Dungeons, Demogorgons, and Drains: Pinball at Player One Arcade

Nothing says “ideal tournament night” quite like a crystal-clear sky and 77-degree evening in the Arizona desert. On March 31, 2025, 29 players made their way to Player One Arcade in Surprise for Player 1 Arcade 2025 Series 3 (#5)—a five-round, single-game-per-round brawl that clocked in at just over 2.5 hours. With arcade classics glowing, the beer fridge humming, and flippers firing across 16 machines, the tournament delivered a brisk, action-packed evening of pinball carnage under a perfect spring sky.

Among the tournament lineup were games new and old, with tech innovations and design quirks that paint a great timeline of Stern’s evolution—and a reminder that Williams still rules certain corners of pinball history.

Surprise delivers more than sunshine

Tucked into a retail strip on North Litchfield Road, Player 1 Arcade serves up nostalgia with a side of hops. The interior feels like a time capsule outfitted with modern charm: rows of pinball machines, a stocked bar full of rotating sours and craft beers, and just enough neon to warm your Gen-X heart. You’ll find heavy hitters like Street Fighter, Galaga, and Elvira alongside pinball mainstays, all maintained with an attention to detail you don’t always see these days. The staff is laid back and always up to chat, making this feel less like a business and more like a clubhouse with killer lighting and killer shots—pinball and otherwise.

More info at p1arcade.com

Soul gem showdown: Avengers heats up in Round 4

Round 4 brought one of the night’s most unexpected flips of fortune. The battlefield? Stern’s Avengers: Infinity Quest (Premium), released in October 2020—a game that dropped during the pandemic and helped reinvigorate interest in home pinball ownership. Designed by Keith Elwin, the table features a rich set of strategic layers, like building gem combos, shot multipliers, and mode stacking that rewards precision more than chaos. The premium version ups the ante with subway ball locks and a Captain Marvel ramp that feels like launching a jet.

In this round, Justin Miller, ranked well outside Arizona’s top 300, channeled some serious Sorcerer Supreme energy to clinch first place. While Andrew Kohtz and Jeremy Reiman—both significantly higher in the state ranks—had solid showings, they couldn’t match Justin’s control during Soul Gem Mode, a mode that forces players to flip with one hand. It’s a test of nerve and muscle memory, and Justin nailed it. Stephan Klein slipped into second, making it clear this wasn’t just a fluke—this table was a skill test, and some of the night’s dark horses came out swinging.

Electric line-up: the games that lit up the night

The Player 1 lineup wasn’t just diverse—it was a deep-cut tour through pinball’s modern resurgence and retro mastery. Here are a few of the stars:

Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant’s Eye (Pro) – One of the newest entries on the floor, this January 2025 Stern release taps into the D&D boom of the post-Stranger Things era. The game features branching quest modes, alignment-based bonuses (yes, lawful vs chaotic!), and an Eye of Vecna-style wizard mode. If you thought Black Knight was hard, wait until you get walloped by a dragon that controls the center post logic.

Stranger Things (Pro) – This December 2019 table helped bridge the gap between boomer nostalgia and Gen Z curiosity. Its projector-based mode visuals were ahead of their time, projecting animations onto physical playfield elements. When it works, it’s immersive; when it doesn’t… well, let’s just say some tournament players breathed a sigh of relief this version was dialed in.

Foo Fighters (LE) – Released in 2023, Foo Fighters was a surprise hit that turned Dave Grohl’s band into cartoon superheroes battling an alien invasion. The game is smooth and fast, designed by Jack Danger, and features one of the best mini-playfields Stern’s done in years. The LE model includes animated sculpts, RGB inserts, and more sound clips than you’d think possible without licensing headaches.

Rush (Pro) – It’s prog-rock pinball, and it plays like it. Released in 2022 and designed by John Borg, Rush features a unique combo system where hitting the Time Machine can shift modes, unlock bonus loops, and get you multiball quicker if you’re rhythmically inclined. It’s a table that rewards flow once you find your inner Neil Peart.

Tales of the Arabian Nights – Now here’s a legend. Released by Williams in May 1996 and designed by John Popadiuk, this game was part of the last wave of WPC-era masterpieces before Williams pulled the plug on pinball production in 1999. Its spinning lamp, magnetized “genie save,” and gorgeous hand-drawn art make it a collector’s grail and a technical challenge in tournaments. Fun fact: its sound design and storytelling were considered cutting-edge at the time and still hold up today.

The Walking Dead (Pro) – Stern’s 2014 release came at the peak of the zombie craze, and it’s as brutal as a barbed-wire bat. With tight shots and punishing outlanes, this game doesn’t forgive mistakes. It’s a George Gomez design that rewards patience, stacking Blood Bath multiball with Barn and Well Walker modes for maximum carnage.

The Uncanny X-Men (LE) – One of Stern’s most divisive tables in recent memory, released in September 2024. Fans praised the art package and deep code structure that finally gave comic fans their due. Critics… weren’t as kind about its shot geometry. Still, in a tournament setting, its mode-heavy gameplay offers plenty of scoring paths if you know what you’re doing.

Top four bring the hammer down

The final match unfolded on Guardians of the Galaxy, another Elwin design from Stern (2017), and still one of the most kinetic games in the modern era. Its tight shot layout and chaotic Groot multiball can be punishing, but in the hands of a confident player, it’s a symphony of combo progression and shot control.

Andrew Kohtz from Phoenix came out swinging and showed why his 239 career IFPA events and #45 state ranking aren’t just numbers—they’re battle scars from nights like this. Justin Miller, ranked a few hundred spots lower in-state, kept the pressure on all night and landed a well-earned second. Dave Halley brought his deep tournament experience to the table for third, and Allen Krahn rounded out the top four after a night of consistent showings. No flukes here—just solid, skillful play under the lights.

Arizona’s IFPA Top 10 as of now

Wrapping it up like a fresh roll of Mylar

From the sun setting over Surprise to the final multiball drained on Guardians of the Galaxy, the Player 1 Arcade 2025 Series 3 (#5) was a tight, fun-packed night of pinball that delivered a mix of upsets and well-earned wins. Big shout-out to Jim Smith for organizing another smooth night of flips and cheers, and to Player One Arcade for keeping the machines clean and the vibes better than your average Monday. Congrats to Andrew Kohtz for taking home first—your ball control and timing were pure Groot-level greatness.

Want more flipper action in your feed? Check out Player One Arcade’s upcoming events and game lineup over at facebook.com/player1arcade.

Stay tuned for more deep dives, rankings drama, and pinball machines that deserve a spotlight of their own.