Ice Hockey

About Ice Hockey

Ice Hockey is arcade hockey with everything optional removed. You slide along your side of the rink, block what comes at you, and send the puck back hard enough to beat the other net. There are no line changes, no penalties and nothing to learn beyond up and down — which is exactly why it reads instantly on a school laptop.

Each player gets two keys: W and S on one side, the up and down arrows on the other. That makes it one of the few genuinely fair same-keyboard sports games, since neither seat has a control advantage over the other.

How to play

Move up and down to line your player up with the puck, then let it rebound off you toward the far goal. Player 1 uses W and S, Player 2 uses the up and down arrows. Matches are short — score more than your opponent before the game ends.

Controls

• Player 1 — W (up) and S (down)
• Player 2 — Up and Down arrows
• Single and two-player matches

Tips to win

• Move early when the puck heads your way — a late lunge leaves gaps in front of your net.
• Watch the direction the puck is travelling, not where it is right now.
• Send the puck toward the side of the rink your opponent has just left.

Ice Hockey strategy guide

Ice Hockey is a positioning game played with two keys. Each player only moves up and down, W and S for Player 1 and the up and down arrows for Player 2, so the whole contest comes down to where you stand when the puck arrives. The listed controls are movement only; your job is to score goals and defend your net using position alone.

Defend first, because a goal saved is worth as much as a goal scored. Keep your player between the puck and your own net, and move early rather than late when it heads your way. Players who chase the puck up and down the rink tend to be out of position for the return, so make short, deliberate adjustments instead of long sweeps.

Read the puck's path, not its current position. In fast-paced matches the puck is rarely where it was a moment ago, so watch the direction it is travelling and move to where it will cross your line. Anticipating the path gives you time to line up cleanly instead of lunging at the last second.

Look for chances to attack when your opponent over-commits. If the other player has moved hard toward one side, a puck sent toward the opposite part of their net is much harder for them to reach. Watch where they rest between plays; many players drift to a favourite spot, and that tells you where not to send the puck.

Use single-player to warm up, then settle it head to head. The game offers single-player and multiplayer modes, so a few solo matches are a quick way to get a feel for the speed of the puck. In two-player mode the controls are identical on both sides, which means neither seat has an advantage and the better reader of the puck usually wins.

Ice Hockey FAQ