It’s Tournament Time

Feeling the need for some friendly competition? You’re not alone! As stated by phsychologytoday.com, “For most people, there is something inexplicably compelling about the nature of competition. Perhaps that’s because, as some scholars argue, “competitiveness” is a biological trait that co-evolved with the basic need for (human) survival.”

Lucky for you, your local arcade bar hosts various tournaments on a weekly and monthly basis, with some special pop-up competitions thrown in to spice things up, which are all always free to play! These tournaments are meant to be friendly and fun, but let’s be honest – things are always more fun when you win, which is why we typically award prizes to the top 3 players or teams in any given competition. What will I win, you ask? Although prizes may vary by the day and tournament, gift cards are often the award of choice, with incremental amounts corresponding to your placement. (So even if you lose, you may not walk away a (total) loser!)

You do not have to be part of any official league to play, and you can play as little or as often as you like. Just show up 45 minutes before any of our tournaments (to be safe) and sign up to compete – it’s that easy! We encourage you to keep an eye on our Raleigh and Greensboro tournaments Pages for the latest on our recurring and pop up events, but here’s a sneak peek at what we’ve got lined up for you at each of our Boxcar Bar + Arcade locations:

Raleigh

Air Hockey Tournaments

Join us on Mondays at 9pm for our free, weekly air hockey tournament. Signups begin on-site around 8:30pm, the tournament is likely to last around 2 hours and the top 3 winners are typically awarded with gift cards in increments of $25, $15 and $10. The first Monday of every month is a themed event (not required), which you’ll have a chance to vote on during the course of our monthly tournaments, and prizes for this themed event are often extra special. Join our Air Hockey Tournament Event on Facebook for information about each month’s themed event!

Skeeball Tournaments

Bring your skills to the Skeeball lanes every Thursday at 9pm for our free weekly Skeeball Tournament event! Check in with our staff as a team (of up to 3 players) or an individual (individuals will be added to or organized into teams) by 8:45pm to claim your spot in any of our free weekly tournaments. Each tournament consists of 6 frames with 9 rolls per frame and the length of the tournament depends on the number of teams that have signed up, with a cap of 15 teams per event (so check in early!). Although prizes may vary by week, the top 3 teams typically walk away with gift cards in the amount of $40, $25 or $15. Join our Skeeball Tournament Event on Facebook for the latest!

“Selfie” Pinball Tournaments

It’s easy to compete in the monthly “Selfie” pinball tournament, managed by Triangle Pinball Players. Simply register for a free account, then begin posting “selfies” of your high scores to your account throughout the month. Tournament details and registration can be found on our website.

Pop Up Tournaments

We typically host 1-2 popup tournaments each month, with Smash Brothers and Mario Kart being some of the regular games of choice. Follow us on Twitter to participate in the next pop-up tournament poll, where we occasionally ask for your input on which console games you’d most like to see us play in our next pop-up tournament. Next up: Super Smash Brothers Melee Tournament, sponsored by Bell’s Brewery, coming up on Wednesday, September 20th. Register online now.

Greensboro

Air Hockey Tournaments

Air hockey tournaments go down at our Greensboro location every Tuesday at 9pm! Registration opens on-site around 8:30pm and you can plan on the tournament lasting around 2 hours, depending on the number of players. Gift cards in various increments are typically awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place players ($25, $15 and $10). Join our Air Hockey Tournament Event on Facebook for the latest.

Skeeball Tournaments

Not only can you practice for free all day long on Thursdays, when the Skeeball lanes are set to free play, but you can stay to compete in our free weekly tournament, which kicks off every Thursday at 9pm. As with all tournaments, prizes may vary by week, but the top 3 teams often walk away with a $40, $25 or $15 gift card. Individuals or teams (of up to 3 players) are welcome to sign up, as we’ll organize individual players into teams before the event kicks off. We cap the event at 15 teams, so be sure to check in around 8:30pm for the best chance to play, and follow our Skeeball Tournament event on Facebook for the latest!

Popup Tournaments

We hosted our first official pop-up tournament in August of this year at our Greensboro location and we’re planning on hosting pop up events every 3-6 weeks moving forward! Follow us on Facebook or stay tuned to our website Tournaments page for the for details on future popup events, and register now for the upcoming Super Smash Brothers 64 tournament, going down on Wednesday, September 20th!

With plenty of ways to compete and always-free entry, it’s easy to fulfill that “biological” need for friendly competition at your local Boxcar Bar + Arcade location. So mark your calendars and put those mad arcade gaming skills to good use by joining us for one of our next recurring, monthly or pop-up tournament events! Good luck, players.