Escape from reality
Video games offer intense competition in fantasy world
LOUISISNA La. — A game by any other name just wouldn’t be the same.
Every year EA Sports releases NCAA Football and Madden, and each year the video games are a big hit with consumers.
It’s been no different this year with the release of NCAA Football 2005 and sales are expected to skyrocket later this month with the Aug. 12 release of the Madden NFL 2005 game.
The games retail for $49.99 and are available on just about any platform, including personal computers. The games are more popular with consoles and are usually released at a later date for personal computers.
The games have become so popular most retailers now offer the opportunity to reserve a copy with a deposit. Some stores are already taking deposits for Madden 2005.
Realistic features, advanced graphics and total control gameplay make the EA Sports games the hottest titles on the market.
The games are rated “E” for everyone and target an audience ranging from youngsters to adults.
There are competitors on the market, but few gain the praise of the EA Sports games. Alfred McZeal, a barber, spends about 15 hours a week playing video games. McZeal said he and his customers sometimes even play at work.
“I’ve been playing EA games probably since 1995 or 1996,” he said. “They’re more competitive and more realistic.”
McZeal isn’t alone. Former UL Lafayette football player Ricky Calais also said he plays just the EA titles.
Former LSU star and St. Louis Rams’ linebacker Trev Faulk said he used to play some of the 989 Sports games, but now only plays EA games.
“Pretty much the last three or four years I play just the EA games,” he said. “I used to play College Game Day by 989. I used to get on that pretty good, but now I play just NCAA and Madden.”
Most gamers stay loyal to EA Sports as well. Despite owning numerous copies of Madden and NCAA, Matt Neally is a repeat buyer each time a new release hits the shelf.
“I buy Madden every year no matter what,” he said. “I try to buy NCAA every year, but I don’t have a lot of time with school and work. I bought both last year and I’ll probably buy both this year, too.”
Gameplay features
Perhaps the biggest reason the EA titles are perennial favorites is because of their graphics and features.
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Michael Krieg
mkrieg@theadvertiser.com
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