Evil Dead Kicks Off, Godzilla Finishes Strong at Brewskis

With temperatures resting at a refreshingly mild 63°F and skies as clear as a freshly polished playfield, San Diego’s pinball scene lit up for another round of the San Diego Pinball League at Brewskis Bar & Arcade. The sixth event in the Spring 2025 series brought 30 players together for five tightly fought rounds. The mood? Light. The games? Not so much. When half your lineup includes weapons like John Wick, Godzilla, and a brand-new Dungeons & Dragons, you’re gonna need more than sunshine to survive.

Dive Bars, Draft Beers, and Dozens of Drop Targets

Brewskis Bar & Arcade isn’t your typical strip-mall stopover—it’s a neighborhood hangout with personality. Located on Miramar Road in north San Diego, Brewskis blends the comfort of a no-frills bar with the energy of a lively arcade. The space opens up with a roomy layout that feels welcoming whether you’re here to sip a beer, catch a game, or line up quarters on the glass.

The staff has a reputation for friendly service, the kitchen puts out reliably solid pub fare (yes, even the Cobb salad), and the patio offers a breezy escape for players in between rounds. The vibe leans unpretentious, the lighting’s just right, and the jukebox never overpowers the game room. If you’re local, it’s a regular. If you’re new, it’s the kind of place that makes you want to be.

Blood, Chainsaws, and Bonus Multipliers: The Evil Dead Showdown

Round one opened on Evil Dead (CE)—and if you haven’t played this haunted house of kinetic dread, prepare for blood-splattered bash toys and brutally fast orbits. Designed by Spooky Pinball as a love letter to Sam Raimi’s cult horror franchise, it’s packed with callouts from Bruce Campbell and a multiball that quite literally screams at you. The CE model even includes a chainsaw ball lock mechanism, which—yes—is as ridiculous and amazing as it sounds.

On this battlefield, Luca Varriale outlasted the horde with clever use of the Book of the Dead ramp combo and precise shot control during “Kandarian Demon” mode. Mark Bandong used the reverse inlane post-save to recover a near drain and climbed into second with a double-multiball run. Steve Massa and Jeffrey Wright got caught in tilt traps and house balls—Evil Dead giveth, and it definitely taketh.

For a game released only a few months ago, this one already feels like a modern cult classic. It’s brutal, hilarious, and the kind of title that turns heads at a tournament.

Pinball Machines That Brought the Heat

This tournament’s lineup was practically a walkthrough of recent Stern and Spooky innovation. Let’s dig into the machines that gave players joy—and trauma.

• Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant’s Eye (Pro) – Released January 2025, this is Stern’s first dive into the fantasy RPG universe. With asymmetric quests, player class bonuses, and an actual animated Beholder lurking behind the upper playfield, it plays like a dungeon crawl built into a pin. The Pro model seen here skips the upper flipper ramp but retains the dual wizard mode paths: Arcane vs. Strength. Bonus: the alignment meter can be nudged—physically—by controlled slaps. Seriously.

• The Uncanny X-Men (Pro) – Part of Stern’s Marvel Renaissance series, this September 2024 release borrows code DNA from Avengers: Infinity Quest but leans more into character combos and “team-up” modes. You’re not just playing Wolverine—you’re calling in Cyclops or Jean for shot multipliers mid-mode. It’s fast, flashy, and that callout from Magneto mocking your drains? Perfectly evil.

• Metallica Remastered (Premium/LE) – When Stern brought this one back in late 2024, they updated the screen animations and added modern light choreography while keeping the classic fan layout intact. It’s still the same beloved bash-and-burn game, but now Creeping Death mode has new visuals and better sound balance. The remaster also introduces balanced scoring for Crank It Up, giving tournament players a more level risk-reward calculation.

• John Wick (Premium) – May 2024’s breakout hit, John Wick uses magnetic ball choreography and a “Gun-Fu” flipper combo meter that rewards quick, chained hits—no pauses allowed. The Premium version includes the rotating Continental hotel centerpiece that modifies shot paths based on bounty level. It’s punishing if you don’t plan ahead, but exhilarating when you do.

• JAWS (Pro) – Released in January 2024, this is the game that put scream volume adjustment into the tournament lexicon. From the chompable captive ball to the boat multiball that ramps up like a Spielberg thriller, JAWS is all about suspense and momentum. Watch out for that Amity spinner—it’s a trap.

• Godzilla (Pro) – Three years later and still on top. Godzilla is the rare game that gets better with every update. The Pro model used in the final round has no building mech, but still offers insane combo flow, path divergence via bridge collapse, and some of the smartest rulesets ever coded. There’s a reason it’s a staple at nearly every major competition.

King of the Monsters, King of the Tournament

Speaking of Godzilla, that’s where the final round took place. Derek Price brought a tournament-proven strategy to the table, stacking Godzilla Multiball with Monster Rampage mode to rack up massive destruction jackpots. His precision through Mechagodzilla’s spinner sequence showed why he’s ranked 27th in California—and 64th globally. That’s not a stat, that’s a résumé.

1. Derek Price – Flawless in multiball, surgical in single-ball play. It was a clinic.

2. Mark Bandong – Back in the final four after starting strong on Evil Dead. His smart stacking on JAWS got him here, and his defensive play kept him there.

3. Mark Maleko Schulz – Brewskis’ own organizer showed he’s not just a behind-the-scenes guy. Solid play across every machine, especially Metallica where he survived two tilt warnings and still crushed Fade to Black.

4. Tom Isaak – Quiet consistency through every round. His deep understanding of John Wick’s bounty bonuses made him a threat, even without flashy play.

California IFPA Pinball Top 10 Standings:

Until the Next Credit…

From first plunge to final tilt, Brewskis Spring 2025 #6 brought out competitive fire and top-notch gameplay under a perfect San Diego sky. With a standout lineup of modern pins—from the punishing precision of Evil Dead to the endlessly replayable Godzilla—the night delivered on all fronts.

Thanks again to Mark Schulz for organizing another well-run league night and to Brewskis Bar & Arcade for keeping the local pinball scene alive and flipping. We’ll see you next round—same flipper time, same flipper channel.