EA’s newest incarnation in its annual hockey powerhouse may not be out until Sept. 15, but by the looks of the demo on the 360 marketplace, “NHL 10” is going to be an even better hockey game than its predecessor.

No lofty task, especially when you consider the fact that many believe last year’s version was the greatest hockey game of all time.

From the second you start playing, you’ll almost feel like you’re in an NHL arena, as the first thing you’ll notice while playing “NHL 10” is the new crowd animations, which make for a much more fun experience. The crowd looks alive this year [no more blocky and half-finished character models] and do everything from boo and wave towels. It seems someone from EA was listening to the fans on that one. Aside from that, the graphics are still as strong as always, but feature much better animations this year, especially from the goaltenders, who seem to have much more control over the puck than last season, doing everything from slapping the puck out of mid-air. Skaters too move much more fluidly. With improved animations and a lively crowd, the game is already better than an amazing “NHL 09.”

However, the new board-play system adds to the experience as well, as it doesn’t slow the game down at all and mirrors a real professional hockey game marvelously. The only problem was it was a bit challenging to control the puck during those times it was huddled in the corners. But then again, we’re not Doug Gilmour or Patrick Flatley, two legendary NHL boards bangers who used their feet better than Pelle while stuck in there fighting for possession of the puck to stretching out that extra inch to make those extra difficult saves. Over time, it does get easier though and lends to an authentic NHL experience, slowing a super fluid game down just enough to add the toughness and drama that are such a big part of its mystique.

In spite of all the other solid additions, the best part of the “NHL 10″ demo has to be the fighting. First person fighting is an absolute blast and the face-washing that often leads to the fisticuffs is hilarious, yet real. Simply put, we could see Sean Avery having a blast with this game. This year, players are also responsible for themselves after the whistle, eliminating all the cheap hits that used to occur during online play. Just like the real thing, you have to keep your head up at all times.

The “Be a Pro” mode is also available on the demo and allows you to play in a juniors all-star game. Much like last season, “Be a Po” is an excellent addition to the series and allows you to experience the game in a totally different way. As far as we could tell, the mode was exactly the same as last year, just with the new added features in. For those perplexed by this, that’s a good thing. There was nothing wrong with it in the first place.

With these added improvements, “NHL 10” appears to be readying itself to be king of the ice once again.

Are you ready?

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