Vacation Heading from WA state to Texas + Stuff to do near TPF + Humpday Wednesday + More

By the time this is published, 4/5th of our fam this morning will be boarding a plane headed to Texas to see the biggest casino in the world: the Winstar (https://www.winstar.com/) and later this week, the Texas Pinball Festival (We will be at Texas Pinball Festival on Saturday March 22, 2025, Are you Attending?)

Billed as the biggest casino in the world, we’re pretty psyched to see this and, hopefully, win some $ (or rather, not lose our shirts!). We will take plenty of pictures for a future write-up for this huge place.

One of our personal favorite casino games is video keno. It’s my understanding most of these games were removed from the Winstar. I heard there might be a few left at/near the bar in the New York area of the casino, so will be checking if that is true. Last year we bought a used video keno game to play (see My 2024 Favorite Gaming-related Hardware Purchase Is …) and figure out some favorite numbers. Booted that up before leaving and playing a bit.

Since we’re going to be there a couple days before TPF starts, we have eyes on at least one other place we plan to visit: Dealey Plaza, the grassy knoll and the sixth floor museum (https://www.jfk.org/).

We’ve written about the JFK assassination at PGM before here: Controversial 2004 Shareware PC Game: JFK Reloaded + Rob Reiner 2023 Podcast Claims Knowing Who Killed JFK and The Four Assassins that Killed JFK November 22, 1963, according to Rob Reiner’s Team. Also, JFK, the Oliver Stone movie starring Kevin Costner as New Orleans Attorney Jim Garrison seeking to prosecute and expose a conspiracy in the assassination. This is a must-see when we’re in Dallas because, who knows when we’ll be visiting this area again. This might be the only time we’re ever there to see this, so I want to take this time and check it out.

Others attending TPF + Recommended Nearby Places To Visit

In a pinball group on Facebook, I asked who else was going to TPF and was given some good suggestions of other things to do in the area besides the show.

Likes and comments still coming in on this post, but seems like a good amount of folks are going and some vendors chimed in to ask us to stop by their booths.

Here are some of the recommended places from others in the area:

• Billy Bob’s – bar / food
• Hutchins BBQ (beef ribs)
• National Video Game Museum (https://nvmusa.org/)
  • Tickets: ($12 adults) – https://nvmusa.org/tickets-membership/
  • Hours: 10am-5pm Mon-Friday
  • This place looks right up our alley
• Reunion Tower
• DMA
• Nasher Sculpture Center
• Dallas World Aquarium
• Klyde Warren Park
• Dallas Farmers Market

Now, let’s talk some virtual pinball.

Convertible Virtual Pinball Prototype

Shared this past week by PGM member Goodgrieff, this convertible arcade to virtual pinball prototype (? – could be some kind of deep fake, too, don’t know) via: https://arcapin.com/

Which transforms when pulled out into this …

Yeah, it’s an interesting concept. No idea if this ever comes to market or not, but with all those screens am guessing it might be a bit costly. Also, the support for when it’s virtual pinball mode? I don’t know.

Skullbox686’s Zaccaria Weekly Pinball Score Chasing: Circus

Got to play a bit of Zaccaria Circus EM on the Sunday Score Chasing Recap Show with special guest host Skullbox686. Managed to roll over to a million and get up near the top 100 in the world.

BRASSLeague is also doing Zaccaria pinball score chasing, and he’s focusing on the Deluxe games.