The dorms are the best place for bonding in college despite what anyone says. Nothing beats good hallmates freshman year, and if your time spent there is done right, you’ll surely be nostalgic come senior year. Transitioning from neighbors to best friends can be difficult, but there are a few surefire tools to expedite the process: a good arsenal of games.
Below is the quintessential list of gaming gear to bring this August that will inspire even the most clueless of non-gamers to come in and play.

“Call of Duty,” online capabilities and a headset

This is the holy trinity. Nothing can be more fun than turning a hall study session into one big party, plugging in microphones and tearing up the online masses as a deadly unit. Even when no one is good at the game, insulting the enemy is a blast when there are seven other people backing up every word. Eventually, though, practice makes perfect, and then there’s the satisfaction that comes with being unstoppable. At the very least, everyone can reminisce about the time someone got a 25 kill streak or made an 8-year-old cry — accidentally, of course.

A Nintendo 64

This is the jack of all games when it comes to college. The list of games to play is almost inexhaustible, but the original “Super Smash Bros.,” “Mario Kart 64,” “Mario Party” and “GoldenEye 007” stand out as favorites. Most everyone will have played them at least a couple times and they’re simple enough that newbies will pick up the basics quick. They’re all competitive classics that are sure to keep the crowd building way past the capacity of your tiny room. It’s guaranteed that in no time at all there will be plenty of stories about that one time “Tom and Jeff faced off with one life left for 10 minutes straight” or “Owen beat everyone without dying once.”

“Guitar Hero” or “Rock Band” with a full band set

Bands are some of the most inseparable groups around, and short of actually committing to forming a real one, a virtual one can be just as rewarding … on a good night. Not everyone is a pro at these games, or even feels comfortable letting loose with a plastic microphone, but after slaying (or at least attempting to slay) a classic rock song together, everyone is sure to grow closer. With an entire hall of bandmates to choose from it’ll be easy to find someone for every instrument. When people are tired from thrashing so hard, there are always others to fill in.

Risk

Yes, board games seem old-fashioned, but this one in particular is especially galvanizing for making new friends. There’s no better way to demonstrate your worth than by using superior tactics to take down everyone else, and making alliances and then having them broken might just reveal which people aren’t so trustworthy after all. Either way, don’t worry about finishing it ­­— that’s impossible — just have a good time.

Apples to Apples

Helen Keller jokes are the foundation of many friendships, and Apples to Apples will allow your dormmates to participate in some equal-opportunity humor. This inexpensive card game is a quick way to find out who you share a sense of humor with, and who has the most demented (read: best) mind. It’s easy to play and quick to start or stop whenever the mood strikes. What’s more, there’s really no limit to players — and the more players, the better the chances for hilarity are.