Each Friday night, the student center at Bradley is filled a variety of people. One constant group of people that occupy the student center are the attendees of the Super Smash Bros Club is the basement of the student center.
Graduate student Evan Miles, president of the Super Smash Bros Club, started the club fall semester of 2015. The club hosts weekly tournament for “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” and “Super Smash Bros. Melee”.
Usually the club has around 20 members enter in the weekly tournament. Miles said that 80% of people come to club each week, while the other 20% are a mix of other attendees and new participants.
Miles favorite part of the Super Smash Bros Club is the community that has grown within the club.
“I’m a graduate student on campus and a lot of my friends have already graduated, these guys are the only friends I have left to be honest,” Miles said. “I have always looked forward to my Friday nights, Friday nights have always been my Smash nights with them.
This is just something that I always look forward to at the end of the week, and I think a lot of the other guys do [too]. We’re all very supportive of each other and get involved with each other’s lives outside of Smash, so it’s just a lot of fun to have such a great group of guys to be with.”
Senior Jon Bibula, a participant at the club, said his favorite part of coming to Super Smash Bros Club each week is the enjoyment he gets playing other people in Super Smash Bros. Bibula especially enjoys beating other members with his character “Joker”, especially early in matches.
Going forward, Miles hopes to continue to grow the club and the community.
“I wish it would grow more … outside of the Activities Fair we don’t do a bunch of active advertising on campus,” Miles said. “That’s something we’re looking to change, next semester I’m going to push for more active advertising.”
The club sets up multiple consoles and monitors each week for people to play on. The setups are provided by members of the club, as the club does not receive any funding to purchase setups.
“If we did get funding and we could just buy more [equipment] that would be dope, but at the same time it’s nice that people are willing to bring their own equipment,” Miles said.
For people who are interested in joining the club, Miles said he hopes the club fosters a fun environment for all.
“For the most part, I would say we’re all pretty welcoming and most of us are just here to have fun with the game.”