VIDEO GAMES: Could Go All the Way!

The role-playing aspects of last year's Race for the Heisman mode have been retooled into a similar Campus Legend mode, in which you have to balance athletics, academics and social life. It's an amusing change of pace, but juggling schoolwork and extra-curricular activities seemed a lot tougher when I was in college. On the game's academic side, the test questions are so ridiculously easy, the NCAA might want to investigate some of these virtual colleges to see if they unfairly favor their student athletes.

The Xbox 360 version leaves out the Campus Legend mode altogether in favor of focusing on a major graphics overhaul to make the stadiums and fans appear nearly photo-realistic. It's a somewhat lean package, but the Dynasty mode is where the real meat of the game is, anyway, and it's still the best game of college ball out there.

SUPER DRAGON BALL Z by ATARI (2.5 stars) Platform: PlayStation 2.
Rated: T.

Goku and the gang are slacking. Previous DBZ fighting games have shown us that these supersonic warriors are capable of soaring across the screen while delivering a plethora of eye-candy energy attacks, but Super DBZ is trying too hard to emulate the conventional but superior combat systems of Tekken and Street Fighter. So those are the brawlers I'll be playing until DBZ is airborne again.

VALKYRIE PROFILE: LENNETH by SQUARE ENIX (4 stars) Platform: PlayStation Portable.
Rated: T.

This is a port of a PS1 cult classic so rare, copies have frequently fetched fortunes on eBay. That said, this extremely Japanese RPG isn't for everyone. The complex and artsy story is slow and brooding, but the hand-painted backgrounds are gorgeous, and the combat satisfyingly rewards quick reflexes. I wouldn't pay $100 for it on eBay, but for $40 on PSP, it's a steal.

BLADE DANCER: LINEAGE OF LIGHT by NIS AMERICA (2 stars) Platform: PlayStation Portable.
Rated: E10+.

Why must role-playing fans be forced to play the same role over and over? A young boy comes to town with dreams of adventure. He meets a martial artist and a beautiful girl with amnesia, and together they save the world. If repetition is your thing, you can play any other recent RPG in your collection and get this same experience.