NHL Powerplay '96 features full NHL licensing allowing all of the real teams and players to be included in the game. Modes of play include exhibition, league, and world tournament. World tournament mode adds 16 international teams to the game and places NHL players on the team of their home country.
On the ice users will be able to perform a number of real hockey actions, from hard checking to line changes on-the-fly. Players skate in relation to their real-life skating styles and can perform some of their special moves. An original control feature in NHL Powerplay '96 is a button that is used for skating backwards.
Coaching options are available as well. For the offense, strategies include three break-out styles and three types of zone play. Break-out styles can be slow, normal, or fast, while the types of zone play are dump and chase, carry in, and pinching defensemen. The defense has three types of forechecking: protect lead, normal forechecking, and aggressive forechecking. Defensive styles of zone play include zone, man-to-man, and intimidation.