The Red Field is a nod to Pokémon Red. It is played across two screens that alternate depending on where the ball is: an upper screen, with the bumpers and the targets that start the modes, and a lower screen, with the flippers, the counters and the targets that trigger Travel. It features 12 locations and 27 Pokémon exclusive to it, evolutions included. This page describes every element from top to bottom; the detailed mechanics are covered on the Catch ‘Em, Evolution and map and locations pages.
The upper screen
The three Voltorb
In the middle of the screen, three Voltorb act as bumpers. Each hit is worth 5,000 points. They are at the heart of Catch ‘Em mode, where six hits reveal the silhouette of the Pokémon to catch, and they are among the possible targets in Evolution Mode. During both of these modes, each hit also adds to the jackpot (100,000 points in Catch ‘Em, 150,000 in Evolution).
Bellsprout
In the upper right corner, Bellsprout swallows the ball for a moment before spitting it back out. If at least two of the three GET arrows are lit, this pass starts Catch ‘Em mode. The entry is worth 100,000 points, adds 500,000 points to the jackpot of a Catch ‘Em mode already in progress, and counts toward the bonus ball: every 25 entries, an extra ball is awarded. When all three GET arrows are lit, an extra small arrow appears beneath Bellsprout to signal it.
Ditto and the Evolution hole
In the upper left corner, Ditto blocks the entrance to the Evolution hole. It takes on three appearances: small when the ball is launched, large as long as the three EVO arrows are not all lit, and almost gone when they are. In that last case, the ball can enter the hole from the outer left loop and Evolution Mode begins. The entry is worth 100,000 points. If no Pokémon has been caught in the game, the ball comes back out without triggering anything and the hole stays open. During a Catch ‘Em, Evolution or Travel Mode, Ditto returns to its place even if all three arrows are lit.
Staryu and the Ball Multiplier lanes
Between the inner left loop and the Voltorb, Staryu (not to be confused with its evolution Starmie, which is absent from the table) controls access to the three Ball Multiplier lanes at the top of the screen. At the start of the game, these lanes are closed. Each hit on Staryu opens or closes them all together; a small Staryu on the left of the lower screen shows their status when the upper screen is out of view. This hit is worth 50,000 points. Once open, the three lights come on when the ball touches them, and the Ball Upgrade is triggered when all of them are lit: see Ball Upgrade.
The three loops and the spinner
The Red Field has three passages: the outer left loop, the inner left loop and the right loop. The first two start from the lower screen on the left, the last one on the right. Each ends, at the top, on a yellow rectangle: that is what the ball has to reach for the loop to count.
- The outer left loop carries the three EVO arrows. Each pass lights the next one.
- The inner left loop has no arrow of its own, but a dedicated arrow points to it during a Travel started from the left side.
- The right loop carries the three GET arrows and the spinner: each full turn is worth 100 points and charges the Thunder gauge, which Pikachu needs.
You do not need to go all the way around the screen: the ball only has to reach the yellow rectangle, after which it can come back down the same loop or through the Voltorb area.
The lower screen
The two Diglett and their Dugtrio
On each side of the screen, a Diglett can be hit by the ball, and a partially buried Dugtrio, out of reach, serves as a counter. Each hit is worth 5,000 points and brings up one of the three Dugtrio heads on the same side. You have to hit the same Diglett three times for the Dugtrio to come out fully and for Travel Mode to start. With no new hit, the counter drops by one notch, meaning one head sinks back in, roughly every eight seconds. Losing the ball buries all the heads. Completed triplets count toward a bonus ball every ten, and are worth 50,000 points each in the end-of-ball bonus tally.
The Bonus hole, the panel and the counter
In the center, the Bonus hole opens when all four CAVE lights are lit, when a bonus stage is available, or during a Travel. Just above it, the Pokémon panel shows the current location, the silhouette to catch, or the order to head to the bonus. Beneath the panel, a counter of three Poké Balls tracks access to the bonus stages.
The Bonus Multiplier, Pikachu and CAVE
Near the loop entrances, two buttons tied to two digits, tens on the left and units on the right, raise the Bonus Multiplier. At the bottom, the two outlanes are guarded by Pikachu, whom the flipper buttons move from one side to the other; it only saves the ball if the Thunder gauge is full (see ball savers). The four CAVE lights, placed at the top of the two outlanes and the two return lanes, open the Slot Machine.
The nine arrows
Nine triangular lights guide the ball on the lower screen. The EVO and GET arrows are the only ones the player lights up personally.
| Arrow | Location | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 3 EVO arrows | Bottom of the outer left loop | With all three lit, Ditto steps aside and Evolution Mode becomes available |
| 3 GET arrows | Bottom of the right loop | Two arrows are enough to start Catch ‘Em mode; three arrows open the draw for rare Pokémon |
| Inner left loop arrow | Near the EVO arrows | Lights up during a Travel started from the left side |
| Bellsprout arrow | Near the GET arrows | Indicates that a shot at Bellsprout is worthwhile |
| Bonus hole light | In the center | Signals that the hole is open |
At the start of the game, no EVO arrow is lit and two GET arrows are: Catch ‘Em mode is therefore available right away, but Evolution Mode is not. Losing a ball does not change the state of these arrows. During a Catch ‘Em or Evolution Mode, the arrows for both modes go out and cannot be relit; when the mode ends, the arrows of that mode stay off, while those of the other mode return to their previous state.
Evolution item targets
During Evolution Mode, seven elements of the table can hide an item: the Voltorb group, the left Diglett, the right Diglett, the two Bonus Multiplier counters, Staryu’s button and Bellsprout. Depending on the Pokémon to evolve, between four and seven of these targets are candidates, and only three actually contain the item. The principle is explained on the Evolution Mode page.
Reading the table
On the Red Field, the state of the game is easy to read: when Ditto steps aside, Evolution Mode is ready; when a small arrow appears beneath Bellsprout, all three GET arrows are lit. Two elements need attention. Staryu keeps the Ball Upgrade locked until you have hit it, and the two Diglett each have their own counter, which forces you to keep hitting the same side to trigger a Travel. For a first game, the simplest approach is to start with a Catch ‘Em mode, available from the very first ball, then send the ball into the outer left loop three times to open Ditto’s hole, and finally come back to Staryu when you want to upgrade the ball.
