Eichhorn Dominates as Pirates League Sets Sail in Anaheim

While the rain gently tapped against the windows of Captain’s Arcade Showroom, 29 players braved the 49°F March evening to take part in the latest installment of the Pins & Pirates League. The fourth tournament of Season 6 kicked off at 7:30 PM on March 14, and ran just over two hours—enough time to pack in five games, plenty of flips, and more than a few “just one more” moments.

Organized by the ever-reliable CC Castaneda, this one-round, five-game format served up drama, surprises, and some serious metal-on-metal action. Let’s talk pirates, pinballs, and a bit of Bond.

A Showroom Worthy of a Treasure Map

Captain’s Arcade Showroom in Anaheim isn’t your average tournament venue—it’s a polished, sprawling arcade and auction house hybrid that feels more like a museum with free plays. You’re walking among restored grails and contemporary beasts, all under sparkling lights and glossy cab art. Whether you’re browsing to buy or stepping up for battle, the floor is filled with playable classics and rare finds. With a reputation for hosting pristine machines and a helpful staff that actually knows how to load a pin into a truck without snapping a leg bolt, this place is SoCal pinball luxury.

Check them out at captainsauctionwarehouse.com.

Shaken, Stirred, and Skillfully Played

Round 1 brought a marquee matchup on James Bond 007 (LE)—Stern’s 2022 spy thriller designed by George Gomez, complete with exclusive clips from the Sean Connery era. This machine leans hard into fan service: Aston Martin DB5 toys, jetpack Bond multiball, and voiceover from the original films. The LE version goes the extra mile with an underwater fight scene sculpt and mirrored backglass.

Paul Xavier played like MI6 was watching, navigating the layered objectives and tight orbits to take first. Brian Sutherland deployed his own counterintelligence, working the Q Branch modes with precision to place second. Johnny Modica came in third, wrangling the game’s combo-heavy playstyle but falling just short in the final mission. David Green closed out the group, proving that even with great gadgetry, you still need flawless execution. It was a battle of intellect, timing, and flippers—very Bond.

Old Blood, New Venom, and a Touch of Magic

The lineup at Captain’s was thick with variety, but these machines especially stood out:

The Walking Dead (Pro) – Released by Stern in 2014 and designed by John Borg, this is one of the studio’s most brutally honest games. It’s punishing in the best way. With rules by Lyman Sheats (RIP, legend), the game’s core loop revolves around surviving the apocalypse—light multikills, board the prison, and don’t drain during Siege. The Pro model might lack the moving zombie head of the Premium, but what it does have is flow, strategy, and a claustrophobic vibe that fits its theme to a T. It’s also one of the few pins where draining actually feels like you got bit.

Jack•Bot – A rare direct sequel in pinball, Jack•Bot (1995) is the final chapter in the Pin-Bot trilogy, designed by Barry Oursler and Python Anghelo. It repurposes the Pin-Bot layout with a Las Vegas veneer—strip away the chrome and you get casinos, risk-based double-or-nothing modes, and jackpots that can climb into the stratosphere if you’re brave (or reckless). This is a gambler’s game, and it’s one of the last Williams pins before WMS went full throttle into the Pinball 2000 experiment. It’s also notorious for draining your hopes if you go for the visor too early.

Mystic – Bally’s 1979 widebody weirdo is a deep cut that rewards finesse and a sprinkle of luck. Designed by Greg Kmiec with artwork by the prolific Kevin O’Connor, Mystic leans into occult symbology and tarot-esque theming—rare even in late-’70s pinball. You’ll find a hypnotic spinner, a clever inlane-outlane bonus ladder, and the infamous disappearing pop bumper, which vanished from most later titles like it was cursed. It’s a beautiful oddball and a reminder that Bally was taking design risks even before the solid-state boom fully matured.

Venom (Pro) – One of Stern’s newest releases from July 2023, Venom is a kinetic ramp-fest that flips faster than a symbiote suit can latch onto Eddie Brock. Designed by Brian Eddy with code by Dwight Sullivan, this game lets you pick your host (Eddie, Flash, Peter, or Gwen) and level up RPG-style as you defeat Knull’s forces. It’s fast, slick, and full of Marvel-style attitude. The Pro model has fewer sculpts than the Premium but keeps the gameplay tight—and yes, the Carnage multiball still hits like a freight train.

Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant’s Eye (Pro) – Stern’s latest offering dropped just this January, and it’s already turning heads. Designed by Jack Danger and set in the Forgotten Realms, this game taps into modern D&D aesthetics while keeping classic pinball fundamentals intact. There’s a giant beholder sculpt with optic blast effects, a side-quest-driven rule set, and a party upgrade system that rewards strategic play. It’s fantasy, it’s chaotic, and it’s one of the best original IP-to-pin translations Stern has done in years.

Honorable mention to Counterforce, Viking, and Star Race—each offering a healthy dose of early ’80s chaos and charm, from Gottlieb’s sci-fi obsession to Bally’s Norse mythology era.

And the Winners Are…

Big congratulations to Dennis Eichhorn, who claimed the top spot with confidence. Ranked 44th in California and 275th nationally, Dennis brought decades of experience (304 events!) to the table. This was a textbook example of cool-headed consistency across a diverse game bank.

Second place went to Luca Varriale, who’s ranked 278th in the state and 1,347th in the country. Don’t let the numbers fool you—Luca’s tournament count is over 350, and it shows. He played smart, stayed sharp, and proved that mid-rankers can absolutely shake up a leaderboard.

Jon Michael Stein earned third with a breakout performance. Ranked 403rd in California and 8,587th nationally, Jon might be new to the scene (only 9 events under his belt), but clearly, he’s picking up steam fast. Keep your eyes on him—this isn’t the last time we’ll see him in the top four.

And in fourth, Jonathan Soon delivered a seasoned showing. At 111th in California and 583rd nationally, he/they has a staggering 470 IFPA events on record. That level of competitive mileage brings the kind of strategic depth that gets you through tough banks and tricky machines alike.

California IFPA Top 10 – March 2025

Final Thoughts Before We Hit the Tilt

The Pins & Pirates League continues to deliver a strong mix of competitive energy and arcade ambiance, and Captain’s Arcade Showroom elevated the vibe to something special. With an all-star lineup of classic and modern machines—including several rarely seen on location—it was a dream floor for any tournament regular.

Congrats again to Dennis Eichhorn on a well-earned victory—and hats off to everyone who showed up to play, rain or shine. For more tournament action, player highlights, and machine deep-dives, follow along as the ball keeps rolling!