NHL 2002 is the only entry in Electronic Arts' hockey series to be released on the Game Boy Advance. With the console versions having migrated to 3D graphics years earlier, the handheld game retains a 2D top-down view very similar to the earliest titles in the series on the Genesis and SNES. In particular, the GBA title is based on NHL 96 for SNES, with modes, graphics and even menus recreated almost exactly.
The gameplay of 2002 features a range of modes, including exhibition games and a practice mode where players can choose their team size freely. The season mode includes the full schedule of the 2001-2002 NHL season, allowing players to simulate any game that's not scheduled, as well as trade players, sign free agents and create new ones. Multiplayer mode also allows for up to four players to join in for cooperative or competitive play over the link cable.