ESPN National Hockey Night
ESPN National Hockey Night — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is ESPN National Hockey Night on?
- ESPN National Hockey Night was released on Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, DOS, Sega CD.
- When did ESPN National Hockey Night release?
- ESPN National Hockey Night was first released on December 1, 1994.
About ESPN National Hockey Night
ESPN National Hockey Night was one of the many hockey games released back in the day. This one featured all the NHL teams for its time, but lacked an official players license. It had four game modes to choose from: Exhibition, Challenge, Playoff, and Season. The game also features both a horizontal and vertical perspective of the ice, battery backup to save progress and also featured the voice of Bill Clement for play-by-play commentary.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, DOS, Sega CD
- Developer
- Stormfront Studios
- Publisher
- Sony Imagesoft
- Game modes
- Single player, Split screen
Details via IGDB.
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega GenesisDetails ↓ | 1994 | $8 | $17 | — | — | Low |
| Sega CDDetails ↓ | 1994 | $10 | $15 | $30 | *** | Low |
The cheapest way to own it loose is the Sega Genesis version ($8).
Also released on: Super Nintendo Entertainment System · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · DOS. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Prices are per version and are not interchangeable, and neither are the reviews: conversions in this era were often built by a different studio than the original, so a score earned on one machine says nothing about how another plays.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29
What it needs to play
- Some modesSave battery (inside the cartridge) — saves to memory kept alive by a battery inside the cartridge; if that battery has died, saves are lost (MAME cartridge records).
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a month
- Complete: about once a month
- Sealed: about once a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-29.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $0.75 in Oct 2007, $4.99 five years ago, and $7.56 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $0.75 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $0.99 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $3.63 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $1.82 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $0.88 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $4.35 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $3.68 | $4.99 |
| Jan 2015 | $7.99 | $4.99 |
| Jan 2016 | $3.58 | $5.92 |
| Jan 2017 | $3.00 | $7.25 |
| Jan 2018 | $4.45 | $10.77 |
| Jan 2019 | $3.78 | $7.99 |
| Jan 2020 | $2.30 | $7.97 |
| Jan 2021 | $4.20 | $8.97 |
| Jan 2022 | $5.99 | $10.16 |
| Jan 2023 | $6.99 | $12.57 |
| Jan 2024 | $6.62 | $14.99 |
| Jan 2025 | $5.74 | $10.96 |
| Jan 2026 | $7.45 | $14.89 |
| Oct 2026 | $7.56 | $16.85 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | November 1994 | T-93176 | 735009215604 |
- Region
- NA
- Released
- 1994
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega Genesis version
A Genesis hockey simulation that is cheap to pick up, and one whose save battery is worth testing.
ESPN National Hockey Night is an ice hockey simulation developed and published by Sony Imagesoft. This is the Genesis cartridge, which came out in North America in November 1994; the game also appeared on the Super NES and Sega CD, which are different versions. GamePro gave the Genesis version a mixed review.
How the Sega Genesis version differs
GamePro praised the Genesis version's switchable vertical and side views, season mode options and adjustable difficulty, but found it overshadowed by NHL 95.
Next Generation said that with a choice between the two versions, the CD is vastly superior to the cartridge.
Also on other platforms
Super NES · Sega CD · MS-DOS
Before you buy
It came out only in North America, so the US cart is the one to buy. Among US carts it sits below the middle. Some modes save to a battery inside the cartridge, so test that a save holds; a replaced battery is a normal repair, not a sign of a fake. Sega Retro lists the game as working with Sega's Team Player.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega CD · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-11-02
How often it sells
- Loose: about 6 times a year
- Complete: about once a month
- Sealed: about 2 times a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-11-02.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $2.73 in Oct 2008, $8.98 five years ago, and $9.99 as of Nov 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2009 | $1.48 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $1.05 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $0.99 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $1.33 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $2.00 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $0.99 | $0.99 |
| Jan 2015 | $1.29 | $5.99 |
| Jan 2016 | $2.50 | $7.99 |
| Jan 2017 | $6.79 | $6.99 |
| Jan 2018 | $5.81 | $6.03 |
| Jan 2019 | $5.39 | $7.99 |
| Jan 2020 | $7.63 | $12.24 |
| Jan 2021 | $7.52 | $11.98 |
| Jan 2022 | $8.51 | $14.42 |
| Jan 2023 | $12.48 | $13.00 |
| Jan 2024 | $9.20 | $14.99 |
| Jan 2025 | $10.67 | $13.17 |
| Jan 2026 | $10.77 | $14.99 |
| Nov 2026 | $9.99 | $15.43 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Nov 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | November 1994 | T-93215 | 735009215505 |
- Region
- NA
- Released
- 1994
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega CD version
A solid CD hockey game that Next Generation rated well above the cartridge but short of the best series of its day.
This is the Sega CD version of ESPN National Hockey Night, developed and published by Sony Imagesoft. It came out only in North America, in November 1994, alongside Genesis and Super NES versions.
Next Generation (issue 2) said that anyone with the choice should take the CD over the cartridge: the players handle better, the ESPN highlight clips are a welcome addition, and the player animation is very smooth. The same review found the control and pace a little slow next to NHL '95, and judged the game very good but no threat to EA's series.
What the press said at the time
| Next Generation Issue 2 | February 1995 | *** |
“There's both a CD-ROM and a cartridge version, and if one has the choice, the CD is vastly superior. The players handle better, and the ESPN highlight clips additions are great.”
“Just about the only thing that’s gonna save this hockey sim is the fact that the NHL is still on strike, so some folks might be tempted to fix their puck habit with this game. Poor gameplay and loose control guarantee that this won't cut it!”
Also on other platforms
Genesis · Super NES · MS-DOS
Before you buy
Among North American Sega CD games this sits among the cheaper discs, below the middle of the pack; a clean disc and a case that matches the game are all you need to ask for. Loose copies sell now and then and complete ones about monthly.
ESPN National Hockey Night screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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