Mad Catz "Travel Pack" For Game Boy System/accessory by Mad Catz Reviewed by Philip Wesley Released: 2000 Use with: Game Boy Color ONLY for most of the items in this Pack. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Opening Snide Remarks: Here I am with practically 90% of Mad Catz 2000 product line in a handy $29.99 Travel Pack. The Travel Pack contains a 1. Light and Maginfier 2. Rechargable Battery Grip 3. Stereo Speakers 4. Multi-Link Cable 5. AC Adaptor 6. Joystick Adaptor 7. Travel Bag +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Impressions: $29.99 is NOT what this is worth. Let me give you a break down on why. 1. Light and Magnifier: If you have a Nuby Cobra Light, or a Nyko Worm Light, you shouldn't even thenk of touching this thing. Unlike the Super Light Boy, it doesn't fold down for easy storage. It has a hole so it doesn't cover up the Power Switch on the Game Boy Pocket or the Infra-red Data Port on the Game Boy Color. BUT don't even think of using it on the Game Boy Pocket, as it has tiny Plastic Block that keep you from actually being able to turn the Game Boy Pocket on or off with this device on. Bleah. It's bright enough and it magnifies; but glares and takes two AAA batteries. Oui. I'm also very sure that if I throw it.. it will shatter. 2. Rechargeable Battery Grip: Modeled (Obviously) off of those prong Play Station controllers that many companies sell, it provides a decent grip and does it's job. BUT... I think it sucks. Honestly, it starts out nice and "Gee this is kinda nifty!"; but then it sucks. The prongs are way too small for larger hands and there are two small things that will render it unusable. Take off the battery cover of you Game Boy Color. Look at the little tabs on the top. There are two of them. They are the right size for the little holes in the Battery Compartment of your Game Boy Color. A lot of other devices that go in there have tabs the right size as well. This grip.. has tabs that are half the proper size and snap VERY easily. One drop is all the device needs and those tabs will snap, rendering it useless; because it won't stay put. I also think the prongs that you grip onto are suspect as well. A quick "wishbone pull" on thoseand we get to check which half is bigger. Yes, I did drop the device to test these things. They also can not fit in my pants pocket. For that I'm glad.. I'm sure they would render you.. umm.. hurt if you ran with them in your pocket. I'm not that crazy. The nice thing about them is that if you didn't already snap them apart, you can put them in your fist and use them to gouge out someone's eyes. 3. Stereo Speakers: Well, this was pleasent. For two AAA batteries, you can hook two very loud speakers to the bottom of your Game Boy Color. What I found to be a might disturbed is that they can go louder than my Shock N' Rock. (That's loud...) BUT, on some games they emit scratchy noises when you put the volume all the way up. They also have no BASS. No internal volume control and no headphone jack. You CAN NOT use a battery pack like the one that comes with this Travel Pack while useing this. Headphones and AC Adaptor's are also out of the question. But it is loud. 4. Multi-Link Cable: That's a downright LIE! While you can use these on a Game Boy Advanced, Game Boy Color, or Game Boy Pocket... you can't use them on a normal Game Boy; because they are not universial. Otherwise, they work fine and are responsive. I used them on Power Quest, Tetris (Original) and Face Ball 2000 and they worked okay. Metal Gear Solid didn't detect them at first. But it did 9 times out of 10 so that counts for something. 5. AC Adaptor: I have had no problems with this device yet. Emphasis on YET. *grins* It's durable and the cord is fairly long. 6. Joystick Adaptor: Part of the reason I bought this in the first place. This device, tightly and frustrateingly, latches on top of the Cross Pad and A/B buttons to provide an "arcade" experience. Now, the button extentions are pointless; but thankfully not curved like on a Handy Boy. The Joystick is okay and worked on all the game I tried it on. I tried it on Spider-Man, King of the Fighters 1995, Power Quest, Pokemon Silver, Street Fighter 2, Street Fighter Alpha, and Mega Man 2 with no problem at all. Now, the device itself is tough to put on the Game Boy Color. That's a bad thing. Don't try useing it on a Game Boy Pocket; because it will slip. Now, I would like a joystick for fighting games; but every company seems to be ignoreing the obvious points I will now state. Obvious Joystick Point 1: Leave the A and B buttons the Hell alone. I do NOT need horrible new buttons on top of them. Sorry, I don't. Obvious Joystick Point 2: The Game Boy Color has a digital 8 directional pad. Now, a lot of joystick adaptors have tiny tabs so they can change a normally eight way Cross Pad into what appears to be a four-way one. Now, DON'T EVER use those tabs if you want to design a GOOD joystick adaptor. It would be easier, if companies used a circular base about the size of a dime as the base, instead of a cross. Use a dime sized circle instead of a cross. Belive it or not, it works better. Obvious Joystick Point 3: Use METAL, not plastic. It's better. Obvious Joystick Point 4: Make the Joystick a little shorter and comfortable. Sorry, shorter is better for this; and a concave non-articulated tip would be nice. Make it adjustable so it can comfortably and snuggly stay in place and I'll be happy. Otherwise the Joystick is far from perfect; but when I take the saw to it and cut out the ugly "extended buttons".. I can make it better. 7. Travel Bag: Hey... this is nice. It has a monogrammed Mad Catz Logo on it; but other than that it's rather nice. It comes with to Velcro seperators and once you zip it together, there is no need to fully unzip it again. It has enough room, with clever placement, to hold 24 games, several cheat devices, extra batteries, a Link Cable, and a Game Boy Color with the Nuby Cobra Light attached. Only problem is that it is kind of large and has no neck/back strap for me to use. WAAAH! Liked: I pretty much destroyed some of this thing. That was fun. It was fun to test it and I can DEFINATELY tell you what needs to be improved with this thing. I would also like to say that I liked the bag best of all. Hated: Umm.. a lot of the stuff... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Improve: I mentioned a LOT of things.. too many to list here. But.. first of all, they need to fix that price. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Final Words: Umm.. I like the bag. ^_^ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Score: 35% (As a whole.) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Secrets: The Battery Pack makes a nifty blunt weapon; but careful! Hit a bone and it will only bruise. Always aim for the fleshy parts. ^_^