Staying loyal to the AFL rules and regulations, EA Sports' Arena Football aims to keep sports junkies hooked on the juice during the off-season. However, unlike real-world NFL, Madden NFL 06 has no off-season, thus the need for another game is eliminated.

Necessary or not, Arena Football garners a lot of rave for its slamming sidewall and hyper-speed plays, but these features just dilute the feverish intensity of how a football game should play.

If your player gets anywhere near the Great Walls, he slams onto the ground or flies over the rails and crinkles like a tin can. Like driving a bumper car, except every time you hit something, your car dies. Warp-speed plays and passes keep you on your toes but make the action so fast that you never enjoy the precious moments playing as the Austin Wranglers or one of their rivals, let alone perform a play that is strategically satisfying or longer than five seconds. Overprotective walls and speedy play ejaculations turn what should be an exalting experience into a one-night stand.

In the contest between rival basketball games ESPN NBA 2K5 and NBA Live 2005, things are as lopsided as a San Antonio Spurs-Chicago Bulls tilt. San Antonio (NBA Live 2005) by 20. Much like the Bulls, Sega's NBA 2K-whatever franchise was in the past a mighty contender, but oh, how the mighty do fall. Once at the top of their field, Sega's basketball series has become as ugly as a Pacers-Pistons matchup (Ben Wallace even graces the cover of this wretched attempt at hardwood happiness). This year's model is pretty much an unplayable mess. Poor graphics, poor gameplay, and basically poor everything else sum up ESPN NBA 2K5. Don't be seduced by the low retail pricing: Put those ducats toward EA Sports' vastly superior NBA LIVE 2005. As the Spurs dominate all competitors with a solid defensive mindset, Tim Duncan's inside presence and MVP abilities, and the gutsy team-first play of Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker, so, too, does NBA Live 2005 with strong, realistic graphics, a satisfying Dynasty mode, and the best gameplay on the market. The improved Dynasty mode is the way to go here. General manager, owner, coach, and player are the positions you fill here, and all must work in tandem to bring your hometown the coveted NBA Championship trophy. See how well you can handle the salary cap and re-sign free agents as you lead your squad into the future. While not quite as addictive as EA Sports' ultra-successful Madden franchise, this hoops game will keep you red-eyed and bleary all through the night.

EA Sports has truly outdone itself with this year's installments of Madden 2004 and NCAA Football 2004, with each game taking its respective franchise to the next level. College football is known for its wide-open and exciting play, and NCAA 2004 mirrors it. The graphics are beautiful and amazingly realistic. Whether running Cedric Benson up the middle, tossing deep to Roy Williams, or running the option with Vincent Young, you are 100% immersed in the game (and will hopefully fare better than sad sack Mack Brown). NCAA 2004 includes 36 new 1-AA teams and more than 100 classic teams, as well as an improved dynasty mode and the requisite online play. The improved dynasty mode gives armchair athletic directors more power to recruit for and build up their school's program and prestige. All of this adds up to one of the best (if not the best) video football games ever.

He's back, this time with Al Michaels and Melissa Stark in tow. Pigskin ballers have grown to drool over the latest Madden game in the same fashion as Mr. Madden salivates over his Thanksgiving spread. This game offers a delicious main course with an assortment of tasty sides that will satisfy even the pickiest of video-game football fans. This year's installment offers new features such as online play, minicamp mode, create-a-playbook, and the inclusion of the league's newest team, the Houston Texans. (Unfortunately for Texans fans, the team represented here is even less likely to win than the one taking the field down at Reliant Stadium.) Highlights include the excellent and mandatory franchise mode, a workable running game, amazing graphics, and all of your favorite players, including hometown hero Drew Brees. Madden 2003 will leave you as satisfied as the big man feels after gorging himself on his Turkey Day feast, but with a little room left for dessert.

It wasn't all that long ago when Austin Energy was the city's shining star, a national leader in producing clean, efficient energy with cutting-edge technology. Just an all-around good-guy city utility that zipped along for 17 years without a rate increase. What went wrong?