Hole Light

A Hole Light (Japanese: HOLEライト Hole Light) is any of the four lights found at the bottom of all fields in Pokémon Pinball and Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire. When the four lights are turned on, the Slot Mode starts.

Terminology

In the English version of Pokémon Pinball, the four lights spell "CAVE", which is related to the Bonus Cave that opens when all lights are turned on. In the Japanese version, the lights spell "HOLE" and the Bonus Cave is named ボーナスホール Bonus Hole instead. In both the English and Japanese versions of Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, the lights spell "HOLE" and the hole is named Center Hole (Japanese: センターホール Center Hole).

In the English and Japanese manuals of Pokémon Pinball, the four lights are not named, unlike most mechanics in the pinball tables. They refer to the lights as the "four lights (C, A, V and E) in the Out Lanes and Return Lanes" (Japanese: アウトレーンとリターンレーンには合計4つのライト(H・O・L・E)). The name "Hole Light" (Japanese: HOLEライト Hole Light) appears in the manual of Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire.

Mechanics

The Hole Lights are found in all four main playing fields: the Red Field and Blue Field from Pokémon Pinball; and the Ruby Field and Sapphire Field from Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire. The four lights are located at the top of the two Out Lanes (the outer exits at the bottom) and the two Return Lanes (the inner passages at the bottom which return the ball to the Flippers). The four lights are turned off by default at the start of the game. If the player loses a ball, then the four lights are turned off again.

If the ball touches a light, it turns on. If the player presses the button associated with the Left or the Right Flipper, all the lights are moved to that direction, except the last light goes to the other side. For instance, pressing the Right Flipper button causes the 1nd light to go to the 2nd place, the 2nd light to the 3rd place and so on, and the 4th light goes to the 1st place at the other side.

When all four lights have been turned on, the Slot Mode becomes available. The Pokémon Panel displays the word "Slot" and the Bonus Cave / Center Hole (a hole near the middle of the field) opens. If the ball enters the hole while the Slot Mode is available, the player will receive one of various prizes.

In Pokémon Pinball, it is possible to turn on the four lights again before entering the hole, in which case the Slot Mode will be available again after the player receives the prize. In Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, this is not possible because the four lights remain on until the ball enters the hole.

The Slot Mode is unavailable during the Catch 'em Mode, Evolution Mode, Egg Mode, and Travel Mode, and when a Bonus Stage (such as the Seel Stage, Diglett Stage, Duskull Stage, Kecleon Stage, etc.) is available. If the four Hole Lights were already on when the current mode started, or if the player turns them during the current mode, then the Slot Mode will be available after the current mode ends. In Pokémon Pinball, the player may turn on the Hole Lights multiple times during the current mode, but only one instance of the Slot Mode will appear after the current mode ends. In Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, the four lights remain on during the current mode until it ends.

Scores

Action	Poké Ball (×1)	Great Ball (×2)	Ultra Ball (×3)	Master Ball^{Pinball RS} (×4)	Master Ball^Pinball (×5)
Turn on any Hole Light except the last	1,000	2,000	3,000	4,000	5,000
Turn on the last Hole Light in Pokémon Pinball	5,000	10,000	15,000	—	25,000
Turn on the last Hole Light in Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire	4,000	8,000	12,000	16,000	—

Gallery

Screenshots

These are screenshots with all four lights turned on.


Red Field (GBC)	Red Field (GB)	Ruby Field

Blue Field (GBC)	Blue Field (GB)	Sapphire Field

Sprites

Pokémon Pinball

English
Japanese
	Red Field	Blue Field	GB	Off

The French, German, Italian, and Spanish versions use the same "CAVE" sprites as the English version. The letter "E" is visually identical in both the English "CAVE" and Japanese "HOLE".