It’s dark in the room where 13 projection TVs sit flickering on plastic folding tables. Newer flat-screen models lie dormant along the walls so as not to distract from the cartoon combat that has attracted a crowd from across Washington and Idaho.

Among those 60-odd gaming enthusiasts are four members of WSU’s Super Smash Bros. club, who travel each month to the Black Wolf Gaming Center in Spokane. The venue’s Smash Bros. tournaments bring together a large group of players who compete for fun, glory and cash prizes.

“One thing that is important is unpredictable movements,” said Jake Krahling, a junior computer science major and co-founder of Smash Bros. at WSU. “If he knows where you’re going to be, he can hurt you.”

Krahling and other members of the club keep their characters moving in order to capitalize on opponents’ mistakes. These characters – colorful, imaginative creatures, each with its own skill set – represent worlds from across the Nintendo gaming universe.

In addition to competitions like those at Black Wolf, club members hold weekly meetings to refine their skills and enjoy the game. The club often battles players from other regions in an effort to make a name for themselves in the Smash Bros. scene.

“Spokane is on top in Eastern Washington – they have the best players,” Krahling said. “We’re very new out here, so were trying to close the gap, which we’ve been doing slowly but surely.”

At the tournament on July 19, players travelled from Olympia, Everett, Seattle, Bellingham, Lewiston and other parts of the region.

“There is a system where people get ranked based on their results, and those are called power rankings,” said senior communication major Jonathan Carrigan, another co-founder of the WSU club.

Power rankings apply to both states and smaller regions. The top 10 players from Eastern Washington participated in the tournament.

Although the top three prize-winning spots eluded them, players from Smash Bros. at WSU delivered strong performances.

Krahling placed 13th out of 53 in his singles bracket, and Carrigan, alongside junior computer science major Collier Mayo, finished in a four-way tie for 9th place in doubles.

“We’ve been playing pretty consistently this summer,” Mayo said. “We’re pretty decent players. We expected to do well.”

Black Wolf events are not all about the competition, however. Participants often challenge each other to casual matches called “friendlies.”

“You can just go up to any random person and say ‘Hey, do you want to play some games for fun?’” Mayo said. “Almost everyone is open to just play you for fun, and you can get a lot of practice in.”

Group members said there is always room for improvement in timing and strategy. While many of them are new to organized tournaments, most have played the game since its 1999 debut for the Nintendo 64.

Senior biochemistry major Jack Hyder, who joined the club in January, said the game’s popularity creates a social experience for all skill levels.

“You can pick it up and instantly share a common interest with someone,” Hyder said. “It’s fun because you can play anytime with your friends, and it’s a blast.”

But occasionally the competitions are not so good-natured, Krahling said.

“Gamers are very passionate,” he said. “Sometimes they can get overly passionate. We’ve had run-ins with angry gamers – they’ll swear, they’ll throw things, they do all kinds of crazy stuff. It’s always kind of funny and kind of embarrassing.”

Krahling added he has not seen anyone break gaming equipment.

The club’s first event will be a free-to-play tournament on Sept. 6. in Butch’s Den on the bottom floor of the CUB.

The Black Wolf tournaments take place on the third Saturday of each month. More information can be found at Black Wolf Gaming Center Facebook page.