It's unfortunate that video games have become so big, only because that wider audience is doing to video games what it's done to movies, music, etc.-- encouraging crap by buying whatever's advertised the most. EA Sports puts out some great games (e.g., Madden 2003 and Tiger Woods 2003), but SegaSports has really come on since Sega decided to focus exclusively on publishing. They've had the better basketball game for two years now and they're starting to win the hockey battle (quality-wise), but almost no one knows it because they buy EA Sports products by reflex. EA Sports Big is still terrific. If you have a PS2 and have never played the original SSX, you're missing out. SSX Tricky was a great game, but the original was . . . I'm going to say "seminal" here, just for fun.
Also, Wired missed out on their cover opportunity by not having the virtual Jason Kidd slapping his virtual wife or dribbling his virtual kid's enormous melon around the court.
