You’ve heard of Monday Night Football, but this Monday in Texas it was all about bumpers, multiballs, and skill shots. On April 14, the Free Play Dallas Pinball Monday tournament brought 13 players together for six intense rounds of one-on-one play. With broken clouds rolling over Dallas and the temperature hovering at 83°F, it was the kind of night where you just wanted to be inside—surrounded by the hum of classic machines, the clack of flippers, and the occasional scream from Gorgar.

Where Pixels Meet Pinballs: Free Play Dallas

Tucked into the art-and-food-fueled Trinity Groves neighborhood, Free Play Dallas feels like the perfect fusion of retro culture and modern comfort. The arcade doesn’t just serve nostalgia—it serves nachos, too. The food gets rave reviews (including from more than one flipper-happy blogger), and the flat-rate entry means you can lose all your lives without losing your wallet. On the pinball front, this location boasts a rotating lineup of 20+ machines ranging from early solid-states to the latest LCD-heavy beasts, giving players a true tour of pinball evolution in one room.

A Battle for the Galaxy in Round 2

The high point of the evening came in Round 2, when players clashed on Guardians of the Galaxy, Stern’s 2017 tribute to the Marvel franchise. Designed by John Borg and coded by Dwight Sullivan, it’s a game packed with layered modes, clever combos, and a soundtrack that includes Hooked on a Feeling and Cherry Bomb.

Brian Perlick channeled his inner Peter Quill to light up the modes and stack multiballs in perfect rhythm, managing to edge out Michael Hew—Texas’s 9th-ranked player—in a match that showed how much this game rewards control under chaos. Guardians is notorious for its punishing outlanes and reliance on precise shot-making, especially when trying to advance through the eight featured modes. Caleb Weisgerber and Chris Delp both fell victim to untimely drains, but not before putting up solid scores. For a four-player match, it played out more like a space opera than a casual round.

Stars of the Machine Lineup

The tournament’s machine lineup was a crash course in pinball history—offering everything from speech synthesis experiments to modern code monsters.

At one end of the timeline stood Gorgar, Williams’ 1979 legend and the first talking pinball machine ever. Its seven-word vocabulary (“Me Gorgar. Me beat you.” etc.) sounds quaint today, but at the time it was revolutionary. It’s also a brutally honest table—open layout, no ball saves, and drop targets that taunt you into tilting.

Fast forward to Rush (Pro), Stern’s 2022 tribute to the Canadian prog rock trio. Designed by John Borg with code from Tim Sexton and Raymond Davidson, Rush is a tech-heavy game with upper flipper loops, a time machine mech, and deep song-based modes. It’s one of Stern’s most mechanically intricate recent titles, and when dialed in, it sings—literally.

Players also battled on The Walking Dead (Pro), a blood-soaked classic from Stern’s darker era. With Dwight Sullivan’s code and a grim theme that punishes mistakes, this machine’s drop target-laden playfield and tight shots make every point feel earned. If you don’t manage to light modes or get to Horde, the zombies win.

Newer to the scene was Pulp Fiction by Chicago Gaming—a rare modern release that leans fully into retro aesthetics. The playfield is wide open, with physical ball locks and classic chime sounds that feel more 1983 than 2023. Players praised its fast flow and scene-based mode structure, all tied to the cult Tarantino vibe.

Other standouts included Venom (Pro), Stern’s most recent release featuring branching characters and aggressive code that lets players level up their chosen symbiote across games. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Pro) provided comic-book chaos with stacked multiballs and brutal center shots. And of course, Terminator 2: Judgment Day brought that classic Steve Ritchie flow—return lanes, cannon shots, and one of the first DMDs in pinball history. You haven’t lived until you’ve heard Arnold dare you to destroy the T-1000 mid-multiball.

Rising to the Top in the Lone Star Bracket

With a lean field of just 13 competitors, every match felt like a mini final. There were no easy rounds—just constant pivots between brutal classics and unforgiving moderns. And at the end of six fast-paced games, it was Dallas local Zach Christopoulos who emerged victorious. Though not among the state’s top-ranked players, Zach’s consistent play and sharp adaptation across eras helped him outlast more seasoned tournament vets. His victory was a reminder that on any given night, anyone with a hot flipper hand can take it all.

Michael Hew, one of the most formidable players in Texas and currently sitting inside the state’s top 10, came in second. He played with his usual polished precision, and while he didn’t walk away with the top prize, his finish was another solid entry in what’s shaping up to be a strong season.

Rounding out the podium was Chris Delp, who not only organized the tournament but also managed to put up strong scores across the board—proving that clipboard duty doesn’t slow down your gameplay when you’ve got that much experience behind the glass.

John Richardson grabbed fourth place, leveraging his high-level consistency and cool-under-pressure style that’s made him a regular Top 4 threat in the North Texas scene. He didn’t dominate early, but stayed in striking distance until the end.

Current Texas IFPA Top 10

Wrapping Things Up in Dallas

The April 14 Monday Night tournament at Free Play Dallas delivered what every pinball fan wants: great games, even better competition, and machines that span generations. From the analog growls of Gorgar to the loud, LED-laced callouts of Venom, it was a reminder of just how diverse and exciting competitive pinball can be. Huge thanks to Chris Delp for organizing a tight, fun night of play, and to Free Play Dallas for being one of the best all-you-can-flip spots in Texas. You can follow their future events here.

Until next time, keep those flippers clean, your tilt warnings light, and your high scores climbing. See you on the playfield.