“Gaming without a good group of players is like playing in a ‘Magic’ tournament without nonbasic lands. You won’t have fun and you’ll probably be a loser.”

That’s why Joshua Fireman, LSA freshman and avid gamer, is thankful to be in Ann Arbor.

“Ann Arbor lets me feel more open about playing ‘Magic’ and ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ and other activities such as that,” he said. “You feel like less of a nerd when you’re doing it at college because you no longer feel like you’re the only one.”

Fireman is just one of the many Ann Arborites who identify with the elite class of “gamers.” Gaming is a term with a broad definition, extending through video games, board games, card games, figurine games and role-playing games. With so many games to choose from, gamers often struggle to stick to just one.

Fireman, for example, is currently involved with “Dungeons & Dragons,” “Magic: the Gathering” and “World of Warcraft,” to name a few. He has also been through passing phases of “Pokémon,” “Lord of the Rings,” “Digimon” and several other card game franchises. “Magic” is particularly dear to Fireman’s heart because it’s how he got his start as a gamer at a very young age.

“My dad actually got me into it," Fireman explained. "He started playing a little bit after it came out. And he needed a play partner, and his four- or five year-old son was a good play partner."

For those seeking opponents or partners — whether in games like “Magic,” “Warhammer,” “D&D,” video games or even board games — there’s no better place to go in Ann Arbor than Get Your Game On, the gaming and comic store that sits unassumingly at 709 Packard Street, just off the State Street intersection.

The store is a veritable gamer’s paradise. The walls are covered with graffiti-esque murals of Mario and Megaman as well as posters of characters and settings from magical worlds. The shelves contain every imaginable object of the gaming world, from the latest PlayStation 3 releases to the rulebooks to the latest edition of “Dungeons & Dragons” (which, according to several annoyed gamers, is just becoming another version of “World of Warcraft,” except on paper). Unsurprisingly, the store has turned into somewhat of a central hub for gamers who go there to hang out.

Each day of the week the store offers different events and competitions that end up having a consistent turnout. “Magic” competition days have been the most popular, and the store offers a variety of different tournaments for the classic card game. The store also offers “Warhammer” events that are constantly growing. As an additional effort, the store is strongly pushing board game competitions. On Thursday and Sunday nights, anyone can come in and either demo a game from the store or bring one of their own.

This whole culture might seem strange at first, but one need only look at the games themselves to see why they evoke so much devotion from their players. The games that succeed the most are those that immerse gamers in new fantastical worlds while intellectually challenging the players. “Magic” has created numerous fantasy settings from which the content of the cards is derived, and “Dungeons & Dragons” features worlds full of the things its name suggests. But don’t confuse this emergence into imaginary realms with escapism. These games are merely another outlet for the imagination. After all, who wouldn’t want to take a few hours each day to shoot down demons with a crossbow?

Even so, the fantasy and the strategy don’t make up the entire appeal of gaming.

“I enjoy role-playing, but I think the social aspect of it is why I like it,” Fireman said in reference to his “D&D” habits.

Likewise, the store and its many events provide more than just a place for gamers to play. They serve a much greater purpose: bringing gamers together.

“A lot of what we carry is more social,” said Alex Horvath, owner of Get Your Game On. “Our big tournaments, our board games, things like that.