Behind the Beans, Battle Begins: SATX Belles & Chimes

Even with a few clouds in the April sky, San Antonio was cooking—88 degrees and climbing. But inside What’s Brewing? Coffee Roasters, it was all about the sweet hum of drop targets, spinner rips, and the satisfying clang of multiball madness. This wasn’t your typical café crowd. It was Belles & Chimes SATX, Spring 2025 Round 2, and 19 players gathered for a four-round, two-games-per-round battle across an eclectic lineup of 45 machines.

A two-and-a-half hour competition in a coffee shop turned pinball sanctuary? Just another Friday night in Texas, y’all.

The Secret Arcade Behind the Beans

Just north of downtown San Antonio, What’s Brewing? Coffee Roasters has been keeping the city caffeinated since 1979. Originally a wholesale operation, it grew into a retail café in 2016, becoming a neighborhood staple that’s equal parts coffee lab and local hangout.

Inside, you’ll find single-origin offerings from places like Yemen, Kenya, and Panama, roasted in-house with precision gear and plenty of passion. The space itself blends cozy and eclectic—with high tables, comfy couches, and a laid-back vibe soundtracked by an ever-changing music mix. Whether you’re sipping a nitro cold brew or settling in with a Turkish coffee, it’s a place that invites you to stay awhile.

And if you venture a little deeper into the building… let’s just say this café holds more than beans. Regulars know that behind the roastery lies one of San Antonio’s best-kept arcade secrets—a surprise that makes this spot more than just a great place to grab a cup.

Into the Fifth Dimension on Twilight Zone

Let’s talk about Twilight Zone (Bally, 1993), which turned Round 1 into a fever dream of fast reflexes and quantum luck. Designed by Pat Lawlor, this game came at the tail end of pinball’s golden ’90s run and is stuffed to the gills with toys—gumball machine, Powerball (an actual ceramic ball!), magnets, piano, and more modes than you’d expect from a machine made before code updates were just a USB port away.

Cinthia Whitefield clearly made a pact with the Playfield Gods, threading shots through the Piano and Clock millions with ease. Christina Cheeseman held her own with strong multiball control, but when the Powerball flew—fast, floaty, unpredictable—it was Cinthia who wrangled it into jackpots. Hope Love and Lauren Drullinger rounded out the round, both taking a beating from the game’s patented Lawlor-level chaos.

Twilight Zone may be a nostalgia piece for some, but for competitive players, it’s still a beast that requires both finesse and the courage to flip into the unknown.

Machines Worth the Quarter (Or the Dollar)

Let’s spotlight some of the pins that stood out during the tournament—because the games are half the story:

• Abra Ca Dabra (Gottlieb, 1975): If you’re looking to sharpen your drop target aim, this EM beauty is your dojo. Simple on the surface but devilishly hard to master, it features a set of dual bonus ladders and unforgiving outlanes. The backglass art is classic Gottlieb magic—literally.

• Jaws (Pro) (Stern, 2024): Just released this year, this game was one of the most talked-about entries on the lineup. Featuring code from Brian Eddy and art from the team behind Stranger Things, it brings a new level of kinetic fear to tournament play. The dynamic shark animations and wizard mode callbacks to the film’s climax make it a dream (or nightmare) on legs.

• Indianapolis 500 (Bally, 1995): Bally went full throttle with this one. It’s one of the few pins to feature a callout from an actual sports announcer—Paul Page—and the loop shots feel like screaming down a straightaway. Turbo Multiball is still one of the most exhilarating features of any ‘90s game.

• KISS (Pro) (Stern, 2015): Loud, garish, and perfectly in character. This game isn’t subtle—it launches into full-concert mode within moments. Between Gene’s blood-spitting tongue animation and the throwback to Bally’s 1979 KISS machine, it’s a weird blend of modern tech and glam rock legacy.

• World Cup Soccer (Bally, 1994): Designed by John Popadiuk, this one is a sleeper hit in tourneys. The magnet-assisted “Goalie” shot, the spinner-heavy build-up to multiball, and the irresistible callouts (“GOOOAAALL!”) make it both strategic and fun. It’s a love letter to the 1994 FIFA World Cup, hosted in the U.S.—and possibly one of the most cheerful games you’ll ever rage-tilt on.

And let’s not forget Joker Poker (Gottlieb, 1978), a solid-state classic that proves drop targets never go out of style. Its simple ruleset is deceiving—players who don’t plan their stack-building get punished fast.

Who Took Home the Trophies?

The top four players didn’t just play well—they played smart, showing real strategic range across both vintage and modern machines.

1. Chasity Flores took 1st, making a name for herself with cool confidence and strategic ball control. With only 14 events under her belt and a state rank of 594th, this win proves she’s got talent that’s far ahead of her ranking.
2. Hope Love, a mainstay in the Texas pinball scene, grabbed 2nd. Her experience in over 140 events and her ranking just outside the state top 250 show that consistency pays off—especially on quirky games like Jacks Open and Joker Poker, where timing is everything.
3. Lidia Cervantes, despite being IFPA-unranked, impressed the room with a smooth flipper style that held up even under late-round pressure.
4. And Julia Mendez, ranked 45,177 nationally, showed off serious grit—proving that rankings don’t always tell the full story.

Top 10 Players in Texas Right Now

Watch for some shifting at the top—especially with newer players like Chasity Flores pushing their way onto the radar.

One More Shot Before We Drain

Belles & Chimes SATX brought another stellar event to life, and we’ve got Christina Cheeseman to thank for keeping the tournament flowing like a bottomless coffee pot. Whether players were dodging sharks in JAWS, conjuring points on Abra Ca Dabra, or grinding out skill shots on Twilight Zone, the lineup made every round feel like a time machine with flippers.

Big thanks again to What’s Brewing? Coffee Roasters for being the kind of place where pinball magic happens behind espresso machines. If you’re ever flying through SATX, this hidden arcade should be on your radar—just a few miles from the San Antonio International Airport and lightyears away from your typical Friday night plans.

Want to stay in the loop on future events and results? Follow Belles & Chimes SATX on Facebook. Trust me—you won’t want to miss what’s brewing next.