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The clatter of bumpers, bells and rolling steel balls is drawing pinball fans to Continues Arcade in Old Town Alexandria, where the growing community could soon have regular tournaments and an in-house league.

Owner Allen Brooks said some players already visit specifically to test their skills across the arcade’s 10 machines. Two couples have even expressed interest in getting married there in 2026.

The collection includes four newer Stern machines: “Uncanny X-Men,” “Godzilla,” “Foo Fighters” and “Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant’s Eye.”

Six older games round out the lineup: “Big Guns,” “Doctor Who,” “The Simpsons Pinball Party,” “Family Guy,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Medieval Madness.”

Brooks said “X-Men” and “Star Trek” typically attract the longest lines. The arcade’s oldest machine, “Big Guns,” dates to 1987 and features an unusual space-kingdom theme along with a backglass feature that functions almost like a separate game.

Competitive pinball draws thousands

The enthusiasm in Alexandria reflects pinball’s broader competitive following. In mid-January, the International Flipper Pinball Association held championship events featuring leading players from across North America.

The IFPA staged 49 state championship finals, plus one in Washington, D.C., and eight provincial finals in Canada. About 1,200 finalists competed for nearly $170,000, state or provincial titles and places in the IFPA North American Pinball Championship.

Virginia professional Julian Carlucci emerged as the local winner.

The following day, 896 finalists competed in the IFPA Women’s North American Championship Series for more than $16,000, titles and berths in the women’s continental championship.

Arvid Flygare of Lund, Sweden, was named the 2025 Pinball Player of the Year. At 17, he was ranked fourth in the world. McLean resident Kevin Stone also placed highly in Virginia during 2025. Players from the United States occupied the top two positions in the world rankings, followed by competitors from New Zealand and Finland.

Competitive pinball has its own conduct code. Although tilting is not specifically listed, the rules prohibit abusive machine handling, including slamming, death saves and intentional damage.

Brooks said the arcade has not encountered rowdy behavior, with customers generally treating the machines as works of art.

Continues Arcade is located at 1050 N. Fayette Street in Alexandria and can be reached at 703-217-5408.