The sound of buttons on a controller clicking and convivial conversation fills the air in room 316 of the Student Center on Thursday nights when the Nintendo Club has its weekly gathering.
A new club has entered the community sphere this semester. The Nintendo Club offers a space for students to meet fellow Nintendo enthusiasts, discuss games and join to play Nintendo games once a week with other members.
The club meets each week on Thursday nights, 6-8 P.M. in room 316 of the Student Center. Here, club President Holden Clemens, a sophomore entrepreneurship major, provides a space for students to play Nintendo games.
What started as an idea to recreate game nights has turned into a new community on campus. Clemens said the inspiration for the Nintendo Club came from missing the simple joy of people coming together to play video games.
“One thing I have always enjoyed was having other people play and watching people have a lot of fun,” Clemens said. “And I was thinking how I missed that because in college, you don’t see that too much.”
Clemens decided to change this void by providing his Nintendo Switch and a myriad of games for club members to indulge in.
“I thought it would be fun to start a club and get people together, bring my switch so people could play,” Clemens said. “There is a video game club, but it is very broad. I have always liked Nintendo, so I thought, why not?”
The club is still in its early stages, but Clemens has hopes it will continue to grow as more students discover it.
“We just started this semester, so we are very new, but I am hoping to grow it in the future,” Clemens said. “Next semester, I would like to add another room and add an extra hour to meetings.”
One of the main goals for Clemens is to keep the club environment relaxed and welcoming to any student interested in it, regardless of their gaming skill levels.
“I like to think of this club as being very casual,” Clemens said. “I know a lot of people get intimidated by clubs, but here it’s playing casual games of Mario Kart or any Nintendo game; it’s a lot more open and inviting.”
Students who attend the club can attest to this sentiment of the club being a space for them to unwind after a long week of classes. Freshman exploratory major, Ayden Whited, said the club caught his attention through a flyer on campus.
“I saw a poster for it, and I thought it would be a nice place to chill out,” Whited said.
Members also appreciate the opportunities the club offers to discuss and bond over shared interests and discover new Nintendo games they previously might not have heard of or played before.
Sophomore visual communication design major, Hannah Burkholder, said that the Nintendo Club provides her with an outlet to connect with lesser-known Nintendo titles.
“I love that I get to talk and play different Nintendo games with other people,” Burkholder said. “Sometimes I like to talk about obscure Nintendo games, and here I can do that.”
Burkholder explained that the club’s welcoming atmosphere aids students in finding a sense of community on campus.
“I would absolutely say this is a good place to go to if you are looking for fun and community,” Burkholder said. “You get a variety of Nintendo games available to play here, everyone has their own thing, and you can bring your own games and partake as well.”
According to Burkholder, clubs like this that center around a specific interest can aid students in finding their sense of community on campus.
“Clubs like this bring in specific niches,” Burkholder said. “I feel like Nintendo games are well-known, so it makes sense for us to finally have a Nintendo-specific club.”
As laughter continues to spill from the meeting room during raucous games of Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros. and Mario Tennis, Clemens said he hopes more students will stop by and play a round or two of games.
With the club’s growing membership and goals of expansion, the Nintendo Club hopes to continue building community and fun, one game night at a time.
Felicity Scott is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].