That’s when he nabbed first place at a world championship competition in Pennsylvania. A taste of the silver crownĮscher’s first taste of pinball glory was at the age of 13. Hart Van Denburg/CPR News Adam Lefkoff lifts the top of a machine to show its inner workings Feb. Have an end goal,” he said.Īs he practiced, the sound of theatrical music, bells, character voices and whistles filled the family barn - along with the classic sound of pinball flippers.Įven though he’s played this game hundreds of times before, his eyes stay laser-focused on the ball. “That's why having a plan in pinball is so important because you gotta know what you're doing next. “And Escher is one of the best at knowing all the rules.”Ī few weeks ahead of his next competition, he took some time to practice on one of his favorite pinball machines at home: A Jurassic Park-themed game, which features a map of the Nublar Islands and a giant animatronic T-Rex head.Įscher says every game has a story, and the first rule of winning means playing along. “It’s like if you played baseball and every single ballpark was completely different,” said Adam Lefkoff, Escher’s dad. Each machine has a specific storyline, with special ways to earn bonus points and extra playtime. “I had this pinball life coach in my life telling me everything that I need to,” he said.Įscher’s specialty became knowing hundreds - if not thousands - of different pinball game maps by heart. “Then three weeks later I was great at it,” he said.Ĭourtesy of Adam Lefkoff Escher Lefkoff (left) and Adam Lefkoff (right) pose for a photo after competing in a pinball tournament in Texas in 2010.Įscher credits his relationship with his dad for his world-class improvement and success. The two practiced the move for 20 minutes at a time, figuring out the proper hand placement and timing out the exact millisecond to press each flipper button. To help Escher learn, Adam took the glass off the top of an Indiana Jones pinball machine they had at home. Hart Van Denburg/CPR News Escher Lefkoff's dad, Adam Lefkoff, who is also a collector and competitive pinball player. It works like this: A player slows the motion of the ball by keeping a flipper upright and releasing it just as the ball makes contact. He remembers one technique called a “drop catch.” It’s considered one of the hardest to master. When he saw his dad use a new trick, he would then go home and learn it. By 4, he began to compete in junior league championships. As a toddler, Escher stood on a small wooden stool between his dad and the machine so he could watch him play. Starting at age 3, Escher tagged along with Adam to gatherings at a local arcade called Lyons Classic Pinball. His family has a pinball machine- and trophy-filled barn in Longmont, and Adam is also an accomplished competitive player and local league organizer. It all began as a way for Lefkoff to spend time with his dad, Adam. Hart Van Denburg/CPR News Escher Lefkoff practices Feb. They see the game as a way of life - similar to Lefkoff and his father, Adam, who inspired him to start playing. I just love it.”Īrcades such as 1-up in Denver and Pinball Jones in Fort Collins regularly host tournaments where Escher and other world-class players based along the Front Range face off. “I play video games and online games, but nothing really is the same. There is an actual steel ball rolling around that I have control over,” he said. It sets it apart from other games in an increasingly digital world of video streaming and social media. Pinball’s community and physicality keep Lefkoff hooked. “So you have no other choice but to quit or get good, and the people that choose to get good get really good.” “There’s so many good players now, especially in Colorado,” Lefkoff said.
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