Difference between revisions of "Game Gear PowerBack"

Latest revision as of 08:01, 16 November 2024

Game Gear PowerBack

Manufacturer: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.

Type: Battery pack

Release	Date	RRP	Code
JP	199x	¥6,8006,800^[1]	HGG-3017
US	1994-02^[2]	$-44.99-44.99^[3]^[4]	2142
CA	199x

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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.

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

Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #59: "June 1994" (1994-xx-xx)
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
Cover

Game Gear, JP (AC Adaptor Set)
Cover

Game Gear, US
Cover

Game Gear, US (with AC Adaptor)

Game Gear, CA
Cover

External links

Sega of Japan catalogue pages (Japanese): Game Gear

References

Sega Game Gear
Topics	Sega Game Gear \| History \| Magazine articles \| Promotional material \| Merchandise
Hardware	Japan \| North America \| Western Europe \| Eastern Europe \| Asia \| South America \| Australasia \| Africa Wide Gear \| Fun Play 20-in-1
Add-ons	Pro Action Replay \| Game Genie \| X-Terminator \| Master Gear Converter (Gear Master \| Nuby Converter) \| Stereo FM Tuner \| TV Tuner
Cases	Carry-All \| Deluxe Carry-All Case \| Gear Bag \| Holster Case \| Standard Carrying Case \| Soft Case \| Third Party (Play & Carry Case)
Accessories	A/V Cable \| Battery Pack \| Car Adaptor \| Car Antenna \| Cleaning Gear \| Gear-to-Gear Cable \| PowerBack (Third Party) \| Screen Magnifier (Wide Gear \| Super Wide Gear \| Third-Party) Handy Gear \| Master Link Cable
Development Tools	Sega Game Gear Development Board

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20130209183600.2Fhttp:.2F.2Fsega.jp.2Ffb.2Fsegahard.2Fgg.2Fbattery.html-1] ttp://sega.jp/fb/segahard/gg/battery.html (Wayback Machine: 2013-02-09 18:36)

[:File:GamePro_US_056.pdf_p102-2] GamePro, "March 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 102

[:File:SegaFY1997BrandReview_US.pdf_p6-3] Sega FY 1997 Brand Review, page 6

[:File:VideoGames_US_65.pdf_p90-4] VideoGames, "June 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 90

[:File:GamePro_US_060.pdf_p138-5] GamePro, "July 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 138

[:File:SegaVisions_US_20.pdf_p2-6] Sega Visions, "August/September 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 2

[:File:SegaVisions_US_21.pdf_p118-7] Sega Visions, "October/November 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 118

[:File:EGM_US_065.pdf_p332-8] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "December 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 332

[:File:SegaVisions_US_22.pdf_p132-9] Sega Visions, "December/January 1994/1995" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 132

[:File:GamePro_US_066.pdf_p20-10] GamePro, "January 1995" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 20

[:File:SegaVisions_US_23.pdf_p52-11] Sega Visions, "February/March 1995" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 52

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@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 | accessoryprogramscreen=
 | title=
-| maker=[[Sega]]
+| maker=[[Sega Enterprises, Ltd.]]
 | type=Battery pack
 | madefor=[[Sega Game Gear]]
-| alsoworks=
 | releases={{releasesGG
+| gg_date_jp=199x
+| gg_code_jp=HGG-3017
+| gg_rrp_jp=6,800{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20130209183600/http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/gg/battery.html}}
 | gg_date_us=1994-02{{magref|gamepro|56|102}}
-| gg_rrp_us=49.99{{magref|gamepro|56|102}}
+| gg_rrp_us=-44.99{{fileref|SegaFY1997BrandReview US.pdf|page=6}}{{magref|videogamesus|65|90}}<!--49.99{{magref|gamepro|56|102}}-->
 | gg_code_us=2142
-| gg_date_jp=199x
+| gg_date_ca=199x
-| gg_code_jp=HGG-3017
-| gg_rrp_jp=6,800{{ref|http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/gg/battery.html}}
 }}
 }}
@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 {{gallery
 |{{galleryPrintAd
-|EGM US 059.pdf|egm|59|132-133
+|egm|59|132-133
-|GamePro US 060.pdf|gamepro|60|138
+|gamepro|60|138
-|SegaVisions US 20.pdf|sv|20|2
+|sv|20|2
-|SegaVisions US 21.pdf|sv|21|118
+|sv|21|118
-|EGM US 065.pdf|egm|65|332
+|egm|65|332
-|SegaVisions US 22.pdf|sv|22|132
+|sv|22|132
-|GamePro US 066.pdf|gamepro|66|20
+|gamepro|66|20
-|SegaVisions US 23.pdf|sv|23|52
+|sv|23|52
 }}
 }}
@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 </gallery>
 ==Physical scans==
+{{Scanbox
+| console=Game Gear
+| region=JP
+| front=PowerBattery GG JP Box Front.jpg
+| back=
+| spinemissing=
+| square=yes
+}}
+{{Scanbox
+| console=Game Gear
+| region=JP (AC Adaptor Set)
+| front=PowerBatteryACAdaptorSet GG JP Box Front.jpg
+| back=
+| spinemissing=
+| square=yes
+}}
 {{Scanbox
 | console=Game Gear
@@ Line 55: / Line 71: @@
 | spinemissing=yes
 | square=yes
-}}{{Scanbox
+}}
+{{Scanbox
+| console=Game Gear
+| region=US (with AC Adaptor)
+| front=
+| back=
+| spinemissing=
+| square=yes
+}}
+{{Scanbox
 | console=Game Gear
 | region=CA
@@ Line 61: / Line 86: @@
 | back=PowerBack GG CA Box Back.jpg
 | spinemissing=yes
-| square=yes
-}}{{Scanbox
-| console=Game Gear
-| region=JP
-| front=PowerBattery GG JP Box Front.jpg
-| back=
-| spinemissing=
-| square=yes
-}}{{Scanbox
-| console=Game Gear
-| region=JP (AC Adaptor Set)
-| front=PowerBatteryACAdaptorSet GG JP Box Front.jpg
-| back=
-| spinemissing=
 | square=yes
 }}
 ==External links==
-* Sega hard Daihyakka (Japanese): [https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/gg/battery.html Game Gear]
+* Sega of Japan catalogue pages (Japanese): [https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/gg/battery.html Game Gear]
 ==References==