Now that we're in September, NHL training camps have opened and preseason games are in full swing. The video games that depict the NHL teams and their players also hit store shelves around the same time, and though the competition has been fierce the last several years, the better game is fairly obvious this year.

The rivalry between EA Sports' NHL franchise and 2K Sports NHL 2K franchise has been great for gamers who love virtual hockey. Earlier this decade, as the PlayStation 2 and Xbox were flooding homes across the country, EA Sports decided to go with a more over-the-top arcade-like game, while 2K Sports opted for a more realistic simulation of how the game is truly played. Those disillusioned by the antics of EA's games became converts with the detail-oriented game 2K offered.

Ever since EA overhauled its NHL franchise in 2006 with the "Skill Stick" control setup, the game has gotten progressively better each year. This year, the on-ice gameplay is relatively unchanged from last year, save for some key details that help draw more realism and ambience to the game. Goaltenders are now more distinct, with unique styles, like the Boston Bruins' Tim Thomas, for example, being far more noticeable. Players will wince in pain after blocking a shot, others will skate to the bench after a heavy slash to the arm and you even see a player's head turn back when he's been high-sticked. Not to mention that pinning a player on the boards is a regular fixture in NHL 10.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the stupid scrums that take place after a play is whistled dead, but for those that enjoy that, everything is fair game after the whistle. Shoot the puck at the goalie after the whistle and the defensemen will come after you. You can also start up with an opposing player by badgering him as well, and referees will sometimes call penalties randomly when these fisticuffs occur.

The crowd is also a notable factor, depending on how important the game is. The home fans will be supportive in a regular season game, but get really boisterous when the Stanley Cup is up for grabs. They wave towels during playoff runs, press up on the glass in the first row and jump up and down when huge goals are scored.

One big addition to note is that fighting is now in a first-person perspective. It's not bad when you get into it, but generally, it's not quite as good as it could be. Fights are usually really short, there's little to no jostling and it lacks some polish.

All in all, not a whole lot changed from last year's NHL 09, which was one of the best hockey video games to date. The Be a GM Mode has been enhanced, and the Battle for the Cup mode takes you straight to a Finals matchup with any two teams of your choice.

While not a great leap forward, NHL 10 is an excellent hockey experience. And the sheer fact that you can choose what kind of hockey you end up playing is a big bonus. There's Casual, Normal, Default and Hardcore, but you can create your own set using the settings sliders.

Meanwhile, NHL 2K10 represents some notable improvements in the overall presentation and scope of the game, but seems to continue to move away from the key aspects that gave it prominence before.

First, the visuals are better this year, thanks to a layer of polish that just makes the game look more refined than it did last year. Players look better and the overall ambience in each arena sees improvement. The 2K hockey games never were the most aesthetically-pleasing, but the extra onus placed on the visual package is welcomed for sure. It's just too bad that the player animations aren't quite as fluid as they could be.

The basics of the gameplay remain relatively the same, which is both good and bad. The good part is that there's still a focus on creating a realistic hockey experience. The bad part is that 2K has strayed from that focus. One of the better features EA Sports applied to its NHL games was the elimination of the speed burst button. In NHL 2K10, the speed burst button is a huge necessity, given that players look lethargic on every shift. Only by constantly mashing on the speed burst button do you get the sense that there's an intense game in progress.

The outrageous amount of open-ice hitting and - this is a real pet peeve - the seemingly magnetic properties of the puck still play too much of a role in this year's game. While you can adjust the level of hitting using the slider settings, there's little you can do about the fact that the game's AI victimizes you sometimes. Even in years past, there would be games where it seemed like the AI would tilt a game entirely in favour of one side. The magnetic effects of the puck are a big part of that. It's incredibly frustrating when it seems like no matter what happens, you can't connect a pass, make a hit or get a shot on net, while the opposing team can seemingly do no wrong.

The Team Up mode is a neat feature that allows you or another player to join in on any of the game modes offered. That means you can hop on for a game with up to 12 players or simply have someone else play against you as you move along in the Franchise mode, for example.

For the most part, NHL 2K10 isn't a huge departure from last year's game, which is the same story, more or less, with EA's NHL 10. But there was perhaps too much time taken on improving the presentation side and not enough on going back to the roots that made the NHL 2K franchise the king of the virtual ice only a few years ago.