How do Blackhawk players blow off a little steam during their intense playoff run? According to the team’s website, they hit up Nintendo Wii’s Mario Kart.
Mario Kart [Nintendo] Athlete Pick: The Chicago Blackhawks
Platform: Wii
Release Date: April 2008
It takes a united team to make it all the way through the regular NHL season and into the Stanley Cup Finals. Point to the 2010 Western Conference champs, the Chicago Blackhawks, who were able to stay relaxed and bond together with some competitive Nintendo Wii action.
Mario Kart can be picked up and played with ease by anyone, especially with the steering wheel controller. Sure, gamers learn secrets and tips through experience, but the game is based on attempting to complete all laps around crazy tracks with the fastest time.
Although the atmosphere around the gaming area seems relatively laid back, the players get competitive once the green light flashes. According to Hawks forward Troy Brouwer, the top two Mario Kart players on the team are Jonathan Toews and Niklas Hjalmarsson. But, things could change once the Stanley Cup Finals begin.
STACK’s Take: Mario Kart is one of the best team bonding games of all time. If you want to go old school, the N64 version is great to play, but this latest version for Wii allows you to choose more characters and levels. Up to four gamers can play on a console. Or, play like the Blackhawks and have multiple games at a time, breaking off each console from top players to the bottom of the field.