Local business owner to compete in national pinball championship

Across southern Missouri and northwestern Arkansas, the pinball community has seen a resurgence in recent years. Some enthusiasts attribute this growth to the positive social experience and camaraderie of friendly in-person competition offered by pinball arcades. 

Several area arcades offer a place to play pinball, either casually or competitively. Some of those are 1984 Branson, a classic ‘80s arcade; Perfect Tilt in Springfield; and PinPoint in Fayetteville, Arkansas. A variety of events, including weekly league nights and themed tournaments, occur on a regular basis throughout the year; and there are opportunities through the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA) to compete at local, state, national, and international levels. 

Each year in January, every state holds a State Championship Series to compete for one spot at the North American Championship Series held in March; the winner of that series then advances to compete at the international level. State lines are drawn somewhat loosely as players find camaraderie in various locations, particularly if they live near a boundary or have family or business interest in more than one state. 

A Branson local and area business owner, Trent Kent, earned a spot in the Arkansas State Championship by competing in tournaments in the state throughout 2024, acquiring enough points to qualify in the top 16. On January 18, 2025, he captured the Arkansas State Championship Series, hosted by PinPoint in Fayetteville, and will move on to the North American Championship Series, to be held March 6–9, 2025, at Rochester Pinball Collective in Rochester, New York. Since this championship series is on a larger scale than state-level championships, the prize packages are significant. This year, first place gets the winner a new-in-box Stern pro pinball machine, a trophy, and the North American Pinball Champion title; others placing near the top receive cash prizes and a commemorative plaque. The winner of this series will then go on to compete in the IFPA World Pinball Championship series, June 27–29, 2025, in Ragnitz, Austria. 

To help Trent with travel expenses and entry fees for the National Championship in Rochester, a fundraiser will be held Saturday, March 1, at Perfect Tilt Pinball, 521 S. Glenstone Ave. in Springfield, starting at 1 p.m. Entry fee is $20 to play in a casual tournament for all skill levels, and this fundraiser is the perfect opportunity to see what the local pinball community and events are all about, while supporting the dream of a 417-land local. Trent’s National Championship appearance is sponsored by Perfect Tilt, and he will be wearing custom Perfect Tilt gear in New York to help promote awareness of the SW Missouri/NW Arkansas area pinball community. 

For more information about the fundraiser, check out Perfect Tilt Pinball's Facebook event page. To follow Trent's progress or the championship series in general, the event will be streamed by Back Hand Pinball on March 6–9, at www.youtube.com/@BackhandPinball or www.twitch.com/BackhandPinball. You can also search Pinball Match Play, the system used by IFPA to record and track tournaments, and click 2024–2025 IFPA North American Pinball Championship. Players can follow along with current events from their mobile devices and view historical data for past events. 

If you are interested in getting involved in local pinball events, follow the Springfield, MO/Ozarks Pinball & Arcade Club on Facebook, an active page that is a great way to get connected. Trent hopes to help continue growing the local pinball community, increasing awareness and promoting fun events the local venues provide. 

A popular saying in the pinball community, coined by Perfect Tilt, is "If You're Playing, You're Winning!" We at the Globe wish Trent safe travel and success at the tournament!