It’s a sunny winter day at Guilford. Outside, birds are chirping, leaves are drifting downwards, and people are basking in the crisp sunlight. But in the second floor lounge of Binford, explosions are going off, punches are being thrown, and death threats are being tossed around like beanbags. No, there’s no bizarre intra-dorm war going on – it’s simply a bout of the much beloved Nintendo64 game Super Smash Brothers. At its core, Super Smash is your basic action-based fighting game. Up to four people each pick a character, decide on a level, and then begin to pummel each other until only one remains. Lives are based on percentages – the higher your percentage of damage, the more likely you are to get killed. What makes the game so interesting is that its cast is made up entirely of old Nintendo characters. These characters range from the well known Mario Brothers to lesser known figures such as Captain Falcon (from the game F-Zero), and Marth and Roy (from the Fire Emblem series).

On this particular day, four first-years are engaged in battle, while five more sit in various positions in the room, anxiously awaiting their turn. Not an uncommon site on a college campus. But what is uncommon is how many different Guilford cliques are represented within this small space. Within the room there is everything from athletes to hippies to gamers, and many things in between.

And yet in this room, with Kirby and Captain Falcon battling for first place amidst the cheers and jeers of the crowds both on screen and off, no one notices these social standings. They take a backseat to the competition, to the fierce battles of the game.

Now, it’s true that Guilford is not a very cliquey school. Most people on campus are at least kind to one another, even to those they don’t usually talk to. But few things on campus break down social barriers like video games.

“There are some people I’d rather get in a fight with than talk to, said first-year Dakota Serviente, “but I’ll play a video game with them.”

“People used games like that for all of history, really,” said Dave Dobson, Associate Professor of Geology and inventor of the computer game Snood. “If you’ve got the activity there as opposed to just sitting or standing around, it acts as a sort of social lubricant.”

Old systems are especially good for attracting diverse crowds.

“The old video games that bring us all together are like a kick back to the past,” said first-year John Rock. “They take us back to a simpler time – back to a time before puberty.”

A certain nostalgia surrounds old systems that the newer ones, even with their stellar graphics and dozens of features, simply cannot replace. Walking into a room and seeing someone play a game remembered from childhood is sure to put a smile on your face, and perhaps even prompt you to join in.

The Nintendo64, with four controllers and dozens of multiplayer games with simple controls, provides the perfect “social lubricant”.

“It’s just good, clean fun,” said first-year Mitch Vaughters. “Wholesome and American.”

The game in the lounge ends, and Captain Falcon comes out the victor. Grumbling, the losers vanquish their controllers to the hopefuls seated around, and another round begins. Some people drift off, heading back to their rooms to do homework, off to the cafeteria to eat, or simply to visit friends. As soon as they step out of the room, the social standings return, and they’ll talk to their normal crowd. But in those few minutes during a game, all is forgotten and everyone is equal – except for, of course, the victor.