Ryan Zlomek’s lifelong obsession was born when he was just 8 years old. His family traveled to visit a family friend in New Jersey. He ventured into the basement where found classic game consoles like Sega Genesis and Atari. Something else towering above the artifacts caught Zlomek’s eye: a ‘70s-era Dracula pinball machine.

“For me, it was this moment where it was like, ‘Whoa, adults can have toys like this?’” Zlomek said. “I kind of had this idea that someday, I’m going to get a house and have a pinball machine.”

That dream didn’t fade. Within months of owning his first home, Zlomek had picked up two pinball machines on Craigslist and eventually amassed a collection of eight machines.

Now, Zlomek is spreading that love. He recently started Syracuse PINheads, which works alongside the Salt City Pinball League to promote pinball culture in central New York. The league, made of players from around central New York, hosts tournaments and competitions, but both organizations provide a way for anyone interested to explore the hands-on gaming experience.

Though the game’s golden era seems to have passed, Zlomek said interest in pinball is growing again.

In the 1970s, everyone was playing pinball at their local arcade. In the ‘90s, Zlomek said, pinball manufacturing companies made bold moves in improving gaming technology.

Today, Salt City Pinball League board member Dave Cohen said manufacturers are back in the game. Tournament site Al’s Wine & Whiskey Lounge, located downtown near Armory Square, is home to both “Game of Thrones” and “The Walking Dead” themed machines, which Cohen said are some of the newest on the market.

Zlomek aims to bring that pinball revitalization back home to Syracuse.

Enthusiasts come for monthly tournaments at Al’s Wine & Whiskey Lounge and Trapper’s Pizza Pub on Butternut Drive, as well as other events organized by Salt City Pinball League. They’ve been looking to see how they stack up against players in Syracuse and around the world by submitting their scores to the International Flipper Pinball Association, which tallies worldwide rankings.

Some fans are drawn in by the aesthetic of the machines themselves, whether it’s the art on the outside or the technology it takes to run them.

Zlomek owns three machines decorated with the retro pop art styles of well-known pinball machine artist Christian Marche, as well as a few other finds.

Inside, each machine is intricately strung with wires and lights. Mechanics are getting more complex as technology advances, in that they now utilize computers for control.

Pinball machines are notorious for breaking down, so Mike Smith, a Salt City Pinball League board member, said anyone with a few machines tends to have at least basic repair skills.

“Sometimes, you have to remove layers and layers of posts and wires just to change a lightbulb,” Smith said.

But the central New York pinball scene isn’t just for dedicated players with a dozen machines clogging up their basement. Despite always having that Dracula machine in the back of his mind, Zlomek wasn’t always a dedicated pinhead, only playing occasionally as he grew up.

Cohen had a similar experience, drifting toward electronic and video games before returning to pinball.

Something seems to draw old players back in, whether it’s nostalgia or simply the love of the game.

Instead of video games that replicate physics, pinball relies on it. Smith said the physical sensation of firing the ball and the “controlled chaos” of batting it around the board is what hooked him.

But it’s an experience not enough people are engaging in. Smith started a CNY Pinball Facebook group, which has more than 100 members, but he’d still like to see more involvement.

In addition to long tournaments, they host location leagues. Players can stop by a local machine when they have time, snap a picture of their best score and submit it to the Salt City Pinball league.

“Dave’s score is anemic right now,” Zlomek joked as Cohen stepped up to the Swords of Fury machine, this February’s location league spot. Cohen pulled the plunger and, as lights flashed and lion sound effects roared, he attempted to beat his high score.

Swords of Fury is Syracuse Pinhead’s first step toward building a pinball hub in central New York. Nestled in a corner of Cloud City Comics in Shoppingtown Mall, it’s surrounded by classic games like a “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” cabinet game and a “Star Wars” pinball machine awaiting repairs.

Soon, the whole corner will become a retro arcade with more pinball options, with five coming from Zlomek’s own collection. He said he hopes to see it become a space where pinball lovers can gather to face off in tournaments, or just pop a few quarters in a game while discussing strategies.

Despite gentle teasing and healthy dose of competition, pinball in Central New York puts community before high scores.

“Pinball tournaments are for all skill levels, if you’ve never touched a pinball machine before or you have 300 in your basement that you’ve been practicing since the dawn of time,” Zlomek said. “No matter your skill level, they’re open to anybody.”

Published on February 16, 2016 at 8:36 pm

Contact Kathryn: kjkrawcz@syr.edu | @kathrynkrawczyk