2011 World Champion Andrei Massenkoff at Free Gold Watch. Photo by Gene X Hwang/Orange Photography

The decision by an Upper Haight silk-screen business to put pinball machines in unused spaces has created a vibrant gaming site. But talk about a gutter ball: city laws do not allow it — although efforts are underway to change those laws some say are meant for a bygone era…

More HERE.

A documentary on the history and culture of Japanese arcades.  Yeah, they still have actual arcades over there.  Lots of them.  There’s a handful of pinball shots but this is more for fans of arcades in general.

The documentary is free on Hulu.

Python Anghelo was a pinball designer and graphic artist.  He moved to the US from Transylvania, Romania at the age of 17.  He is best known for Pinbot and it’s sequel Machine: The Bride of Pinbot, but he also brought us Taxi, Grand Lizard and several others. Of particular note, he designed The Pinball Circus, a vertical pinball whose footprint is similar to a video game cabinet.  Only two prototypes were made, one of which is at the Pinball Hall of Fame in Las Vegas.

Python was always trying different things with his designs.  Not all of it worked, but he was always original.  Gameplay never feels routine from one game to the next.

Python was quite a character and didn’t pull punches.  His Topcast interview is the stuff of legend and when he was a speaker at shows he was always popular because you didn’t know what he might say next.  Maybe occasionally outspoken to a fault but you never doubted his love of pinball.  Rest in peace.

image: http://www.pinballshirts.com

What amazing performances by these two Bay Area players!  Damien Charlety of Sacramento took 2nd against 400 players!  Can you believe Damien only got involved in competitive play in 2011?  What a feat!

Andrei Massenkoff took 4th but also made the Final round in the PAPA Circuit Finals.

HUGE congratulations to these two guys!

Damien Charlety of Sacramento coasted through the Semis.  Andrei Massenkoff won game 4 of the semis to earn a tie-breaker, which he then went on to win!

Final Matches start now (1:50 PM PST).  Check it out!!

http://twitch.tv/papatvpinball

Watch the Circuit finals live from Pittsburgh, PA NOW:

http://www.twitch.tv/papatvpinball

Local legend Andrei Massenkoff competing in the Circuit Finals

Check out the new Wizard of Oz pinball game.  There will also be a casual tournament.

When: Tuesday March 25th at 7 PM.

Where: Hi-Life Pizza, 400 15th Street, Oakland

Facebook Page here.

This evening I went on an urban hike in the Berkeley hills with a fun group of people.  The hike was a zig zag up several pedestrian stairways until we got up to Grizzly Peak.  It was sort of like real-life Donkey Kong!  It was quite a workout, too.  I have new-found respect for Jumpman’s conditioning.

Anyway, when we got to the top, I saw there’s actually a street there called ‘Arcade’.  How cool is that?

Pin a Go Go, California’s longest running pinball show, is just two months away!  Pin a Go Go is laid back, fun and tons of pinball!  It’s about an hour drive from the Bay.  Check it out their site!

Fresh off their travails with the city, Free Gold Watch in SF hosts a benefit for a couple of pinball legends that could use a hand.  Check it out!

[Editor’s note: Though I’ve decided to stop running pinball tournaments, I still support the pinball scene.  I post events as I happen upon them, but if you would like your event posted, you can use the Contact link]

As some of you know I’m on the Predator pre-order list.  I probably won’t see it for at least another six months, but when I do, so will you!  This game will be on location at the Pacific Pinball Museum.  There will be only 250 made, and mine will be among a small handful that won’t be going straight into private collections.

Given the timeline, it won’t be at PAGG this year, unfortunately, but there’s a small chance it might make it to California Extreme.  Either way, it will go to both shows the following year.