Battery Puck
Score: 80% Developer: MadCatz
Function: Unless you work at a battery store or have some sort of nuclear-powered Game Boy Color, a rechargeable battery is always a good thing to have around. Better still is some kind of battery-pack that will attach to the GBC and save you the hassle of handling individual batteries. I've seen different styles in battery-packs, but Mad Catz's Battery Puck is definitely one of the most interesting. The 'puck' is a battery-pack that clips onto a belt buckle or backpack strap, with a retractable cord to plug in and power your GBC. Even though it's called a puck, the packaging shows a picture of someone very similar to Ash, so you know this is really meant to be like a Pokeball strapped to your side. With its own AC charger, this gadget will hold a long charge and give you portable battery power without adding bulk to your unit.
Performance: The Battery Puck has a simple clip on its back, with a loosely rotating core used to wind up the power cord. An AC adaptor plugs into the front of the Puck next to a light showing that it's charging. When fully charged, you just clip on the Battery Puck and unwind some of the cord that plugs into the GBC. The cord itself is not super long, but more than enough to let you sit or stand with the GBC held in front of you. Rolling the cord back up into the plastic 'shell' is done by winding the front with a handy finger hole, and there's even a nice little holder for the DC plug when not in use.
Features: Rechargeable battery-pack for Game Boy Color Charges overnight; holds a 25-hour charge! Easily clips onto belt or backpack 1.5 foot cord stores in Puck when not in use AC Adaptor included
Drawbacks & Problems:: The only potential for problems with this unit is having the GBC yanked or dropped with the cord attached and doing some damage to either the Battery Puck or the GBC. There's no telling how sturdy the inside roll-up mechanism is. It's possible kids might wear this on a bag and bang it up some, but hard plastic and simple moving parts probably will keep the Battery Puck alive for a long time. Other than durability, weight is a bit of a problem. Clipping the Battery Puck to a backpack would never be a problem, but I felt the weight when it was attached to my belt. If you like to use a bunch of extra goodies and can't figure out how to use battery-packs that attach to the back of your GBC, this Battery Puck may be perfect. It's a cool-looking simple solution, especially if you're on the move.
-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock
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