Willy Wonka Would Like You to Leave – A PBJ Tournament

Welcome back, pinheads! Bride of Pinbot here, your friendly, slightly sarcastic, and very opinionated pinball blogger, bringing you all the details from another night of high-stakes, flipper-flashing action. This time, we’re heading to Pinball Jones in Fort Collins for PBJ League Season 12, Week 3.

A single round, five-game format meant every shot counted, and with 38 players battling it out, competition was fierce. Toss in a classic Bally final game and a marathon session on Willy Wonka, and we’ve got plenty to talk about. Let’s get to it!

Fort Collins’ Finest – Pinball Jones Brings the Vibes

If you find yourself in Fort Collins and don’t swing by Pinball Jones, are you really even living? Tucked away on Linden Street, this place isn’t just another pinball arcade—it’s a beloved local spot with character, charm, and a stellar lineup of machines. Whether you’re rolling in on a Monday for their legendary $5 free play or wrangling a crew of fifth graders (respect to that brave parent), the vibe is always welcoming. They’ve got a well-curated lineup of classics and modern hits, making it a great stop whether you’re chasing high scores or just dropping quarters for the love of the game.

The Chocolate Factory Lock-In – A 139-Minute Marathon

Round 1 turned into an endurance test disguised as a pinball game. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (LE) by Jersey Jack held four players captive for an unbelievable 139 minutes—longer than the actual 1971 film.

This machine is packed with features that make games stretch beyond the usual runtime. The Kid Multiball sequence alone can rack up shots for days, and Everlasting Gobstopper mode rewards patient players who can keep their ball alive long enough to cash in big. With five wizard modes and an elusive Golden Ticket, the deep rule set keeps skilled players in the game far longer than their competitors would probably like.

Aidan Lancaster had the magic touch (or at least some serious stamina) and claimed first place. Jerry Valentine, traveling in from Montana, showed some flipper endurance of his own, locking in second place. Jered Prostrollo took third, while Savannah Brown rounded out the group. Whether they left the game feeling like Charlie Bucket or Augustus Gloop, well—that’s between them and the Gobstopper.

Showstoppers – A Tour of the Tournament’s Pinball Gems

With 38 machines in play, players had their hands full navigating some of pinball’s greatest hits. Here are a few standouts:

Twilight Zone – One of the most complex and beloved wide-body pins of all time, this Pat Lawlor-designed masterpiece is loaded with features, from the Powerball—a white ceramic ball that moves unpredictably—to the Battle the Power mode, where a magnet-controlled mini-playfield tests your patience and precision. The game is famous for its deep, mode-heavy play, and if you managed to reach Lost in the Zone, you definitely earned some bragging rights.

Attack from Mars – This fan-favorite by Brian Eddy turns players into Earth’s last line of defense against a ridiculous Martian invasion. The key strategy? Knock out the flying saucers with precision shots to build toward Rule the Universe, the ultimate wizard mode. This game is known for its smooth combo shots, chaotic strobe multiball, and one of the best dot matrix animations in pinball history.

Foo Fighters (Pro) – One of Stern’s latest hits, this machine combines fast gameplay with a killer soundtrack. With an upper playfield that adds depth to the shot selection and a battle against an alien overlord named “The Overlord,” Foo Fighters quickly became a must-play for modern tournament pinball.

Harlem Globetrotters On Tour – A throwback to simpler, brutally unforgiving pinball. With drop targets that feel essential to survival and an open playfield where every missed shot can spell disaster, this is a game where true flipper control shines.

Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure – Wide-body? Check. Tons of movie references? Check. One of the most satisfying captive ball shots in pinball? Absolutely. If you wanted to win big, you had to navigate the Path of Adventure, where players tilt the mini-playfield using the flippers to complete shots.

Elton Takes Center Stage – The Final Battle on Captain Fantastic

After two and a half hours of fierce competition, it all came down to Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, a 1976 Bally classic designed by Greg Kmiec. This Elton John-themed machine is a brutal test of control and patience—what it lacks in modern ramps and toys, it makes up for in punishing geometry.

The game’s defining feature is its wide-open lower playfield, where two sets of outlane posts are all that stand between a player and disaster. With a center target bank that dares you to shoot it (and punishes you for missing), a tight spinner shot for bonus multipliers, and lanes that love to send balls screaming toward the flippers at high speed, this machine doesn’t care about your IFPA ranking—it only rewards precision and calculated risk.

Daniel Albeyta proved to be the master of this unforgiving battlefield, controlling rebounds and playing conservatively when needed to secure the win. Albeyta, who has 41 tournaments under his belt, showed the kind of patience required to survive a game where aggressive play can be a death sentence.

Chris Ackerson put up a serious fight for second place, navigating the flipper gap with skill but struggling against the machine’s unpredictable post bounces.

Jerry Valentine—yes, the same Jerry who endured the Willy Wonka marathon—had another strong showing, locking in third place. His ability to nail the spinner shot for bonus multipliers kept him in contention, but in the end, it wasn’t enough to overtake Albeyta.

Paul Kardell, a local Pinball Jones competitor, rounded out the final four. With an impressive 133 tournaments under their belt, Kardell’s experience shined through, especially in managing nudges to avoid costly drains. However, Captain Fantastic’s ruthless layout claimed another victim before they could climb the rankings further.

This wasn’t just a test of skill—it was a battle against one of Bally’s toughest 70s designs. A single missed shot could mean instant elimination, and by the end, only the player with the steadiest hands and sharpest instincts could walk away as champion.

Who’s Running the Table? Colorado’s Pinball Power Rankings

Final Flip – Wrapping Up a Night of High-Stakes Pinball

Another PBJ League night in the books, and this one had it all—long-haul battles, classic pins, and fierce competition. Huge thanks to Pinball Jones for hosting and Daniel Albeyta for claiming victory in a grueling tournament. If this week’s results are any sign, the season is only going to heat up from here.

That’s all for now, but stay tuned for more tournament recaps, pinball deep dives, and general flipper-fueled chaos. Until next time—keep flipping, and may your tilts be gentle!