Lexington sophomore Travis Welsh chose fire Pokémon Ninetails — one of the original 150 characters from the game released in the late 90s — along with five others to contend in the nostalgia-themed battle.

“I was trying to think of something creative. This theme goes back to our childhood, and reminds me of simpler times,” Welsh said. “We have to pick six Pokémon and each of their four moves from either the first or second generation to makeup our teams. I would have been between the age of six and ten when I first played with the Pokémon I chose for tonight.”

In the finals, Welsh was defeated by Trufant senior, Kaylee Krause, who used a hidden-power ice move by ghost Pokémon Gengar.

Krause's nostalgic team included Dragonite, Typhlosion, Tyranitar, Marowak, Gengar and Charizard.

“I used the hidden power ice move because grass is weak behind ice,” she said. “You have to think a lot about what types of Pokémon and moves are weak against one another. At times it is hard to remember so you have to stay focused.”

Every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 7 p.m., the Mount Pleasant Trainers club of about 20 active members meets in the Bovee University Center's Down Under Food Court to battle with their chosen monsters.

The club began last year, after former Kessler Hall roommates Southgate junior Joshua Simms and Williamston senior Eric Culham had the idea to make a club of their favorite video game.

“It was an experiment. We wanted to see if we could get people to show up and play with us,” Simms said. “At first it was just my roommate and I and then some people actually showed up and felt comfortable with the club. Pokémon in a way is meant to be ‘nerdy’ but it has actually been a comfortable setting with a wide range of people coming to play.”

Simms and Southgate junior Tyler Goudreau designated a time and place for the club to meet, creating a Facebook group to promote the club in hopes of adding more members

Welsh said the club is open to all students throughout the school year. While anyone is welcome to join the battle, a Nintendo DS is needed, and either Pokémon XY or Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire.

Port Huron junior Sean Lathrop joined the club last semester, and looks forward to competing every Tuesday.

“When I went back home I always played Pokémon," he said. "It has reminded me a lot of being at home, in high school, and just hanging out with friends, something I’ve missed.”

In hopes of becoming a registered student organization, the club has already made moves to meet the necessary criteria. They are seeking a faculty adviser.

Lathrop and Welsh also created a National Collegiate Pokémon League last semester. This league is designed for colleges across the United States and Canada with similar clubs, to challenge each other via Nintendo DS and Wi-Fi connection.

Lathrop described the club as being “one of the most active-non-active groups.”

“You are not going to see myself or any of the members wearing football helmets and getting on the field to compete. So why not put it on our Pikachu instead?” Lathrop said. “In general, everyone’s dream is to be part of some sort of team like that and there are many ways to do that.

"You can be good at hockey, football, basketball or volleyball. We just found (Pokemon) as a way to represent maroon and gold in our own way.”