Inside Houston’s Competitive Pinball Scene

March 1, 2019March 1, 2019

With growing groups like the Space City Pinball League and Belles & Chimes in action, this retro sport is all the rage again.

The Houstonia Magazine features Space City Pinball in their March issue!

IMAGE: MARCO TORRES
Click the image to read the article online.

	June 2025
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
1	2	3 NASA 3X Tuesday NASA 3X Tuesday Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: June 3, 2025 - 10:00 PM Location: The Game Preserve NASA, 20810 Gulf Fwy Suite Z, Webster, TX 77598, USA Description: 3 strike knockout tournament at The Game Preserve NASA starting at 6:30 every other Tuesday night. Ten dollar admission to the venue, games are on free play, one dollar for IFPA fees. Strikes for 3rd and 4th for 4 player games, 3rd for 3 player games. Last person without 3 strikes is the winner. More details... Three Strike Tuesday Three Strike Tuesday Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: June 3, 2025 - 10:30 PM Location: The Game Preserve, 473 Sawdust Rd, Spring, TX 77380, USA Description: Players are placed in groups of 3-4 and play on a random machine. The bottom two players (bottom player in three player groups) of each game receive a “strike”. Players who receive three strikes are eliminated. More details... EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Maymester 2025 EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Maymester 2025 Starts: 7:00 PM Ends: June 3, 2025 - 10:00 PM Location: 873 S Mason Rd #360, Katy, TX 77450 Description: EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Maymester 2025 Instructor: Space City Pinball League Course Curriculum: The PhysXXX curriculum includes interactions of matter and energy, velocity, accelerations, force, and momentum. Space Cadets will test their skills to manipulate physical matter using electricity and mechanical engineering constructs. Course Instructions: SCPL Cadets will assembly in small study groups of 3-4. Each group will attempt to outperform their group peers in a test of skill on one of the specialized electromechanical PhysXXX simulators available. SCPL Cadets will perform 3 rounds of 2 games each class session. The series will be 6 weeks long with a minimum attendance of 4 weeks. Cadets desiring to audit for less than 4 weeks are welcome to attend. On the last scheduled date of class after qualifying rounds a class finals will held. The top 4 qualifying SCPL Cadets will compete in a PAPA style finals. Material's List: $1 for IFPA fees & coin-drop Prerequisite: age 21+, familiarity with concepts such as "fun" and "a good time" Electronic Devices: Students should be able to access http://app.matchplay.events/ on a personal electronic device. Maymester 4/29 5/6 5/13 5/20 5/27 6/3 plus finals More details... • • •	4	5	6	7 Space City Super Saturday Showdown Space City Super Saturday Showdown Starts: 1:00 PM Ends: June 7, 2025 - 6:00 PM Location: The Game Preserve arcade, 20810 Gulf Fwy Suite Z, Webster, TX 77598, USA Description: SCPL presents: The Super Saturdays Showdown Series 2025! The first Saturday of every month Space City Pinball will host an all-ages showdown tournament at various venues that can host large groups. Each event will consist of 8 rounds of group matchplay that will be used to accumulate series points. Those who play in the Super Saturday Showdown Series will be eligible for an award given out by SCPL at the end of the year. On June 7th, the first Super Saturday takes place at The Game Preserve NASA! Special SPCL rate for entry is $10.00, all games on freeplay. Cost to play in the tourney is $1.00 for ifpa fee. Tournament will be 8 rounds of matchplay qualifying, followed by a PAPA style playoff for the top 8 (or 16, depending on the number of players) qualifiers. B division playoffs will be available for those that don't make A finals. More details... •
8 EinStein's Drainiacs EinStein's Drainiacs Starts: 1:00 PM Ends: June 8, 2025 - 6:00 PM Location: 873 S Mason Rd, Katy, TX 77450, USA Description: 4 Strikes Knockout 21+ More details... •	9	10 Space City Pinball: The Game Preserve NASA - Interstellar Training Space City Pinball: The Game Preserve NASA - Interstellar Training Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: June 10, 2025 - 10:00 PM Location: The Game Preserve NASA, 20810 Gulf Fwy Suite Z, Webster, TX 77598, USA Description: Welcome to Space City Pinball's The Game Preserve League Night - Interstellar Training Season 1! Every Tuesday night starting at 6:30pm for 7 weeks we will have 7 rounds of one game match play qualifying, with points accumulating for the length of the league, and the top qualifiers will play in a playoff on the 8th week. event Organizer: Space City Pinball (Website) More details... Space City Pinball: The Game Preserve Spring - Interstellar Training Space City Pinball: The Game Preserve Spring - Interstellar Training Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: June 10, 2025 - 10:30 PM Location: The Game Preserve, 473 Sawdust Rd, Spring, TX 77380, USA Description: Welcome to Space City Pinball's The Game Preserve League Night - Interstellar Training Season 1! Every Tuesday night starting at 6:30pm for 7 weeks we will have 7 rounds of one game match play qualifying, with points accumulating for the length of the league, and the top qualifiers will play in a playoff on the 8th week. More details... EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Summer Semester Q1 2025 EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Summer Semester Q1 2025 Starts: 7:00 PM Ends: June 10, 2025 - 10:00 PM Location: 873 S Mason Rd #360, Katy, TX 77450 Description: EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Summer Semester Q1 2025 Instructor: Space City Pinball League Course Curriculum: The PhysXXX curriculum includes interactions of matter and energy, velocity, accelerations, force, and momentum. Space Cadets will test their skills to manipulate physical matter using electricity and mechanical engineering constructs. Course Instructions: SCPL Cadets will assembly in small study groups of 3-4. Each group will attempt to outperform their group peers in a test of skill on one of the specialized electromechanical PhysXXX simulators available. SCPL Cadets will perform 3 rounds of 2 games each class session. The series will be 6 weeks long with a minimum attendance of 4 weeks. Cadets desiring to audit for less than 4 weeks are welcome to attend. On the last scheduled date of class after qualifying rounds a class finals will held. The top 4 qualifying SCPL Cadets will compete in a PAPA style finals. Material's List: $1 for IFPA fees & coin-drop Prerequisite: age 21+, familiarity with concepts such as "fun" and "a good time" Electronic Devices: Students should be able to access http://app.matchplay.events/ on a personal electronic device. Summer Semester Q1 series 6/10/2025 6/17/2025 6/24/2025 7/1/2025 7/8/2025 7/15/2025 plus finals More details... • • •	11	12	13 Eureka Heights Friday Tournament Eureka Heights Friday Tournament Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: June 13, 2025 - 9:30 PM Location: 941 W 18th St, Houston, TX 77008, USA Description: Six rounds of group matchplay (7/5/3/1). Top 8 finals. More details... •	14 Belles & Chimes Women's Monthly Belles & Chimes Women's Monthly Starts: 3:00 PM Ends: June 14, 2025 - 7:00 PM Location: Eureka Heights Brew Co, 941 W 18th St, Houston, TX 77008, USA Description: Ladies are placed in groups of 3-4 and play on a random machine. We will play 5 rounds of 2 games for a total of 10 qualifying games. Top players will compete in finals. This is an IFPA sanctioned event for women's ranking. Visit https://www.spacecitypinball.com/bellesandchimes/ or https://www.facebook.com/bellesandchimeshouston/ for more information. More details... •
15 Meteor Strikes at the Little Dipper Meteor Strikes at the Little Dipper Starts: 1:30 PM Ends: June 15, 2025 - 5:30 PM Location: Little Dipper Bar, 304 Main St, Houston, TX 77002, USA Description: Space City Pinball: Meteor Strikes at the Little Dipper Four Strike Tournament 3rd Sunday of the Month 1:30 pm (Doors open at 1pm) 21+ Coin drop. Players are placed in groups of 3-4 and play on a random machine. The bottom two players (bottom player in three player groups) of each game receive a strike. Players who receive four strikes are eliminated from the next round. More details... •	16	17 Space City Pinball: The Game Preserve NASA - Interstellar Training Space City Pinball: The Game Preserve NASA - Interstellar Training Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: June 17, 2025 - 10:00 PM Location: The Game Preserve NASA, 20810 Gulf Fwy Suite Z, Webster, TX 77598, USA Description: Welcome to Space City Pinball's The Game Preserve League Night - Interstellar Training Season 1! Every Tuesday night starting at 6:30pm for 7 weeks we will have 7 rounds of one game match play qualifying, with points accumulating for the length of the league, and the top qualifiers will play in a playoff on the 8th week. event Organizer: Space City Pinball (Website) More details... Space City Pinball: The Game Preserve Spring - Interstellar Training Space City Pinball: The Game Preserve Spring - Interstellar Training Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: June 17, 2025 - 10:30 PM Location: The Game Preserve, 473 Sawdust Rd, Spring, TX 77380, USA Description: Welcome to Space City Pinball's The Game Preserve League Night - Interstellar Training Season 1! Every Tuesday night starting at 6:30pm for 7 weeks we will have 7 rounds of one game match play qualifying, with points accumulating for the length of the league, and the top qualifiers will play in a playoff on the 8th week. More details... EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Summer Semester Q1 2025 EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Summer Semester Q1 2025 Starts: 7:00 PM Ends: June 17, 2025 - 10:00 PM Location: 873 S Mason Rd #360, Katy, TX 77450 Description: EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Summer Semester Q1 2025 Instructor: Space City Pinball League Course Curriculum: The PhysXXX curriculum includes interactions of matter and energy, velocity, accelerations, force, and momentum. Space Cadets will test their skills to manipulate physical matter using electricity and mechanical engineering constructs. Course Instructions: SCPL Cadets will assembly in small study groups of 3-4. Each group will attempt to outperform their group peers in a test of skill on one of the specialized electromechanical PhysXXX simulators available. SCPL Cadets will perform 3 rounds of 2 games each class session. The series will be 6 weeks long with a minimum attendance of 4 weeks. Cadets desiring to audit for less than 4 weeks are welcome to attend. On the last scheduled date of class after qualifying rounds a class finals will held. The top 4 qualifying SCPL Cadets will compete in a PAPA style finals. Material's List: $1 for IFPA fees & coin-drop Prerequisite: age 21+, familiarity with concepts such as "fun" and "a good time" Electronic Devices: Students should be able to access http://app.matchplay.events/ on a personal electronic device. Summer Semester Q1 series 6/10/2025 6/17/2025 6/24/2025 7/1/2025 7/8/2025 7/15/2025 plus finals More details... • • •	18	19 8th Wonder Thursday Night Pinball 8th Wonder Thursday Night Pinball Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: June 19, 2025 - 10:30 PM Location: 8th Wonder Brewery, 2202 Dallas St, Houston, TX 77003, USA Description: Six rounds of group matchplay (7/5/3/1 scoring). Top eight play Amazing Race finals. More details... •	20	21 Monthly Matchplay at TGP Monthly Matchplay at TGP Starts: 4:00 PM Ends: June 21, 2025 - 10:00 PM Location: The Game Preserve, 473 Sawdust Rd, Spring, TX 77380, USA Description: $5 for the tournament in addition to admission to The Game Preserve arcade. 7 rounds of qualifying of matchplay Top 8 in A finals Everyone else invited to a B division 2 strike knockout All ages. All skills. All fun. Visit www.spacecitypinball.com/monthly-tournaments/ for more information! More details... •
22 EinStein's=MatchplayCompetition² EinStein's=MatchplayCompetition² Starts: 1:00 PM Ends: June 22, 2025 - 7:00 PM Location: 16733 W Airport Blvd #290 Richmond, TX 77407 Description: 7 rounds of matchplay qualifying. PAPA finals for top 8. 1 PM start. All ages welcome. $1 + coin drop. More details... •	23	24 Space City Pinball: The Game Preserve NASA - Interstellar Training Space City Pinball: The Game Preserve NASA - Interstellar Training Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: June 24, 2025 - 10:00 PM Location: The Game Preserve NASA, 20810 Gulf Fwy Suite Z, Webster, TX 77598, USA Description: Welcome to Space City Pinball's The Game Preserve League Night - Interstellar Training Season 1! Every Tuesday night starting at 6:30pm for 7 weeks we will have 7 rounds of one game match play qualifying, with points accumulating for the length of the league, and the top qualifiers will play in a playoff on the 8th week. event Organizer: Space City Pinball (Website) More details... Space City Pinball: The Game Preserve Spring - Interstellar Training Space City Pinball: The Game Preserve Spring - Interstellar Training Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: June 24, 2025 - 10:30 PM Location: The Game Preserve, 473 Sawdust Rd, Spring, TX 77380, USA Description: Welcome to Space City Pinball's The Game Preserve League Night - Interstellar Training Season 1! Every Tuesday night starting at 6:30pm for 7 weeks we will have 7 rounds of one game match play qualifying, with points accumulating for the length of the league, and the top qualifiers will play in a playoff on the 8th week. More details... EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Summer Semester Q1 2025 EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Summer Semester Q1 2025 Starts: 7:00 PM Ends: June 24, 2025 - 10:00 PM Location: 873 S Mason Rd #360, Katy, TX 77450 Description: EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Summer Semester Q1 2025 Instructor: Space City Pinball League Course Curriculum: The PhysXXX curriculum includes interactions of matter and energy, velocity, accelerations, force, and momentum. Space Cadets will test their skills to manipulate physical matter using electricity and mechanical engineering constructs. Course Instructions: SCPL Cadets will assembly in small study groups of 3-4. Each group will attempt to outperform their group peers in a test of skill on one of the specialized electromechanical PhysXXX simulators available. SCPL Cadets will perform 3 rounds of 2 games each class session. The series will be 6 weeks long with a minimum attendance of 4 weeks. Cadets desiring to audit for less than 4 weeks are welcome to attend. On the last scheduled date of class after qualifying rounds a class finals will held. The top 4 qualifying SCPL Cadets will compete in a PAPA style finals. Material's List: $1 for IFPA fees & coin-drop Prerequisite: age 21+, familiarity with concepts such as "fun" and "a good time" Electronic Devices: Students should be able to access http://app.matchplay.events/ on a personal electronic device. Summer Semester Q1 series 6/10/2025 6/17/2025 6/24/2025 7/1/2025 7/8/2025 7/15/2025 plus finals More details... • • •	25	26	27	28 PinNutz PinGolf - Gina's B-day PinNutz PinGolf - Gina's B-day Starts: 1:00 PM Ends: June 28, 2025 - 4:00 PM Location: 19318 Wood Village Ln Houston, TX 77084 Description: Play some pingolf and celebrate Gina Low's birthday with us at the LOWer Level Arcade!! https://app.matchplay.events/tournaments/186078 Strokes will be set by the players ranking in matchplay. The better you are the harder the challenge. Giving the lower level players a handicap.$5 dollar buy in. $1 to ifpa $4 to the pot More details... •
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