The Bucks County Community College digital gaming club is preparing for a level-up as it assembles for the Fall Semester and plans for a major video gaming event being held in Philadelphia on September 24th and 25th to support Wounded Warriors.
The club’s first meeting for the Fall 2016 Semester, held on Tuesday, September 6, had over 25 attendants and members started off the year by holding Super Smash Bros. 4 battles as well as reaching into the past by giving members a chance to play a classic Nintendo 64 system. During this meeting, the schedule and plans of the group were outlined by Luke Delevan, the club student leader, a Southampton sophomore majoring in psychology. He has taken time to contact various group members to promote participation in the club.
The second meeting, held on September 8 at 3:30 PM, was attended by approximately 15 people, playing Wii U and PS4 consoles. The games played included favorites such as Smash 4 and Mortal Kombat. The club encourages participants to bring their own systems and games and members also expressed interest in hosting an enormous multiplayer game of Civilization V at a future date. In Smash, various characters were used, including Diddy Kong, which was a particularly successful choice. Unlockable characters like Bayonetta were also available, and a four-on four battle was another highlight.
During the height of the second meeting, Luke introduced Ritchie Witzer, Bucks graduate and founder of the organization Gaming for Honor. “The whole purpose of this event, and this company, is to help raise awareness about the struggles our men and women go through while serving this country, and the challenges they face when they come home,” Witzer says. “We are aiming to get this awareness out there to the public in a fun yet safe environment. Any proceeds that has been collected through ticket sales, raffles and donations will be thus further donated to charities specifically geared towards helping our wounded veterans and their families.”
The event takes place between 12:00 to 8:00 PM at the Dave and Busters near Philadelphia Mills, and one must pay to attend. It will feature console gaming from every generation and company, including rare specialties like the Sega Dreamcast and Atari systems. “The hype is going to be definitely real,” said Luke. Speed runs, a Smash Bros tournament, and other gaming exhibitions will be available. Students should also note that the military will have a recruiting presence there. Some may also wish to be aware of the various major corporate sponsors, including video game, tattoo, food, and piercing companies.
Food will be included in the price of the tickets. The price will change though, depending on if you want to stop in for one day, both days, or if you want a VIP pass. Tickets are still available online up until September 23rd, as well as at the door. (The link is available on the gamer’s Facebook page.) With a VIP pass, participants can try the new PlayStation VR. Prizes also exist for a variety of different video game competitions, particularly for Smash 4 and Madden ’17. Prizes include deluxe footballs, Nintendo systems, and other, “secret” rewards.
But not all meetings of the digital gaming club will be this packed with outside events. The club is set to meet in room 129 on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the rest of the year, according to Luke. In future meetings, you may find yourself playing Pokkén Tournament or Mario Kart U, as well as a few GameCube games. If you want to know more about the digital gaming club, you can contact advisor Robert Porche at [email protected]
