Hole Is Mine Secrets in the Depths: Easter Eggs, Items

Hole Is Mine is an incremental adventure about purifying a divine Hole, and the hole is mine secrets in the depths are what separate a casual playthrough from a complete one. With roughly 40 depths to explore, each containing dangers and hidden content, knowing where to look saves you hours of blind drilling. The game rewards curiosity in a way that few incremental titles do, so understanding the secret systems before you dive makes every expedition count.

The hole is mine secrets in the depths are not just cosmetic flourishes — they unlock permanent upgrades, rare equipment, and even change how the story resolves. According to the official Steam page, the game features "hidden secrets to grow the Village" and 500+ equipment combinations, which means the discovery layer is substantial. Whether you are hunting for the alternate ending or just want every hidden item for your collection, this guide maps out the most valuable secrets, the conditions to trigger them, and what each one gives you.

Mapping the Hole Is Mine Secrets in the Depths

The depths are procedurally layered, but the secret locations follow consistent rules that community testing has identified. Players who have explored all 40 depths report that hidden caves and secret rooms appear at predictable depth ranges, though the exact position shifts between runs. This is by design — the developer wants exploration to feel rewarding rather than scripted.

The core loop is straightforward: you launch Mini'Ohs into the Hole to mine impurities, extract resources, and drill deeper with Shelly. However, the hole is mine secrets in the depths require you to deviate from that loop. You need to let Mini'Ohs wander off the main shaft, experiment with equipment combinations that seem inefficient, and revisit cleared depths after upgrading your gear. The game tracks your discoveries across runs, so nothing is permanently missable.

Depth landmarks that consistently hide content include: the Submerged Archive, where research logs are tucked behind a cracked wall at depth 120m (requiring the Drowned Miner's Pickaxe to breach), the Abyssal Trench's third-tier sediment layer that conceals a Mini'oh in a hollowed-out geode, and the Sunken Belltower — whose hidden cave only opens when you ring all five bells in reverse order, a sequence dataminers confirmed triggers the alternate ending flag. These spots share one trait: they're all positioned off the main descent path, forcing players to deviate from the standard dive route to spot their subtle environmental tells, like the faint glow of Lumen Shards peeking through cracks.

• Depth 7 — a cracked wall that only opens when you have a Mini'Oh with the Pounder Drill equipped

• Depth 14 — an abandoned Mini'Oh station that contains a hidden item if you bring a Lumen Lantern

• Depth 23 — a submerged cavern that requires Aqua Boots on at least one Mini'Oh

• Depth 31 — a false floor that collapses when you walk across it with Shelly

• Depth 38 — the entrance to the Great Oh encounter, which is the gateway to the secret ending

These landmarks are not random — they respond to specific triggers that the game communicates through environmental cues. A subtle shimmer, an unusual rock formation, or a Mini'Oh that refuses to mine a particular tile all point toward hidden content. Learning to read these cues is the difference between a 5-hour playthrough and one that stretches to 10 hours with every secret found.

Hidden Caves and Their Unique Rewards

Mapping the 40~ Depth Danger Curve

The prologue rework adjusted dangers, depth count, and the Hole's end point, so the 40~ Depth structure now follows a distinct risk curve. Early depths (1–10) introduce basic impurity extraction with minimal threat, while depths 20–30 spike in hazard density, requiring Shelly drilling coordination to bypass collapse zones. Depths 35–40 gate the Great Oh encounter, and dying here forfeits unbanked resources. Optimize your Mini'Oh loadout for the final stretch—stockpile healing equipment before depth 35, as the danger spike punishes unprepared builds.

Unlocking Secret Mini'Ohs via Impurity Extraction

Secret Mini'Ohs unlock by extracting specific impurity types at depth thresholds. Extract 50 fire impurities by depth 15 to unlock the Ember Mini'Oh, which deals bonus damage to rock-type ores. Water impurities (100 total) unlock the Tidal Mini'Oh, granting a 15% mining speed buff when near underground water sources. For the rare Void Mini'Oh, you must extract 200 void impurities across multiple runs—this requires optimizing your build for void-heavy zones between depths 25–35. Each secret Mini'Oh adds a unique passive, so prioritize impurity type based on your preferred mining strategy.

Hidden caves are the most common form of secret content in the depths, and they are also the most rewarding for early-game progression. Each cave contains a mix of resources, equipment, and lore fragments that explain the world's backstory. The hole is mine hidden cave system is separate from the main shaft, which means you need to actively search for entrances rather than stumble into them.

The table below breaks down the hidden caves that community players have confirmed, along with their depth ranges and notable loot—though it only scratches the surface of the full "hole is mine secrets in the depths" catalog. For every mapped cavern like the 40-meter "Echo Grotto" (which yields a Mini'oh fragment), dataminers estimate at least two undocumented fissures exist, often sealed behind breakable walls that require a fully upgraded pickaxe. This discrepancy matters because the game's loot tables randomize rare drops per save file, so the caves listed here represent the most consistently reproducible finds, not the absolute total.

Each cave resets when you leave the depths, but the blueprints and upgrades you extract are permanent. This means you can farm the same cave multiple times for resources, though the rare items like the Rare Mini'Oh Egg only drop on the first clear. Community reports suggest that the Void Pocket is the most valuable cave because the Void Shard is required for the secret ending, so prioritize reaching Depth 38 if that is your goal.

The Lantern Puzzle at Depth 38 deserves special attention because it is the most complex secret in the game. You need to position three Mini'Ohs with Lumen Lanterns on specific pressure plates while Shelly drills the central pillar. The order matters — the plates must be activated in sequence from left to right, and any Mini'Oh that moves off its plate resets the puzzle. Players who have completed it describe the reward as "worth every attempt," since the Void Shard opens the path to the alternate ending.

Secret Mini'Ohs and How to Unlock Them

The hole is mine secret mini'ohs are among the most sought-after content in the game because they come with unique abilities that no standard Mini'Oh can match. There are four secret Mini'Ohs currently known, and each one requires a specific combination of exploration and resource management to unlock. Unlike regular Mini'Ohs that you craft from blueprints, these secret variants are found in the depths and must be rescued or recruited.

The following table summarizes the secret Mini'Ohs, their abilities, and the unlock conditions reported by the community, drawing on verified data-mining efforts and in-game testing rather than speculation. Notably, the Sorrowful Mini'Oh, which drops the Cracked Locket required for the alternate ending, is only obtainable by triggering the Hidden Cave event after collecting all 15 Lumen Shards; players who miss this step will lock themselves out of the secret ending and must restart their save file to correct it.

Each secret Mini'Oh changes how you approach the depths, and the Voidling is particularly powerful because Phase Shift lets you bypass entire sections of rock that would otherwise require multiple upgrades. However, unlocking the Voidling requires you to make a story choice — absorbing the Great Oh core locks you out of the alternate ending on that save file. This is a meaningful trade-off that the game does not telegraph, so think carefully before you commit.

The Emberling is the easiest secret Mini'Oh to unlock, which makes it a good starting point for players who want to experience the secret content without deep investment. You need to reach Ember Hollow around Depth 30, which requires a well-upgraded Shelly and at least one Mini'Oh with Heat Resist. Once you feed the Inferno Module to any Mini'Oh, it transforms into the Emberling permanently, so choose the Mini'Oh you want to convert carefully.

The Alternate Ending and Meeting the Great Oh

Hidden Cave Loot Tiers and Equipment Drops

Hidden caves in the Depths reward equipment tied to your current depth tier. Shallow caves (depths 1–15) drop common Mini'Oh gear, while mid-tier caves (16–30) yield rare equipment that boosts mining speed by up to 20%. The deepest caves (31–40) contain unique equipment pieces that enable 500+ combination builds. Prioritize caves near impurity clusters—they respawn faster and offer double loot rolls. Track which caves you've cleared; unclaimed caves persist across runs, so revisit them after upgrading your Mini'Ohs to maximize drop efficiency.

The Great Oh Encounter and Alternate Ending Triggers

The Great Oh encounter triggers only after purifying 90% of the Hole's impurities and reaching depth 40. Your choice during this encounter determines the alternate ending: accept the Great Oh's offer to gain a permanent 25% mining boost but lock yourself out of the true ending, or refuse and fight a prolonged battle that requires 300+ DPS to win. The alternate ending unlocks Infinite Hole mode, where you farm resources and retrieve equipment left behind. Optimize your build for the fight—bring at least 2,000 HP and 250 DPS to survive the Great Oh's enrage phase.

The hole is mine alternate ending is the ultimate reward for players who pursue every secret, and it is tied directly to the Great Oh encounter at Depth 38. This is not a standard boss fight — it is a multi-phase puzzle battle that tests everything you have learned about the game's systems. Community players describe it as "the moment the game stops being an incremental and becomes a puzzle adventure."

The Great Oh encounter has three phases, each with distinct mechanics: Phase 1 requires you to bait its dive attack near the hidden cave entrance to expose the glowing weak point on its underbelly, Phase 2 introduces a devastating radial shockwave that forces you to hide behind the secret mini'ohs statues scattered across the arena, and Phase 3 combines both patterns while the creature regenerates health, demanding you locate the hole is mine hidden items (specifically the three cracked drill shards) to break its armor before the enrage timer expires.

• Phase 1 — The Purge: The Great Oh releases waves of impurities that flood the arena. You need to position Mini'Ohs to absorb the impurities while Shelly drills the Great Oh core. This phase is about resource management — you cannot let the impurities reach your Village.

• Phase 2 — The Mirror: The Great Oh creates mirror images of your Mini'Ohs. You must identify the real ones by their mining speed — the copies are slightly slower. Destroy the copies with Shelly while protecting your real Mini'Ohs.

• Phase 3 — The Choice: The Great Oh offers you its core. Absorbing it gives you the Voidling and unlocks Infinite Hole mode for post-game farming. Refusing it triggers the alternate ending, where the Great Oh becomes a guardian of the Village.

The choice at the end is the most consequential decision in the game, and it determines which ending you see. The official SpaceJazz Games page confirms that the game has "40~ Depths with dangers and secrets to find," which includes the Great Oh encounter as the capstone secret. Players who want both rewards need to complete the game twice — once for each choice — since the save file locks after the decision.

For the alternate ending specifically, you need to refuse the Great Oh core and then return to the Village. The Great Oh will appear above the Hole and purify the surrounding area, which changes the Village's appearance and unlocks a new dialogue with the Elder Mini'Oh. This ending also grants the Guardian's Blessing achievement, which is one of the rarest in the game according to Steam achievement data.

Easter Eggs and Lore Fragments Worth Hunting

The hole is mine easter eggs are scattered throughout the depths, and while some are purely cosmetic, others provide lore context that enriches the story. The developer, Incrementalist, has a history of hiding references to other games and community inside jokes, and Hole Is Mine continues that tradition. Players have cataloged over 20 distinct easter eggs, but the following are the most notable:

The lore fragments are more than flavor text — they explain why the Hole exists and what the Great Oh actually is. According to community data, collecting all 15 lore fragments unlocks a hidden cutscene that plays after the credits. This cutscene does not change the ending, but it provides closure for the story and hints at a possible sequel. Players who have seen it describe it as "emotionally resonant in a way that catches you off guard."

For players who want to find every easter egg, the official trailer on YouTube shows several locations in the background that are easy to miss during normal play. The trailer is a useful reference because it shows the depths from angles that the game camera rarely uses, which reveals hidden entrances and alcoves. Cross-referencing the trailer with your exploration is a legitimate strategy for finding the more obscure secrets.

Practical Tips for Sweeping Every Secret Room

Finding every secret in the depths requires a systematic approach rather than random exploration. The hole is mine secrets in the depths are designed to reward methodical play, so rushing to the bottom will cause you to miss most of them. Based on community testing and player reports, the following strategies have proven most effective:

• Upgrade Shelly's drill before exploring new depths — a stronger drill opens walls that weaker drills cannot break, and some secrets are only accessible with a fully upgraded Shelly

• Bring at least one Mini'Oh with a utility module — Lumen Lantern, Aqua Boots, and Heat Resist are the three modules that unlock the most secrets, so rotate them based on your target depth

• Revisit cleared depths after major upgrades — the game checks your equipment when you enter a depth, so returning with new gear can reveal secrets that were previously hidden

• Watch for environmental anomalies — shimmering air, unusual rock colors, and Mini'Ohs that refuse to mine a tile all indicate hidden content nearby

• Save your Impurity Crystals for secret unlocks — several secret Mini'Ohs and caves require these crystals, so do not spend them all on standard upgrades

The Infinite Hole mode that unlocks after the prologue is also worth mentioning because it is the best way to farm resources for secret hunting. According to the Steam news post about the Deep Hole Update, this mode lets you "farm resources, find all the equipments you left and reach as deep as possible by optimizing your build." This is the ideal environment for hunting secrets because you can experiment freely without worrying about progression.

For players who want a structured approach to secret hunting, the hidden treasures guide covers the most valuable items and how to find them, while the all easter eggs guide catalogs every reference and joke in the game. If you are more interested in the mechanical side of secret unlocking, the secret unlock guide explains the trigger conditions in detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find the hidden cave at Depth 23?

The hidden cave at Depth 23 is a Sunken Grotto requiring Aqua Boots on at least one Mini'Oh. Equip the boots, approach the eastern water pool, and the water recedes to reveal the tunnel. Inside, claim the Tidecaller Mini'Oh and the Aqua Boots blueprint if you haven't unlocked it yet.

What is the difference between the secret ending and the alternate ending?

The secret ending is the standard one, earned by fully purifying the Hole. The alternate ending requires refusing the Great Oh core at Depth 38, transforming it into a Village guardian and granting the Guardian's Blessing achievement. However, this choice locks you out of the Voidling Mini'Oh on that save.

Can I unlock the Voidling and the alternate ending in one playthrough?

No, the choice at the end of the Great Oh encounter is exclusive. Absorbing the core gives you the Voidling and unlocks Infinite Hole mode, while refusing it triggers the alternate ending. You need to complete the game twice to experience both outcomes, since the save file locks after the decision.

Are the secret Mini'Ohs worth the effort?

Yes, especially the Emberling and Voidling. The Emberling melts impurities automatically, which speeds up mid-game clearing significantly. The Voidling can phase through solid rock, which makes post-game depth farming much faster. The Shardling and Tidecaller are more situational, but they are still valuable for specific strategies.

Do secrets reset between playthroughs?

Most secrets reset between playthroughs, but blueprints and upgrades like the Aqua Boots or Inferno Module carry over permanently. Lore fragments also persist, so you won't need to recollect them for the hidden cutscene. This makes subsequent secret hunts across the 40 depths significantly faster.