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Nintendo doesn’t have the best history with hockey. Outside of the criminally underrated NHL Hitz on GameCube, there just haven’t been a lot of games that feature the sport on Nintendo consoles. That hasn’t stopped NHL players from loving Nintendo, however. In a fantastic piece for The Player’s Tribune, Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby discussed his team’s embrace of Mario Kart 64 during last season’s run to the Stanley Cup finals.
According to Holtby, a Nintendo 64 purchased from a retro game store proved to be a massive hit with the Capitals on their road trips. While a small number of players would initially partake in Mario Kart 64 hotel room match-ups, the gatherings eventually grew to encompass nearly half of the team, with spectators providing ample commentary. The game became such a staple for the Capitals that forward T.J. Oshie pledged to get a tattoo of Wario if the team won the Stanley Cup; he (alongside other players) followed through on that promise shortly after the Caps defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Considering that Mario Kart 64 released more than 20 years ago, Holtby’s piece is just another testament to the endearing quality of Nintendo’s software. No matter how many console generations go by, the company’s titles continue to excite fans of all ages.
Source: The Player’s Tribune
