NHL Hitz Pro is an arcade-style ice hockey game developed by Next Level Games and published by Midway Games, released in 2003 for PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and Xbox. The third and final entry in the NHL Hitz series, it expands on its predecessors by moving from 3-on-3 to full 5-on-5 gameplay, though it retains the hard-hitting, casual-friendly approach of the earlier titles and omits penalty shots. The game holds an IIHF license, allowing it to feature Olympic team jerseys — a distinction uncommon among hockey titles of the era. Detroit Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidström appears on the cover, while commentary is provided by Tim Kitzrow and Harry Teinowitz. Among its several game modes, Pick-Up Hockey stands out, shifting matches to informal roller, street, or pond settings between amateur teams. The overall design skews toward accessibility rather than simulation.
