Blades of Steel

Blades of Steel is an ice hockey arcade game released by Konami in 1987, later known in Japan as Konamic Ice Hockey. The game features eight fictional teams based on real NHL cities: Los Angeles, New York, Vancouver, Montreal, Edmonton, Minnesota, Toronto, and Chicago . Each team consists of three forwards, two defensemen, and a goaltender . Gameplay modes include Exhibition (single match) and Tournament (playoff-style competition) . Three difficulty levels are available: Junior, College, and Pro . The game is famous for its fast-paced action and fighting mechanic, where players drop their gloves and brawl .

Arcade

Released in North America in October 1987, the original arcade version was developed by Konami with game ID GX797 . Hardware includes an HD6309 main CPU at 3 MHz and a Motorola M6809 sound CPU at 2 MHz, with YM2203 and UPD7759 sound chips . Controls use a trackball with three buttons: Face Off/Pass, Shoot, and Fight . The arcade version features superior voice samples compared to home ports, with a greater variety of commentary including "Blades of Steel!", "Faceoff!", "Fight!", "Get the pass", and "Penalty shot" . The referee recognizes icing infractions, and fights near the net may result in a penalty shot . The arcade version was re-released on Microsoft's Game Room service on November 24, 2010 .