It was a cloudy but lively Sunday at Blizzard Mountain Pinball as 19 players battled through 12 rounds of head-to-head matches on April 13, 2025. The mix of crisp competition and a deep machine lineup made for an electric atmosphere, even under gray skies. With nearly four hours of play ahead, Colorado’s sharpest flippers were ready to show off their skills across everything from ‘70s classics to the latest high-speed Sterns.
A Look Around Blizzard Mountain Pinball
Tucked in the heart of Conifer, Blizzard Mountain Pinball feels like the perfect blend of laid-back mountain charm and serious arcade energy. Players and visitors rave about the friendly vibe, flexible play options like hourly passes, and a thoughtfully curated lineup of machines that stretches across decades of pinball history. The owner’s knowledge and attention to machine upkeep are a real standout, ensuring that whether you’re tackling a modern wizard mode or chasing old-school drop targets, every game feels tournament-ready. Bonus points for being open until 9 PM—plenty of time for both casual sessions and serious practice.
How to Tackle Red & Ted’s Road Show
Red & Ted’s Road Show is one of those machines that rewards players who can think two or three moves ahead. Built by the same team behind Funhouse, it takes the idea of animated talking heads and ramps it up—literally—with two characters (Red and Ted) who physically react to your shots.
In tournament play, your best bet is to prioritize multiball stacking. Start by knocking down Ted’s bulldozer to lock balls for Red Multiball. At the same time, work the blast zone to start Road Multiball. Stack the two multiballs together for massive jackpots, but watch your timing—the machine’s shaker motor kicks in during jackpots and jackpot builds, and it’s notorious for throwing players off during tight control moments.
Also, don’t ignore city modes! Each city gives specific awards like lighting extra balls, bonus multipliers, or advancing progress toward the wizard mode, Wizard Goal. Target cities like Dallas early for easier scoring boosts.
Quick Tip: If you get into Super Payday, keep a death grip on control—this machine gets fast, and center drains lurk everywhere when multiballs break down.
Some Standouts From the Machine Lineup
Firepower (Williams, 1980)
Designed by the legendary Steve Ritchie, Firepower was the first pinball to feature 3-ball multiball and a lane-change feature, where you could control the lit inlanes with the flipper buttons. In tournaments, precision is key—fast orbit shots and ruthless outlanes mean survival often beats flashy play. Focus early on lighting locks, then unleash multiball to boost scoring and pad your lead.
Stranger Things (Premium) (Stern, 2019)
This Premium version steps up the experience with a unique projector system that overlays animations onto the playfield. Critical tournament strategies revolve around progressing modes by completing grid shots, hitting Demodog targets, and battling the Demogorgon through the pop-up toy. Stacking modes with multiball is vital for big points—and don’t underestimate the vital skill of clean center shots during the Demogorgon battle.
Fish Tales (Williams, 1992)
This fast, flowing table by Mark Ritchie is beloved—and feared—for its brutally short ball times. Tournament players target Multiball and Monster Fish modes early: locking balls through the boat ramps, then hammering jackpots during the frenzy. Nailing the boat ramps consistently is where games are won or lost, especially when you can double jackpot values with clever stacking.
Fire! (Williams, 1987)
This machine feels like a playable history lesson, telling the story of the Great Chicago Fire. It uses upper playfields, bell ringers, and a multiball mechanic where you “rescue” citizens. In competition, it’s all about working your way up to multiball while minimizing risky shots to the upper playfields, which can often kick balls unpredictably toward outlanes.
Venom (Premium) (Stern, 2023)
One of Stern’s freshest releases, Venom features branching gameplay paths depending on which host you choose (Eddie Brock, Flash Thompson, etc.). Players who progress symbiote upgrades smartly can turn early mode shots into snowballing jackpots. Fast, kinetic shots—especially the left-right loop combos—are key to high scores. Stacking combat modes while upgrading your symbiote’s powers will set you up for explosive points later.
Star Wars (Pro Comic Art) (Stern, 2019)
The Comic Art Pro takes the notoriously deep Star Wars rule set and wraps it in stylish visuals. Tournament survival often means making smart character choices at game start: Luke for easier mode advancement, Han for faster Hoth missions. Play control is critical, as short ball saves punish missed center shots, and exploiting multipliers (especially during Tie Fighter Multiball) can vault a player ahead in just a few flips.
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (Bally, 1975)
A wide-open early solid-state machine where nudging is practically required to succeed. The massive center area tempts players into risky shots, and strategic control of the side drop targets is crucial. Bonus is everything on this table, so a slow-and-steady style pays off far more than reckless flippering.
Big Guns (Williams, 1987)
Big Guns is a chaotic blend of rapid-fire shots and fantasy storytelling. The dual plunger design lets you fire balls into different playfield areas, and mastering upper orbit shots can make or break your multiball progress. There’s lots of hidden value in repeated upper orbit loops if you can nail the timing consistently.
Rush (Pro) (Stern, 2022)
Rush offers a satisfying mix of progressive achievements and kinetic shotmaking. Players who work through Time Machine multiball and collect song modes efficiently will soar ahead. Rush requires precision on upper loops and side ramp shots—hitting these reliably is essential for reaching deep wizard modes like The Spirit of Radio.
Shoutout to the Tournament Standouts
- Major props to Lewis Ritenour, who took home first place! Sitting at 12th in the Colorado state rankings and holding a solid IFPA world rank of 1030, Lewis showed why experience—and a calm hand—win tournaments.
- Laura McCarthy made a huge splash, finishing second and punching well above her state rank of 169th. A gutsy run from a veteran of over 250 IFPA events!
- Dave Fellows claimed third, leaning on a battle-tested resume from over 300 tournaments, showing consistency is always a threat.
- Finally, a strong fourth-place finish went to Kevin McCarthy, who proved yet again why he’s sitting at 16th in the state and 713th globally—organizer and top player alike.
Wrapping Up a Flippin’ Good Time
Huge thanks to Kevin McCarthy for orchestrating another great afternoon of flipper action, and to Blizzard Mountain Pinball for creating such an awesome space for players to battle it out. Congratulations again to Lewis Ritenour on the tournament win! Look forward to more exciting pinball updates and stories—until then, keep those flippers warm and the jackpots flowing.
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