Site news

Sean O’Neil wins 2nd Canadian Pinball Championship

In a marathon finals match which almost lasted until 11:00 PM, Toronto's own Sean O’Neil won the second CPC, earning $1,000 in cash and a brand new Stern NBA pin.

More details will be made available as they come in.

ToPL on Breakfast Television

BT ran a short segment on pinball, publicizing the second Canadian Pinball Championship and featuring league members Zeus Manolis and Mike Hanley.

Niagara Falls Tournament venue change

Location Update: the Niagara Falls Pinball Tournament has returned to the original location at the Summit Mall after completing recent negotiations. They will have as much room as they need for the pinball show as well as the BBQ cook-off and a new addition to the event: a Classic Car show. This will be the final event of the summer. They will also have live bands on Saturday and Sunday.

ToPL makes great showing at Michigan tournament

League members placed 2nd, 5th, 8th and 11th in A division; 2nd in B division; and 4th in the EM division! Best league performances go to John Flitton (2nd — A division), Les Kowal (2nd — B division), and Zeus Manolis (4th — EM division).

"It's more fun to compete!"

The Toronto Pinball League (ToPL) is an organization that brings together people who love to play pinball competitively. You don't have to be an expert to play with us, but pinball wizards are welcome! We are always looking for new players who are enthusiastic about the exciting game of pinball and can spare a Monday night.

Since 1995, the league has served pinball lovers of all stripes. Players can learn new tricks or just enjoy the fun of competing. Collectors get to talk shop and get answers to maintenance questions. Currently, the league is about half collectors and half players.

If you like playing pinball and live in the greater Toronto area, you are welcome to join us at one of our many locations. We play every Monday starting at 8:00 PM sharp. (We suggest you arrive earlier to warm up.) We can accommodate any number of players, so your friends are welcome as well!

If you don't think you have the skill to compete effectively, think again! Players of equal skill are grouped together, ensuring you a fairer chance at winning.

[Image: Charles being a spoilsport when losing his ball]

A full season of play lasts 15 weeks, and is followed by the playoffs—a day of pinball, food, and refreshments guaranteed to satisfy the pinball lover in you! League fees are $30/season ($2/week for occasional players), plus a $5 location fee to compensate our hosts who invest time, effort, and parts to keep machines in league-ready shape. New players can try ToPL without paying league fees for their first night. (Location fees always apply.) All league money is reinvested in the prize pool and playoffs food/drink.

Prize pool? Yes, that's right—we compete for cash prizes and initials on the Grand Champion trophy at the end of each season. The more players we have, the larger the cash prizes.

League nights are held at some commercial locations, but mostly at member's homes, where the machines are kept in top shape—a true joy to play. You'll have access to a wide variety of machines you would normally be unable to play. Do you need more reasons to join ToPL?

Pinball news

Courtesy of PinballNews.com

BIG BUCK HUNTER PRO

6 March 2010 | 9:30 pm

It's the one you've been waiting for. The second part of the big in-depth review of Stern's Big Buck Hunter Pro is here with over 300 pictures and all the game's rules described in detail. It's everything you need to know.

TWICE THE FUN

20 February 2010 | 8:30 am

Despite having stereo sound and music, many Sega Pinball games were produced with only one speaker. Martin Riley tells us how to bring back that missing second channel.

YOU WANT SEMINARS?

20 February 2010 | 8:30 am

We've got seminars. We start our coverage of the presentations from Pinball Expo, with lots more on the way over the next few weeks.

HUNGARIAN NIGHT OF PINBALL

20 February 2010 | 8:30 am

It's the sixth Pinballs Night in Budapest. The 24 hour non-stop marathon run by the Hungarian Pinball Federation also features the national championship as Zoltan Zsifkovics reports.

P-ROC BAND

20 February 2010 | 8:30 am

Ever wanted to create your own machine or develop a new set of rules for an existing one? We talk to the developers behind the P-ROC pinball controller which lets you do just that.

PINBALL TAKES OFF

20 February 2010 | 8:30 am

San Francisco Airport showcases pinball's history, art and design through the years with a public exhibition on the concourse. Michael Schiess tells the story of this latest arrival.

SOUTH COAST SLAM 2010

20 February 2010 | 8:30 am

We're in Worthing on England's south coast for the South Coast Slam. A Psych-Out tent, the Super Slam Showdown tournament and a surprise guest make this a great first show.

PACIFIC PINBALL MUSEUM

20 February 2010 | 8:30 am

The Lucky Ju Ju expands its premises and becomes the Pacific Pinball Museum. Dave Santi visits their new home and explores the differently-themed rooms of pinball bliss.

EAG-EXPO 2010

20 February 2010 | 8:30 am

We're in East London at the first EAG-Expo to see how this new amusement-centred trade show fares. Plus they happen to have Gary Stern with his new Big Buck Hunter Pro games there.