It’s 8:00 on a Friday night. Somewhere underneath Smith Hall on the campus of Buena Vista University, a buzz of activity is occurring. When one enters the Underground, a place where BVU students can do work or study, they see multiple television screens, each with a different video game console connected to it. Hooked up to one is a Switch, Nintendo’s newest mainline console, with a small group of people racing together – or rather, against each other – in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. On another, a PlayStation 2 awaits a player to insert a game and a controller. On another wall, the largest screen has Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, surrounded by several people duking it out with their favorite Nintendo characters. Bowser, Little Mac, Cloud, Link, and Pikachu are vying for the top spot. A stereo sound system blasts music in the background. At a table, two people duel with their decks in Yu-Gi-Oh, with monsters attacking and defending in their phases in their goal to eliminate the other player’s 8,000 life points first.

All of this action, which may sound chaotic to those unfamiliar with gaming, is a normal occurrence for the devout members of BVU’s Anime & Gaming Society (AGS). And, this event is the twice-weekly Trading Card Game (TCG) & Video Game Night.

The AGS an organization on BVU’s campus that invites BVU students with common interests in two of Japan’s most popular items of culture for western audiences – anime and video games. TCG & Video Game Nights, held on Tuesdays and Fridays, allow students to exchange the stresses of university student life for a few hours of TCG and video game entertainment.

One of the main faces of the AGS is Jacob Amhof, a senior who double majors in music production and vocal performance. He is usually responsible for bringing most of the games students play on TCG & Video Game Nights.

“Attending TCG and Video Game Night means that not only do I get a break from such an incredibly long week of classes, but I also get to relax with one of the mediums I find the most enjoyment out of — video games. And I get together with people who feel the same way about the medium as I do,” Amhof said.

The president of the AGS, senior Tanner Jensen, plans the organization’s events, such as tournaments for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Dungeons & Dragons campaigns.

“I attend AGS events to check up on how things are running and to offer help if it is needed,” Jensen said. “Before I became a board member, I came to AGS events, particularly video game nights and anime nights because they interested me. I wanted to have a good time, share my interests with others, and make some friends and good memories.”

AGS members are free to choose which activities they attend, which allows them to select the activities which matter most to them. But, non-AGS members are welcome to attend these AGS nights as well.

“Even if they aren’t acquainted with video games, trading card games, or anything like that, there’s certainly a lot of stuff for them to do. They can play pool, watch television, talk with each other, and find a place to chill out at the end of each week,” Amhof said.

Jensen is passionate about seeing new faces coming down to the Underground.  He sees the AGS as opportunities for people to socialize and be a part of the community.

“Like any interest group, AGS can offer people the chance to explore new activities and develop new interests. Trading card games in particular have a lot of misconceptions and stereotypes that turn people away from learning more about them,” Jensen said. “Coming to an event night and seeing a group of friendly people openly enjoying something can lead to people reevaluating those misconceptions and gaining a new understanding of the game, possibly even developing their own interest in the game themselves.”

Even if students at BVU have never picked up a video game controller in their lives, Jensen says there are opportunities to make new friends at AGS nights.

“I also know plenty of people who do not play trading card or video games, or at least not the ones we typically offer, who still find it fun to come by and hang out with those who do,” he said.