well. So the Jump really wasn’t that great.

What was the biggest challenge faced in pulling this together?

Matt: There could be a few things, but I think the size constraints would be the biggest. With an arcade title you have to be under 350 MB and fitting everything we wanted into this was a bit difficult. But it also gave us the challenge of coming up with some creative solution. In the end building this game was a really fun experience for the team.

Obviously the crux of the game will be the online elements. How deep is that online play? Will there be tourneys or leagues, ranked matchings and leaderboards?

Matt: Our online offering is solid. We have Ranked Quick Matches, which allow up to 3 users on 1 console play against 3 users on another console. We also have Play a Friend as well. Unranked Matches are offered too; we have quick, custom, and create (modes). 3 on 3 NHL Arcade offers a solid online experience that will make this game playable for a long time.

The game has the tag of “Freestyle” on it, which seems to link it to EA Big titles that gave an easy take on a sport. Is the game part of that general grouping of games or are you trying to break out and go in a slightly different direction with the major swing toward the arcade elements?

Matt: This game falls under the Freestyle brand cause Freestyle is somewhat all encompassing for games that don’t fit into Sports or Action or Driving. To be seen as part of Freestyle is good, because when you see freestyle brand you think over-the-top excitement that is a fun experience and that is what 3 on 3 NHL Arcade is all about.   

What kind of gamers do you think will be drawn to this title in terms of demographics?

Matt: Frankly, EVERYONE. 3 on 3 NHL Arcade makes it easy for any type of gamer to play. We have both the skill stick and button controls, so any type of gamer can pick up the game and feel comfortable playing. We have removed all the rules from the game and there are no stoppages, so not all users need a deep understanding of hockey. We have introduced Powerups, which add an element of excitement that any gamer will like and enjoy. Further, we have 40 NHL superstars in the game, with each team represented we have every hockey fans’ favorite.     

What do you like the most about this type of game?

Matt: Personally, I like the constant action and feeling of engagement. This comes from the combination of all the features we put in the game; no rules or stoppages, multiplayer online and offline, big hits, powerups, my favorite players, button controls, and skill stick. All these add up to an intense game packed with over the top action that never stops.  

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