Straight To The Point: NCAA 2003 for PS2 reflects truth on football tradition

Sure reality TV shows are making their final rounds right about now, but I find most of their themes repetitive and boring. On that note, in what ways are video game companies incorporating new, more realistic themes into their products in order to make them more enticing to consumers?

Well there are some awesome new games out, and NCAA Football 2003 for the PlayStation 2 is one of the best. EA Sports' newest version of NCAA Football has just about everything a gamer, and sports fan alike, dreams about. It offers nearly unlimited features, and embraces several updates, the likes of which the series has never seen before.

One new feature is the school pride attraction that allows you to customize the game so your favorite university's fight song begins playing, cheerleaders jump around, and the mascot runs around haphazardly immediately when someone turns on the PS2. Another innovative, funny new option is the mascot game, which is a game composed entirely of school mascots from around the nation. It may be somewhat goofy and pointless, but is fun nonetheless.

The quick-play option allows you to start a game by choosing a team, the opposition, and picking whether you want to play at home or away. One of the coolest new alternatives the game has embraced is rivalry games. Interestingly enough, a rival of Ball State's is the Northern Illinois Huskies, the same team whom the Cardinals have seen a little too much of in the past few years. You can even win signature awards if you are victorious in the "Battle for the Shillelagh Trophy" for example, where Purdue wages war against Notre Dame.

The coolest gameplay option by far is the much-improved dynasty mode. In it, you can play up to thirty years of college football with the program of your choice. You must win to keep your job though, as coaches often get the axe if they fail to meet the goals each university sets for them. Ask ESPN analyst Lee Corso for advice if you get lost and fail to come up with a clever play to run.

Following each season, the real fun begins with the game's rather extensive recruiting mode. When seeking out football standouts from across the nation there are several strategic plans, one can employ for luring athletes to join your program. You can recruit players from their home state, the national top 100, or by making offers to a list of people who are interested in your program.

To sum things up comparatively, the game is just is good if not better than its pro counterpart Madden 2003. The replay value is off the chart, as you should have no trouble guiding a team through a decade in dynasty mode. I have played it so much lately that fight songs often chime through my head as I lie awake at night.