NHL 96
NHL 96 — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is NHL 96 on?
- NHL 96 was released on Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, DOS, PlayStation, Game Boy.
- When did NHL 96 release?
- NHL 96 was first released on October 1, 1995.
About NHL 96
NHL 96 was the first EA Sports game to feature Virtual Stadium technology, which resulted in a 3D feel and multiple camera angles. The NHL license ensures that real teams and players of the era are included, with a full league and playoff system. Many game options can be toggled - the infamous fighting is option, as are the penalties and offsides. The control system makes it possible to execute one-touch passes, and several special trick moves to quickly advance the ball. As a bonus feature, it included 'Hockey Card' profiles of every player on CD, and interviews with the stars of the game.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, DOS, PlayStation, Game Boy
- Developer
- EA Canada
- Publisher
- EA Sports
- Game modes
- Single player, Split screen
- Themes
- Non-fiction
- Series
- NHL
Details via IGDB.
Reception
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Genesis | 1995 | $9 | $10 | $61 | Graphics 4.5, Sound 4.5, Control 4.5 | Low |
Also released on: Super Nintendo Entertainment System · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · 3DO Interactive Multiplayer · DOS · PlayStation · Game Boy. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (PAL) release | $10 | $19 | $27 |
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 week
- Complete: about once a week
- Sealed: about once a month
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-29.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $0.38 in Oct 2007, $6.83 five years ago, and $8.52 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $0.38 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $0.75 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $0.75 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $0.75 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $0.87 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $0.88 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $3.99 | $6.18 |
| Jan 2015 | $3.50 | $7.99 |
| Jan 2016 | $3.50 | $5.63 |
| Jan 2017 | $4.99 | $5.98 |
| Jan 2018 | $4.64 | $7.64 |
| Jan 2019 | $5.02 | $7.85 |
| Jan 2020 | $4.99 | $8.47 |
| Jan 2021 | $5.06 | $8.65 |
| Jan 2022 | $6.49 | $9.35 |
| Jan 2023 | $4.55 | $9.79 |
| Jan 2024 | $4.99 | $9.20 |
| Jan 2025 | $4.75 | $9.99 |
| Jan 2026 | $7.28 | $10.75 |
| Oct 2026 | $8.52 | $9.75 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Barcode |
|---|---|---|
| North America | 6 October 1995 | 014633074802 |
| Europe / PAL | October 1995 | 5015839334993 |
- Region
- NA+EU
- Released
- 1995
- Authenticity
- Low
A well-reviewed EA hockey cart that costs little and keeps a battery for saves.
NHL 96 is EA Sports' ice hockey game. High Score Entertainment developed the Genesis version, which was programmed by Mark Lesser, who had also programmed John Madden Football '93, NHL '94 and NHL 95. It came out in North America on 6 October 1995 to coincide with the start of the 1995-96 NHL season, and in Europe in October 1995.
GamePro praised the new moves, the return of the fighting feature, the improved opponent AI and the fluid player animation.
What the press said at the time
| GamePro Issue 75 | October 1995 | Graphics 4.5, Sound 4.5, Control 4.5 |
“If you love to watch opponents get checked, you will love NHL '96 because it has some of the nastiest checks ever seen in a hockey game.”
“NHL 796 stands tall as the top hockey game, and it beats the pads off its SNES counterpart.”
“Over the years we've seen many changes in this game and it still ranks as one of my all-time favorites.”
Also on other platforms
MS-DOS · Super NES · Game Boy
| Super NES | EA Tiburon |
| MS-DOS | EA Canada |
| Game Boy | Probe Entertainment |
- MS-DOS. The MS-DOS version's Virtual Stadium technology made NHL 96 the first entry in the series with real-time three-dimensional graphics.
Before you buy
Among US carts it sits below the middle. The European loose cart usually costs about the same as the US one, while a complete European copy usually costs more. The cartridge saves to a battery inside it, so test that a save holds; a replaced battery is a normal repair and not a sign of a fake. Sega Retro lists it as working with EA's 4 Way Play and with XBAND. Note that EA's 4 Way Play and Sega's first Team Player do not run each other's games.
Watch on YouTube
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