Volcanos and Heat: League Night at Electric Bat

Here comes your tournament recap—hot off the flippers and cooled down just enough to read without burning your fingers (unlike the 106°F it was that night). I’m Bride of Pinbot, your ever-humble and only mildly judgmental robotic narrator for all things silverball. Let’s dive into what happened at Electric Bat League Series 17 – Part 1 #2, a tournament that brought out a stacked field of talent and showcased a smorgasbord of pinball glory, from EM classics to futuristic monsters.

A Playground of Eras

Electric Bat Arcade rolled out a staggering 65 machines for this event, covering nearly five decades of pinball design, from electromechanical relics of the 1970s to freshly minted Stern titles that still smell like factory solder. Whether you favor brutal drop targets, fan layouts, or kinetic toys that fight back, this lineup had something for every style of player—and punished the unprepared without mercy.

The old school contenders like Night Rider (1976), Strikes and Spares (1978), and Black Jack (1977) brought that early Bally charm: open playfields, tight flipper gaps, and rules simple enough to learn in 60 seconds but hard enough to master over a lifetime. These are the games that demand nudging finesse and precise shots, not deep code cracking. Players with solid ball control often had the edge here—those who relied on modern ball saves and multiballs? Not so much.

Moving into the solid state and early DMD era, machines like Whirlwind (1990) and The Getaway: High Speed II (1992) showed off Steve Ritchie’s love of speed and loops. Whirlwind, with its spinning discs and thematic fan topper, tests lateral control and quick reactions, while Getaway’s iconic supercharger loop rewards flow and combo accuracy. Let’s just say if you didn’t feel fast playing these, you were doing it wrong.

And speaking of flow, mid-’90s Williams was in full force—Jack•Bot, Johnny Mnemonic, Scared Stiff, Twilight Zone, No Fear, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula were all in rotation. Dracula’s mist multiball remains one of the coolest physical effects in pinball, and if you’ve ever tried to nail the cross-field misted ball on the fly, you know just how much practice it takes. Meanwhile, Twilight Zone continues to be a tournament wildcard: it’s deep, quirky, and famously unforgiving if your flipper catch timing is off by even a whisper.

For players who live and die by modern Stern code, the lineup delivered in full. Iron Maiden, Godzilla (Premium), Deadpool, The Mandalorian, The Walking Dead, and Avengers: Infinity Quest were all available, each offering layered rule sets with multiple multiballs and shot trees. Godzilla in particular stood out—not just because it’s a Keith Elwin design (which practically guarantees top-tier layout)—but because it rewards nuanced strategies like Ally stacking and city progression. Hit the ramps, start your kaiju battles, and pray your tilt bob behaves.

And then there was the cutting edge. Players had the chance to flip on 2020s highlights like Foo Fighters, Venom, JAWS, and Pulp Fiction—the latter giving off strong System 11 vibes in a gorgeous retro package. These newer games often hide difficulty behind flashy themes and deep code. You might think you’re doing well… until you drain and realize you’ve barely scored anything. It’s a cruel but addictive feedback loop.

Tournament machines weren’t just a stroll down memory lane—they were battlefields. Some games offered safety valves and player control (Attack from Mars comes to mind with its predictable fan layout), while others were sheer chaos machines (The Walking Dead, looking at you and your gleeful left outlane).

Whether players were rocking the upper flipper loop on Iron Maiden, triggering castle explosions on Medieval Madness, or wondering why Ghostbusters hates them today more than usual, this tournament proved that machine knowledge matters. Reading the rulesheets and memorizing the skill shots helped—sure—but in the end, it was the players who adjusted on the fly that rose through the ranks.

The Winner’s Circle and the Road Ahead

After five grueling rounds of group matchplay in the desert furnace (indoor AC mercifully included), Henry Hanshaw emerged victorious, taking home the top spot in a field stacked with elite talent. Known for his steady hand and deep rule knowledge, Henry’s win in this event marks yet another notch in a pinball resume that spans 338 events over 14 years. Steady, seasoned, and surgical—just how you win in the desert.

Close behind was Brian Pinney, whose second-place finish solidified his grip on the #2 spot in Arizona. In just over a year, Brian’s climbed faster than a jackpot counter during multiball—racking up 13 top-3 finishes in 67 events and becoming one of the toughest outs in the state.

Mark Pearson, Arizona’s ironman, took third and reminded everyone why he’s earned more Top 3 finishes (106) than most players have events. Rounding out the top four was Brad Vogus, who quietly powered through the brackets with consistency and control, proving once again that experience matters.

And for the ranking nerds (you know who you are), here’s the current Arizona Top 10 IFPA Standings as of this event:

If you’re chasing points or just trying to stay off the bubble, this is the list to study—and possibly fear.

Legends, Local Killers, and a Bracket with Bite

If you thought league night meant soft competition, Electric Bat quickly proved otherwise. This wasn’t just a casual Tuesday hangout—it was a high-stakes gauntlet where even veteran players had to fight for every point. With 65 competitors, the bracket included a full spectrum of IFPA talent—from world-class players to fast-rising locals hungry to make a name.

And this wasn’t just any crowd. The field included:

• 22 players ranked in the Top 1000
• 16 in the Top 500
• And John Shopple, one of the world’s best, currently ranked #69—aka the highest-ranked player in the room and a nightmare to draw in any group.

The final standings featured some of Arizona’s most battle-tested competitors. Henry Hanshaw took the top spot, continuing a strong run of recent performances, while Brian Pinney landed second—impressive, considering he’s only been on the scene for about a year. Behind them, Mark Pearson, Arizona’s ironman with a record 669 events played, locked in third with his signature consistency. Brad Vogus, another regular top performer, rounded out the final four.

But what makes this tournament stand out isn’t just who finished at the top—it’s who you had to beat just to survive. There were landmines in every group:

• Jason Barre, has the best average finish across recent events (11.0), was lurking just outside the final four.
• Nathan Schuler came in hot, gaining 21,382 spots in rank with recent breakout performances.
• Kevan Carter, ranked #233, looked poised for a deep run—until Congo had other plans (see: gorilla, volcano, humiliation).

And don’t forget the grinders—players like Chad Beguin, Dave Henning, and Noah Suchoff, who may not have flashy rankings but showed they can hang with the best. Dave in particular made waves by upsetting Kevan Carter in Round 2, proving that on league night, you don’t need a Top 500 badge to land a haymaker.

This was the kind of event where even mid-tier placement came with battle scars. You had to dodge outlane-eating classics, memorize multiball modes on the fly, and deal with the psychological weight of playing against someone who’s been in over 600 tournaments. Every round felt like finals.

So yes, the final four earned their podium spots. But honestly? Everyone who escaped the night with their pride intact—and their flipper fingers still working—deserves a round of applause.

Congo: The Cult Classic with Lava in its Veins

Oh, Congo. The game with a talking gorilla, erupting volcano, and a soundtrack that sounds like it belongs in both a B-movie and a dance club. Let’s give this machine the spotlight it deserves—because at Electric Bat League Series 17 – Part 1 #2, Congo (Williams, 1995) didn’t just serve up multiballs—it made history with one of the tournament’s biggest upsets. But this isn’t just about a single round. Congo is a fascinating time capsule from Williams’ final golden years, and the more you know about it, the more you appreciate just how wild a ride this game really is.

Released in November 1995, Congo was based on the Michael Crichton novel and film of the same name—though let’s just say the pinball machine aged a whole lot better than the movie. Despite lukewarm box office numbers and a script that had to work around an animatronic gorilla named Amy, Williams didn’t phone this one in. The design team, led by John Trudeau (yes, the same designer behind Creature from the Black Lagoon, Bride of Pinbot, and The Machine: Pin-Bot 2000), brought serious heat.

This was a Williams WPC-95 game, which meant it had all the trimmings of that era: dazzling DMD animations, layered music, and deep rulesets that rewarded both casual play and tournament skill. The software was done by Jeff Johnson, and art was handled by Kevin O’Connor, a legend in his own right. Sound? That was Jon Hey, who cooked up a techno-tribal blend that still slaps.

But enough credits—let’s talk gameplay. Congo’s real brilliance lies in its layout and flow. You’ve got:

• Upper flipper hurry-ups that kick off when you complete the top lanes and start “Amy Mode”—a nod to the talking gorilla from the movie.
• Multiball mayhem centered around collecting diamonds and locking balls at the volcano. The volcano itself is a molded, animated toy that eats pinballs and spits them out with flair.
• A map feature where the player navigates Congo’s jungle via a grid to find lost cities and bonus opportunities.
• And of course, the Super Skill Shot—a plunge into the kickback lane that awards points and regenerates the safety net.

This game flows. If you like games with repeatable ramps, controlled progression, and that balance of gimmick and depth—Congo is your jam. It’s not surprising that it became a cult favorite over the years, even if operators at the time struggled to get casuals excited about a forgotten movie tie-in.

The Round 2 Jungle Rumble

All of that came to a head in Round 2 of the tournament, when Dave Henning, ranked 22,390, took down Kevan Carter, ranked 233, on Congo. Yep, that’s a ranking gap of more than 22,000 spots. Kevan, a top Arizona competitor, had been expected to cruise through early rounds. But Congo had other plans.

Henning maximized his multiballs and leveraged the flow of the ramps like a seasoned jungle explorer. Meanwhile, Carter had a tougher go, getting tripped up on either the volcano locks or possibly one of those side shot traps Congo loves to spring on the overconfident. Either way, it was not the expected outcome.

And that’s part of Congo’s charm. It looks friendly, with its open playfield and bouncing beats—but it punishes mistakes. Hard.

Electric Bat: Where the Games Never Sleep

Step through the doors of Electric Bat Arcade and you’re not just entering a pinball venue—you’re stepping into a pinball dimension. Hiding inside Tempe’s Yucca Tap Room, Electric Bat combines vintage dive bar charm with a curated collection of more than 60 meticulously maintained machines, ranging from woodrail-era classics to the latest Stern releases.

The space is moody in the best way—dim lighting, glowing playfields, and a ceiling full of monster movie posters and punk rock ephemera. It’s got attitude without pretense, and the machines here aren’t just rotated in—they’re cared for by people who clearly live and breathe pinball. Faulty flippers and tilted rubbers don’t last long here. There’s even a clipboard on the wall for machine issues, and rumor has it they get addressed within hours.

The venue’s long hours (6 a.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week) mean you can flip before breakfast, after work, or deep into the night—though fair warning: after 7 p.m., it becomes 21+ as the Yucca Tap Room crowd spills in. Minors can play earlier in the day, and plenty do. This place may serve stiff drinks, but it’s also home to one of the most welcoming pinball communities in the Southwest.

Want to see all the machines played during the tournament? Wondering who’s on deck for the next league showdown? Check out Electric Bat Arcade’s website or keep following this blog for more recaps, rivalries, and retro ramps.

And to all the players who braved the brutal heat and brutal lineups… may your outlanes be merciful and your multiballs plentiful.