Madden NFL's kid brother -- EA's NCAA Football series -- gives undergrads new reason to celebrate. The virtual varsity's perennial MVP steps up its game through the addition of slicker controls, sharper visuals and all-star online capabilities. The usual mix of bone-crunching sacks, favorite team-inspired desktop themes and sparkling, HDTV-ready Hail Mary's are all present. Only now, in a long-awaited twist, up to 12 couch coaches can connect and compete in 60-season Internet dynasties complete with voice chat functionality and player recruitment options. There's also a new system designed to model quarterbacks' composure (rattled athletes suffer accuracy penalties and find completing plays harder), which fluctuates depending upon on-field performance. Jukes and spins can be fluidly chained together as well. The addition of an over-the-top, arcade-style mode featuring stunt-laden competitions starring team mascots doesn't hurt either.

While veteran helmet heads will find sweeping improvements in short supply, the solid advancements carried over from past years (e.g. the superstar-building Campus Legend mode and an audiovisual presentation so convincing you could tailgate to it) provide ample excitement. So even if you don't find "bonuses" like better-proportioned teammates or more extensive statistical feedback particularly engaging, vigorous testing shows there's ample reason for even franchise alumni to make every day homecoming weekend.