As someone in his fourth year of living at the University of Wisconsin, I know it’s tough to get to know people at first. There are many ways to do this, from going to events around campus or any dorm activities. My personal favorite, though, is being a den-dweller: hang out in your dorm’s public space long enough and you’re likely to meet SOMEONE. But just being there doesn’t always get the job done, and I usually alleviate this by doing something that might interest other residents.

Namely, by playing video games.

Video games are great tools for bonding with others in your dorm. People stand and watch, interact and chat with you or, in the best-case scenario, play with you. Usually I try to keep it to games I enjoy, as well as games that allow co-op or multiplayer. Sometimes I won’t care and will just put in something random I feel like playing. But when it comes down to it, there are four games that do the best at getting a passerby to stop, watch, chat and maybe even ask to join in.

1. “Mario Kart”

“Mario Kart” is a classic party game, and you can bet basically everyone has played a game in this series at one point or another. Whether it be the smash hit “Mario Kart Wii;” the classic “Mario Kart 64;” or the newly released “Mario Kart 8,” if there are enough people passing by, one of them is likely to ask to go a few rounds — and possibly never want to stop.

2. “Super Smash Bros.”

While not as popular as “Mario Kart,” “Super Smash Bros.” is a title with almost as much name recognition as Nintendo’s other hit multiplayer franchise and certainly with gameplay that’s easily identified. Offering multiple ways to play — with different iterations from the Nintendo 64 to the Wii U — and a fast-paced, addicting multiplayer experience, “Super Smash Bros.” is always a great choice to get someone to join in.

3. Any EA sports game

Unlike “Mario Kart” and “Smash Bros,” any sports franchise in EA’s catalog will require a player to commit a little more time to the game. But the controls are usually fairly simple, and most folks already have a knowledge of the sports in each game. That makes virtually all EA sports games very easy to have someone come in, turn on a controller and start playing. “FIFA” is the premier choice in this regard, but never count out “Madden,” “NCAA Football,” or the “NHL” series, likely in that order.

4. “Halo”

You’ve got your “Call of Duties” and your “Titanfalls” and your “Splatoons” (an applause for those that know what that is). But when it comes to shooters you can play with your friends locally, “Halo” has been, is and for some time likely will be top dog. For many folks, playing the original “Halo” with friends took up quite a lot of time through K-12 schooling, and nostalgia is always a great way to get people talking and, of course, playing. Even if you don’t own the original or its immediate sequel from the original Xbox, any “Halo” is easily recognized.

Of course, don’t let these be the only games you try — just play games you enjoy. If something looks interesting, it can always draw someone in. Like I said earlier, nostalgia is a powerful thing, and you never know what games folks may have fond memories of. Maybe they’re like me and spent hours upon hours with the “Star Wars Battlefront” series. Maybe they really like fighting games and would be interested in jumping in for a round of “Street Fighter” or “Killer Instinct.” Or maybe they’re weird and have played all the games in the “Dynasty Warriors” franchise. Perhaps they even know about current games and wouldn’t mind jumping in on new multiplayer experiences like “Nidhogg,” “Towerfall” or “Sportsfriends.”

And hell, even if no one stops by, there’s just something refreshing about playing fun games that you enjoy in an open setting with others.