As an annual outing, hockey game fans have come to expect tweaks, fixes and a modest suite of new features with each generation of EA's NHL sports simulators. Though one has to pretend to wonder why EA doesn't just release a single perfect game and then update the rosters year after year, the fact that people buy the same old with a dash of "new" per annum - at a full-on, big-new-game price point, no less - makes the wonder moot.

Besides, sometimes the "new & improved" iterations offer genuinely new and usually improved gameplay mechanics, sometimes outdoing what was already considered as-good-as-it-gets in the first place.

Case in point, NHL 10 for PlayStation3.

New/improved features for this 2010 outing includes 360 degree passing, more spectacular goals, advancement in the ever-elusive goalie intelligence algorithms, and one long-awaited, finally-delivered element of realism, a "battle on the boards" mechanic.

Basically, Battle on the Boards adds the true-to-life aspect of hockey that's as integral to the sport as it is boring to watch; the scrum-like mash-up at rink's wall, where the puck doesn't move much while players seem to engage in an impromptu isometric strength training routine. However, what it really lets you do in-game as in real life, is pin an opposing player against the boards, use your feet to kick the puck to the teammate, or freeze the puck if you need to make a line change.

Most importantly, the Boards element let's you cycle the puck, which non-hockey aficionados will recognize as that odd little game of "keep away" where three guys just pass off to each other until someone is open for a shot. Cycling is an essential part of real hockey and it's been entirely missing from all videogame hockey simulations to date. Its welcome addition to NHL 10 cannot be overstated.

NHL 10's precision passing feature is also an appreciable improvement as you now have the ability to use the boards to complete passes via ricochet, or dump the puck into an open area down ice and allow players to chase it. Surprisingly, the refined dump-and-chase feature has been a staple in EA's FIFA soccer series for quite some time, but the equivalent hockey facet has been inexplicably missing from EA's NHL titles... until now.

Also in the "it's about time" category, is a little something-something that NHL 10's box blurb abstractedly refers to as "more spectacular goals." Normally, such claims are more marketing hype than gameplay type, but in the case of NHL 10, it's really and truly true.

While it seems like a minor tweak, players in NHL 10 will not always remain on both feet to take shots. To illustrate the ramifications of this subtlety, there's a highlight-reel goal scored last year by Washington's resident phenom, Alexander Ovechkin. In the play, he lost his balance, slid on his knees, sort of fell over but batted at the puck managed to score from that utterly unlikely position. You can now expect to pull off those sorts of wunderkind goals in NHL 10.

Granted, such superstar freak shots are rare, but sliding on your knees and taking a whack at the puck while you're there is now possible, just like the real deal, as is gliding on one skate to get a better angle, letting fly despite the aftereffect of maybe taking a tumble. It's another significant and wholly welcome addition to NHL 10.

Unfortunately not all the additions are as cool as all that. Some of them just typify mod and tweak for the sake of claiming "new & improved." New, yes. Improved? Surely some developer's mom thinks so...

First person fighting is new, for example, but it comes off hopelessly contrived - and the fighting controls need a little work, too. You can smell NHL 11 in the cooker already.

Also new is an "interactive atmosphere" feature, which includes fans that stand up when something exciting happens, plus towel-waving. Feeling drenched in "atmosphere" yet? Whatever, it's something; the expected.

But here's the deal: Every year, sports game fans are forced to face a purchasing decision, to opt or not for another full priced game that's probably mostly the same as the game they bought just 11 and half months ago, minus the calendar turn and roster updates. This year, however, when it comes to NHL 10, despite following on the heals of an extremely well received NHL 09, the decision is surprisingly easy: Buy it. No question.