EA Sports is like salty popcorn or deep fried chicken — once you start in on it, you can’t stop. It’s no wonder the gaming industry tycoon has continually developed some of the most realistic and compelling games on the video-game market.

In the case of Playstation 2 entries “Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003” and “Nascar Thunder 2003,” EA proves that even sports that don’t have the appeal of basketball or football can be made into enjoyable and rewarding contests of man vs. computer.

Deep Blue may have pummeled Gary Kasparov like a Slipknot show in Ames, but if you get your stuff together then you may have a chance at knocking off Tiger Woods or Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The demographical space between “Tiger Woods 2003” and “Nascar 2003” is a key selling point for EA. Instead of focusing on a single sport, it offers you the austerity of khaki pants and cashmere sweaters in “Tiger Woods” or a can of Schlitz and slithery pork products in “Nascar.”

Whatever the audience, they have two solid titles in front of them to enjoy before a match at St. Andrews or a lap at Talledaga.

“Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003”

Tiger’s good. He’s really good, and the only shot you’ve got to go head-to-head with this guy is in a digital environment. “Be him or beat him,” the box reads. If you’re smart, you’ll be him, because it’s going to take a lot of practice to take it to that level.

“Tiger Woods 2003” is as groundbreaking as it is an improvement over the old golf games that used to sit around on your old family computer back in ’91. 2003 is just around the corner, and this game has all the high-tech goodies that you’d come to expect from the gaming industry at this point in time.

The key is a revolutionary new analogue swing that puts to rest those days of holding down the X button and hoping that you’d keep it in the fairway. You now use one of the once-cumbersome trackballs located just south of the old directional pad.

It’s easy to get used to, as you push the analog stick down for a back swing, and push it forward to complete the swing. This allows users a greater ability to add finesse or back out of the shot if they don’t like their back swing.

The graphics are excellent, and the movements are quite fluid. There is a huge selection of PGA Tour pros and nine PGA Tour courses, including the illustrious St. Andrews, long heralded as one of the greatest and most challenging places to golf in the world.

There are 10 game modes to choose from, from standard stroke and tournament play to a situational mode where you try and get out of sticky situations. For those of you in a hurry, there’s even a “speed golf” mode.

If you think you’ve got the goods and want the world to give you props, you can plug into the Internet and check your scores and rankings against players around the world, and you can even see how your virtual game compares to the real Tiger.

A fresh addition to the new EA titles is the inclusion of music from well-known acts. On “Tiger Woods 2003,” you can hear tracks from the likes of Paul Oakenfold, Ash, 12 Stones and Saliva.

“Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003” is a stunning and easy-to-play game that will challenge you repeatedly, even if you never beat Tiger.

“Nascar Thunder 2003”

You can almost smell the motor oil and pork fat simmering as soon as you pop in “Nascar Thunder 2003.” Nascar stereotypes aside, the sport has become quite popular in recent years, in part because of America’s fascination with really fast cars and in part because of the inherent danger that comes with racing at top speeds.

The sport already lost a legend in Dale Earnhardt Sr., but his son Dale Earnhardt Jr. has quickly become one of the most popular and successful racers on the Nascar circuit.

“Nascar Thunder” offers all the grit of the racetrack with all the extras that enhance playability and make the game addictive. You are given the opportunity to build a legacy by competing for the all-important sponsors, exceptional crewmembers and the highest of high-tech racing gear.

Richard “The King” Petty offers a tutorial for beginning drivers on the best “lines” to race and the best places to brake. While it’s always difficult to avoid initially scraping against the wall in any racing game, after a few runs you’ll get the hang of it.

A new game engine fuels the 43-car racing, and the smooth graphics offer plenty of detail for that great pass on the track or a stunning collision, complete with all the blown tires and flying shrapnel you’d come to expect from a 200-mph crash. Face it — at that speed you better pray the Nascar gods are on your side.

There are detailed pit stops where you can pick and choose what kind of services you want performed, and if you’d rather have a better car, then you can build your own and start your own legacy.

“Nascar Thunder 2003” is filled with all the legends and newcomers to the rising sport of Nascar. Your car will take some licks for a while, but once you get the hang of it, you may begin to understand what all the fuss is about.