Black Hole Rulesheet
                                     by Peter Hall
                          e-mail: [email protected]


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
    _________________________________________________________________