NHL 98 is an officially authorized (by the NHL and the NHLPA) hockey game featuring five modes of play. You or you and up to four friends (if you have a Multi-Player Adapter) can compete in an exhibition match, an entire NHL season, or in three different practice sessions. There are three difficulty levels to choose from, and you can play with or without penalties, with or without player fatigue, and with or without fights. All 26 NHL teams are represented plus two All-Star teams. You can trade players, release players, sign free agents, keep records of your performance, set all time records, check out game stats, and watch instant replays. To affect the style of play, you can take on the role of coach and assign various game strategies.