Black Hole Rulesheet
by Peter Hall
e-mail: storks_nest_pins@hotmail.com
This is a text version of this rule sheet. HTML version plus other
goodies can be found at http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Jetty/8726/
Game Objectives:
Black Hole is a tough game to play! The perfect ball would be to spell out
B-L-A-C-K H-O-L-E on the upper field's drop-targets to give 3x g-force
scoring on the lower playfield, hit the 4 yellow spot-targets, capture a
ball on the upper playfield. Then shoot the second ball up the Gravity
Tunnel and down to the lower playfield, completing the 3 and 4-bank
drop-targets and making the multiplier roll-under a few times, before
ramming the ball into the lower captive hole. You're now set for multiball,
and rattling up a huge 5x bonus score, so don't waste anytime getting the
third ball down below to enjoy 2-ball play in the Black Hole. Completing
either drop-target bank will open the Re-Entry Gate (back to the upper
playfield), but keep playing down below until you have 5 x 900'000+ bonus*,
then let them drain and prepare to enjoy 3-ball play up top and downstairs
too if you like. When your arms ache, the balls will drain and the bonus
count down. Repeat for an infinite number of earned extra balls. Easy to
describe, somewhat harder to achieve! Black Hole Rules!
* Don't be greedy! If you go beyond 999'990 you're back to zero!
MAIN PLAYFIELD
================
UPPER ROLLOVERS (3)
Location: Top of playfield - immediately after ball enters playfield
from plunger lane.
Scoring: 3'000 when red spot is lit at start of ball, 500 when unlit.
Extra: Completing each rollover extinguishes the red spot, completing
all 3 rollovers resets the sequence and advances the bonus multiplier to
be applied to all lower playfield scoring.
Note: The BH manual incorrectly states that rollovers completed are
remembered for each player from ball-to-ball.
POP-BUMPERS (4)
Location: 3 at top of playfield, beneath the upper rollovers, and
between the B-L-A-C-K H-O-L-E drop-target banks. 1 at bottom left of
playfield above entrance to left in-/out-lanes.
Scoring: 100 per hit (1'000 in 3-ball play)
Extra: Closes re-entry gate except during multi-ball play.
B-L-A-C-K and H-O-L-E DROP-TARGET BANKS
Location: Upper left and right of playfield respectively.
Scoring: 500 when unlit, or 3'000 when orange arrow is lit or flashing
(5'000 in 3-ball play), 10 points per hit on the rubber behind.
Extra: Completing B-L-A-C-K sequence resets bank and lights green
spinning target spot. Completing H-O-L-E sequence resets bank and lights
upper right rollover lane green 10'000 spot. Completing either sequence
lights a "g force" accelerator spot, giving 2x scoring on the lower
playfield. Completing both sequences lights the the red special spot of
the 3 drop-target bank on the lower playfield, and lights the second "g
force" accelerator spot, giving 3x scoring on the lower playfield. The
sequence completed on both banks is remembered from ball-to-ball for each
player, unless both sequences are completed, in which case both sequences
are reset for the next ball.
YELLOW STANDING TARGETS (4)
Location: in-line, lower right of playfield.
Scoring: 3,000 when lit at start of ball, 500 when unlit.
Extra: Hitting each target when lit extinguishes that target's yellow
spot and lights the yellow spot in front of the corresponding drop-target
(4-bank) on the lower playfield. Completing all 4 targets lights the blue
flashing "Captive Hole" spot on the main playfield, and lights the green
"Opens Gate" arrow on the right return rollover.
CAPTIVE HOLE
Location: Left centre of playfield, above upper left flipper
Scoring: 5'000
Extra: Awards extra ball when white spot is lit. Captures ball when
blue spot is flashing.
Note: A captive ball will be ejected when the ball in play is lost.
ROLLUNDER GATE
Location: Left lane, leading through gate to roll-overs at top of
playfield, behind B-L-A-C-K drop-target bank.
Scoring: 5'000 when unlit, 10'000 when white spot is lit
Extra: Awards extra ball when pink spot is lit, awards special when red
lamp is lit.
SPINNING TARGET
Location: Entrance to Gravity Tunnel (route to lower playfield).
Scoring: 100 points per revolution when unlit, 1'000 points when green
spot is lit.
RIGHT UPPER ROLLOVER
Location: Upper right playfield, behind H-O-L-E drop-target bank.
Scoring: 500 when unlit, 10'000 when green spot is lit.
RIGHT RETURN LANE ROLLOVER
Location: Lower right of playfield, leading to right flippers.
Scoring: 500 when unlit, 5'000 when green arrow is flashing.
Extra: Completing the rollover when the green arrow is flashing opens
the re-entry gate.
OTHER (10 point switches)
Kicking rubber - left playfield, to right of captive hole.
Island above left return lane.
Island to left of right return lane.
LOWER PLAYFIELD
=================
(Top = closest to the player, but left/right= player's left/right)
4 DROP-TARGET BANK
Location: Left, top of lower playfield.
Scoring: 100 when unlit, 1'000 when yellow spot is lit (300 and 3'000
in 3-ball play).
Extra: Completing all targets resets the bank and opens the re-entry
return gate. Completing all targets when yellow spots are lit, lights the
upper playfield Captive Hole white extra ball spot.
3 DROP-TARGET BANK
Location: Right top of lower playfield.
Scoring: 500 per target. 10 points per hit on the rubber behind.
Extra: Completing all targets resets the bank, opens the re-entry
return gate and advances the upper playfield rollunder gate's value.
Awards special when red spot is lit.
CAPTIVE HOLE
Location: Left top of lower playfield, entrance below and to left of 4
drop-target bank.
Scoring: 3'000
Extra: Captures ball when 3 blue arrows are flashing (they are always
flashing unless there is a captive ball, when they are locked on.)
ROLLUNDER GATE
Location: Exit of "boomerang" lane behind 3 drop-target bank.
Scoring: 100
Extra: Advances the bonus multiplier to be applied to all lower
playfield scoring.
LEFT RETURN ROLLOVER
Location: left of playfield, leading to left flipper.
Scoring: 100
POP-BUMPERS (2)
Location: centre right of playfield, and very top centre of playfield.
Scoring: 100
KICKING TARGET
Location: Lower left of playfield, facing the 3 drop-target bank.
Scoring 10 points.
KICKING RUBBER
Location - adjacent to right flipper.
Scoring: 10
MULTI-BALL PLAY
================
Once both the main and lower playfield captive holes are holding a
ball, shooting the ball via the Gravity Tunnel to the lower playfield
will initiate the multi-ball mode. The ball held captive in the lower
playfield hole is released first, giving 2-ball play. When both of these
balls have been lost on the lower playfield, the third ball held captive
on the upper playfield will be released back into play, and the 2 drained
balls will be shot back up to the main playfield via the re-entry tube.
If the re-entry gate is open, these 2 balls will return to the main
playfield, giving 3-ball play. If the re-entry gate is closed however,
the balls will drain down the out-lane and single ball play will
continue.
BONUS POINTS
==============
Bonus points are only earned on the lower playfield, and are
accumulated on the LED display in the lower playfield window. At the the
end of each ball, the product of the bonus points and the multiplier
value are added to the player's score. "G force" double scoring is
remembered from ball-to-ball.
=============================================================
Score Card (converted to text)
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| BLACK HOLE |
| |
| |
| SCORES ARE LISTED FROM LIBERAL TO CONSERVATIVE. |
| |
| RECOMMENDED CARDS ARE MARKED * FOR 3 BALL AND + FOR 5 BALL |
| |
| |
| REPLAY || ADD-A-BALL |
| || |
| *A-21347 200,000-600,000 || *+A-20904 300,000-600,000 |
| || |
| A-20899 300,000-600,000 || A-20905 350,000-650,000 |
| || |
| +A-20900 350,000-650,000 || |
| || |
| A-20901 400,000-700,000 || |
| || |
| A-20664 470,000-760,000 || |
| |
|NOTE: IF GAME IS OPERATED WITHOUT "HIGH GAME TO DATE FEATURE|
| TURN SCORE CARD OVER |
| |
| |
| A-21348 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
\ \
\ 1 REPLAY FOR EACH SCORE OF 350,000 POINTS. \
\ \
\ 1 REPLAY FOR EACH SCORE OF 650,000 POINTS. \
\ \
\ 3 REPLAYS FOR BEATING HIGH SCORE TO DATE. \
\ \
\ A-20900 \
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
(same card as 5 ball)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ How to Play BLACK HOLE 3 BALLS+
+ PER GAME+
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
+ +
+CAPTIVE BALL....Completing yellow spot targets activates upper captive+
+ hole. +
+ Lower captive hole is always active and holds ball +
+ from player to player. +
+ +
+MULTIPLE BALL...After capturing two balls, shooting ball into Black +
+ Hole starts 2-ball play. If upper gate is open, 3-ball+
+ play starts upon re-entry. +
+ +
+SPECIAL.........Completing B-L-A-C-K H-O-L-E flashing sequence lights +
+ lower playfield Special. Completing white drop targets+
+ 3 times lights upper Special. +
+ +
+EXTRA BALL......Completing white drop targets 2 times lights upper +
+ Extra Ball. +
+ Completing yellow drop targets, when lit, lights upper+
+ hole for Extra Ball. +
+ +
+RE-ENTRY........Completing either lower target bank opens gate. Right +
+ return lane opens gate when flashing. +
+ +
+BONUS...........All lower playfield scoring is bonus. Bonus is +
+ displayed in playfield window and collected after each+
+ ball. +
+ +
+MULTIPLIERS.....Completing top rollovers advances multiplier. Lower +
+ playfield lane advances multiplier. +
+ +
+ A-21344 +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Text © Peter Hall 1998
_________________________________________________________________
