Game Gear PowerBack
From Sega Retro
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| Game Gear PowerBack | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Made for: Sega Game Gear | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer: Sega Enterprises, Ltd. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: Battery pack | ||||||||||||||||||||
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PowerBack Rechargeable Battery Pack, known as the Power Battery (パワーバッテリー) in Japan, is one of several solutions to the Sega Game Gear's short battery life. It is Sega's second attempt to create a rechargable battery pack, after the not-particularly-convienient Game Gear Battery Pack.
Contents
Hardware
The major advantage of the PowerBack is that it clips onto the unit to be used full time. However like so many other accessories, the added weight and volume again acts against the idea that the console should be portable. It screws in to the Game Gear but is not directly connected to the system until the lead sticking out at the top is connected to the AC input of the console. It takes two hours to charge and was designed to save users money on AA batteries. It also has an AC input of its own, so can remain a permanent accessory.
Though you may expect it to, the PowerBack does not fit inside the battery holding area, so it is fully possible to take your Game Gear out with both methods of power. It can be charged with a Mega Drive model 2 AC adaptor, often bundled with the unit (or a Game Gear Car Adaptor). There is a switch on the underside to choose whether to divert all mains power to charging the battery, or to give some of that to the Game Gear unit itself for play.
In its prime, the PowerBack could supposedly average about 8 hours of play (relying on AA batteries would see about 5-6 at best). The PowerBack was released quite late into the unit's lifecycle and so did not see a release in Europe.
Promotional material
US print advert
also published in:
- GamePro (US) #60: "July 1994" (1994-xx-xx)[5]
- Sega Visions (US) #20: "August/September 1994" (1994-xx-xx)[6]
- Sega Visions (US) #21: "October/November 1994" (1994-xx-xx)[7]
- Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #65: "December 1994" (1994-xx-xx)[8]
- Sega Visions (US) #22: "December/January 1994/1995" (1994-xx-xx)[9]
- GamePro (US) #66: "January 1995" (199x-xx-xx)[10]
- Sega Visions (US) #23: "February/March 1995" (199x-xx-xx)[11]
Photo gallery
US model (front)
US model (back)
Physical scans
| Game Gear, JP |
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 Cover
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| Game Gear, JP (AC Adaptor Set) |
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 Cover
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| Game Gear, US |
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   Cover
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| Game Gear, US (with AC Adaptor) |
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| Game Gear, CA |
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  Cover
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External links
- Sega of Japan catalogue pages (Japanese): Game Gear
References
- ↑ http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/gg/battery.html (Wayback Machine: 2013-02-09 18:36)
- ↑ GamePro, "March 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 102
- ↑ Sega FY 1997 Brand Review, page 6
- ↑ VideoGames, "June 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 90
- ↑ GamePro, "July 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 138
- ↑ Sega Visions, "August/September 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 2
- ↑ Sega Visions, "October/November 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 118
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "December 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 332
- ↑ Sega Visions, "December/January 1994/1995" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 132
- ↑ GamePro, "January 1995" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 20
- ↑ Sega Visions, "February/March 1995" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 52
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