On any given weekend in southern Denton County, the flashing lights and metallic clack of silver balls ricocheting off bumpers can be heard inside private homes turned arcade havens.
For a growing number of residents in Bartonville, Copper Canyon, Flower Mound, Lantana and beyond, pinball and classic arcade machines aren’t just nostalgic relics of childhood — they are prized collectibles, competitive outlets and social gathering points.
Through the DFW Pinball League, more than 1,000 members ranging in age from 3 to 81 — about 100 of them active — gather year-round to compete, restore machines and relive the heyday of coin-operated gaming.
Founded in its current form in 2015 by Louis Marx, 51, the league has become one of the most active private-collector communities in the country.
“We’re known for having among the highest number of private collectors in the country,” said Marx, a financial services branch manager who owns 26 machines. “It’s a party first. Someone is going to come in first. Someone is going to come in last. Have fun and don’t take it too seriously.”
Flower Mound resident Pat Danis, 66, remembers buying his first arcade game — an upright “Centipede” machine — for $25 roughly 25 years ago. A retired American Airlines pilot, Danis once owned more than 200 machines before scaling back to 11.
“It’s going back to my childhood playing games I was familiar with,” Danis said. “Nothing is cheap anymore.”
Machines that once sold for a few hundred dollars now command thousands. New models can exceed $15,000, with prices rising sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s challenging but fun,” Danis said. “There are some who take this very, very seriously. I’m just a casual player. I like to drink beer and have fun.”
While pinball machines can be found at Arcade 92 in Flower Mound and Pinball in the Mall inside The Vista shopping center in Lewisville, few other brick-and-mortar venues operate in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. As a result, the league typically hosts events in members’ homes, where attendees can view private collections. Most tournaments are sanctioned by the International Flipper Pinball Association.
Bartonville resident Mike Loeckle, 59, built a dedicated game room after moving from Southlake in 2020. More than 50 of his nearly 65 machines are on display.
“Like so many people, we grew up with it,” said Loeckle, an information technology consultant. “I just grew up loving pinball and arcade games.”
Copper Canyon resident Rusty Nunnelee has collected 32 pinball machines and roughly 35 to 40 video games since buying his first machine in 1996.
“Pinball rewards you with an extra ball or a whole new game,” Nunnelee said. “That’s what drew me to it.”
Flower Mound resident Summer Armistead joined the league three years ago and owns two machines.
“It’s just been a great family feel for us,” Armistead said. “I love that it’s a physical game rather than digital.”
Lantana resident Michael Hew discovered the league after stumbling across a livestream and attending a free-play event. He purchased his first machine in 2017.
“I didn’t realize it was that active and that they were playing year-round,” Hew said. “I don’t play golf anymore.”
Many league members will attend the Texas Pinball Festival, March 20–22 at the Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco Hotel and Convention Center. The event is considered the country’s second-largest trade show dedicated to pinball and arcade gaming.
For these local enthusiasts, the appeal goes beyond high scores and flashing lights. It’s about preserving a piece of Americana — one quarter at a time.
