2K sports may have a winner on their hands with NHL2K11… this time. Time will tell if gamers at large agree; the game goes on sale August 24.

I got some hands-on with the game when the NHL 2K11 Coast-to-Coast tour rolled through Vancouver (yesterday and today) and found that it plays well, and at least in casual play modes, features wide open back-and-forth style of action found in early NHL hockey video games I loved growing up.

I brought video gear, too—below is an interview with 2k Sports Director of Marketing Chris Snyder and NHL Player Kyle Turris, of the Phoenix Coyotes, conducted by the lovely and talented Loara Holmes:

For the first time, NHL2K is a Wii-exclusive for 2011—2K sports opted to focus on squeezing more fun out of Wii Motionplus, rather than try to compete with EA Sports hockey releases on the HD consoles. 1:1 puck control allows players to flick, slap and maneuver the puck by using the Wiimote like a hockey stick, and it’s more refined and much better integrated than last year.

All in all I like what I’ve seen so far, the action was fast and fun, and the graphics were better than I expected out of the Wii.

Want to try it out yourself? The NHL2K11 RV may be rolling past your house this summer. Check Here for dates and locations for tour stops, and here’s a regional breakdown:

• July 17-18: Calgary
• July 22-23: Vancouver
• July 26-27: Edmonton
• July 30-31: Winnipeg
• August 2-3: Minneapolis
• August 7-8: Chicago
• August 10-11: Detroit
• August 14-15: Pittsburgh
• August 17-18: Toronto
• August 22-23: Ottawa
• August 27-28: Boston
• August 30-31: Philadelphia
• September 3-4: Washington, DC
• September 7-8: New York