The Real Story of Texas Pinball Festival 2026

I just got back from the 2026 Texas Pinball Festival (TPF 2026) and there is A LOT to unpack. While the echo chambers creators are sticking to the marketing scripts, I’m diving into the actual gameplay, build quality, and the rumors floating around the floor in Frisco.

In this video, we’re going booth-by-booth to see who actually brought the heat this year. We’ll look at the massive presence of the major players like Stern, Spooky, Jersey Jack Pinball, Turner Pinball, Barrels of Fun, and American Pinball!

Whether you’re a collector or just a fan of pinball, this is an unfiltered, new hobbyist’s perspective on the state of pinball in 2026.

Key highlights include:

Classic & Retro Zone: Over 500 machines dating from the 1940s to the mid-2000s, all in excellent condition. Notable mentions include Tales of the Arabian Nights and Circus Voltaire with modern lighting, and a rare Cadillacs and Dinosaurs arcade cabinet (4:12-7:34).

Barrels of Fun: Showcased the highly praised Winchester Mystery House (7:34-9:01).

Spooky Pinball: Dominated their booth with a large number of Beetlejuice machines (9:01-12:48).

Turner Pinball: Debuted the new Yukon Yeti machine, which had very long lines (12:48-13:56).

American Pinball: Featured a special 100th-edition Houdini (13:56-16:07).

Jersey Jack Pinball: Had a large presence highlighting the Harry Potter machine (16:07-19:10).

Stern Pinball: Showcased many Pokémon machines, along with a Walking Dead remaster and new Spike 3 lighting technology (19:37-21:39).

Homebrew & Customization: A deep dive into custom-built machines, such as Friday the 13th and Big Trouble in Little China, which match commercial quality (22:03-23:40).

Toppers and Accessories: A look at aftermarket vs. official toppers, featuring standout designs for Mandalorian and King Kong (23:40-25:00).