Slam dunk with Shaq! Build a better mousetrap with "Home Improvement's" Tim Allen or just sit back, relax and play 18 holes at Pebble Beach.

This and more are available at the local video store. Cruise in, choose your pleasure and then check out one of the hundreds of home video game titles.

"Home video games are an important part of our business," Blockbuster Video Manager Jim Priola said. Blockbuster is in West Park Village.

Video game rentals make up about 20 percent of Blockbuster's business, and the games stay checked out longer than movies and are more likely to come back late, Priola said.

Video games bring more repeat business, he said, adding that people try to master the games with subsequent rentals.

"That could mean anything from making it to the tenth world to eliminating some villain," Priola said.

All of the game versions (Super Nintendo, Sega, Sega-Genesis and Sega-CD) have remained popular, but Sega still leads the pack.

"Sega came out with an improved system over Nintendo a few years ago," Priola said, with better graphics and sound capabilities. "The games seemed more realistic."

Many people have upgraded from Nintendo to Sega and have stayed with Sega, he said.

Game rentals remain steady throughout the week, but Priola said rentals increase on the weekends.

Linda Mouser, a sales clerk in Schnucks' video department, said weekends and holidays are the busiest times for game rentals because children and families have more free time then."

She said it is common for a family to rent two movies and a game at one time.

At Schnucks, sports-oriented games are the most popular, she said, adding that 25 percent of her video business is video games.

Priola agreed sports and combat-adventure games were his most popular rentals.

Those aren't the only games out there, he said, some games are based on television shows, movies and cartoons.

"It's not enough to have a hit song or toy from a movie or television show," he said. "Now, you can have a game too."

Video games have also moved into the education genre.

The video stores are seeing more educational and entertainment video games.

Priola cited "Mickey's Adventure in Letterland" or "Mairo Paint."

In fact, some of video games' most interesting aspects are now being incorporated into computer software designed to teach children in the classroom.

"Computer games that teach are categorized as 'edutainment' and do have their roots in home video games," said Dr. Richard Bollwerk, assistant superintendent for curriculum instruction for the Cape Girardeau Public Schools.

The school began using video games in its remedial math and reading programs because flash cards and worksheets couldn't compete with the video games children played after school, he said.

Because the remedial programs were a part of the Chapter I program that provides federal funds for computer-assisted learning, the district purchased computers and software that made computers in the classroom a reality," Bollwerk said.

"Teachers then got involved by researching programs and making recommendations about what needed to be purchased to accomplish our education goals," he said.

May Greene has a schoolwide Chapter I project for children to participate in computer-assisted learning. Washington has computers in each classroom used by Chapter I students during certain periods that are then made available to other students the rest of the time.

The district has just purchased two computers each for Alma Schrader, Clippard, Franklin and Jefferson, the district's technology coordinator, Kimberly Gwyn, said.

Because these schools don't have access to as many classroom computers as Washington and May Greene, the teachers can check out the computers, like a VCR or film projector. The computers are capable of being hooked to a television for students to see what is going on.

Gwyn is developing a CD-ROM and laser disc library so the elementary schools can have access to more learning programs.

"Some children don't interact as well with adults as others do," Gwyn said. "But they do well with computer-assisted learning because they can make learning choices at their own pace."

One teacher said students working on computer games don't think they are being taught because they incorporate graphics and sound.

Many can "hardly wait to get started" working on the games, said Carol Brice, a Chapter I and Reading Recovery teacher at Washington.

Brice said there are games for every skill that needs developed.

"We use 'Magic Castle' to build word definition skills and 'Reader Rabbit' to introduce kids to alphabetizing letters," she said.

Like their video counterparts, computer education games often involve different skill levels and consequences for incorrect choices. Mastering all the levels or scoring the most points are accomplishments that make both students and teachers are proud.

"We have fun, healthy competition among students with some of our games," said Anne Owen, a Chapter I and Reading Recovery teacher at Washington. "The computer can record a student's score which allows students to try to beat themselves or an opponent. The kids seem to thrive on the competition and don't take it too seriously. It motivates them and that makes learning easier."