Captery-ing our interest
Most tend not to bother with rechargeable AA and AAA batteries. That’s probably got something to do with the overlong charge times unless you’re spending big, and the general hassle associated. But an Italian startup by the name of Captery claims to be putting those worries to bed with a new Kickstarter campaign.
The company reckons it’s developed a set of AA and AAA batteries that’ll fill in three minutes or less, and last for decades to come. It’s a highly ambitious project that involves using supercapacitor tech, which can withstand “continuous charge/discharge cycles with minimal deterioration compared to current batteries,” and also allows them to be charged rapidly compared to more traditional means.
Not only is it better for the consumer, assuming the company can get the Captery Ultra off the ground, but it’s also better for the environment — significantly reducing the number of disposable batteries that hit landfills year after year. Captery goes on to say that its batteries can survive up to 500,000 charge/discharge cycles.
It’s an interesting read, designed to pull on the heartstrings enough to whip out your wallet and contribute to the Kickstarter campaign. Of the $6,501 goal the company sought, it’s already breezed past it with $9,355 from 44 backers at the time of writing. There are a variety of packages you can secure for pledging some hard-earned bucks to the project, ranging from $24 (∼R420) to around $170 (∼R2,950).
8BitDone it again
It’s been 40 years (and two days) since Nintendo dropped the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) in the US, bringing with it household names that are still revered today. The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros., and Metroid all got their starts there. And now 8BitDo is celebrating the anniversary with the NES40 collection, packing the gorgeous Ultimate 2 N40 controller, Retro 68 Keyboard N Edition, and Retro Cube 2 Speaker.
The upgrades to the original Ultimate 2 are mostly cosmetic. The same TMR sticks, Hall Effect triggers, and customisable bumpers are all still there, but with a fresh coat of paint that pays tribute to several notable dates important to both Nintendo and 8BitDo alike. It’ll hook up to a Switch 1, Switch 2, Windows PC, and of course, the original NES via a 2.4GHz adapter. Only 1,985 controllers will be sold at $70 (∼R1,200) a pop.
The Retro 68 is a new take on the company’s Retro 87 Keyboard, but with fewer keys to play around with. It’s got other upgrades, though, like a full aluminium alloy makeover for the shell and keycaps, and linear Box Ice Cream Pro Max switches. The battery has seen the biggest upgrade, going up to 6,500mAh, which 8BitDo claims will see 300 hours of use before it starts to whine. Oh, and it’ll cost $500 (∼R8,650) before it launches in January.
Finally, the already-NES-themed Retro Cube Speaker gets nominal battery upgrades (to 2,000mAh), the option to connect via a 2.4GHz dongle, a built-in microphone, and dual stereo speakers that offer dedicated music and gaming modes. There’s a new dock that utilises the new USB-C port to charge it up. Not a bad deal for the $50 (∼R870) asking price ahead of its launch in early December this year.
Mooom! Atari’s reviving a console again!
The Intellivision is back. Kinda. Atari is reviving the decades-old console as the “Intellivision Sprint”, calling it a “modern revival” of the 16-bit console. The new console is born out of a collaboration between Atari and Plaion that holds onto the 80s aesthetics, but with a couple of modern updates like HDMI and wireless controllers.
The Intellivision Sprint features 45 built-in games, including Shark! Shark!, Thunder Castle, and Vectron. It looks mightily similar to Mattel’s original incarnation, featuring the same wood-grain panels and a gold and black case that screams 80s. Even the controllers — which are now wireless and charge via the dock — still use dials and number pads instead of modern joysticks.
There’s no room for old cartridges, but a new USB-A port will help owners load their own games into the console (and allows for the original controllers to be hooked up if necessary). Atari expects the Intellivision Sprint to be ready by 5 December 2025, and it can be pre-ordered for $150 (∼R2,600).
There’s a Horizon Zero Dawn movie? And it’s coming in 2027?
The folks behind Horizon Zero Dawn can’t seem to catch a break. At some stage, it stops becoming bad luck and becomes more a case of bad management. Launching Zero Dawn a week before Nintendo’s Breath of the Wild was… interesting to say the least, but releasing its sequel, Forbidden West, a week before Elden Ring?
Talk about incompetence. Now, Sony might be about to repeat the mistake. New legal documents focused on the company’s battle against Tencent for a game it claims rips off the Horizon IP (per The Game Post) reveal that the Horizon film — yes, there’s a film coming — is planning a 2027 release, the same as The Legend of Zelda movie.
“We are in development for a film based on Horizon in partnership with Columbia Pictures,” said Asad Qizilbash, head of PlayStation Productions, in his sworn declaration. “We already have a working script and are actively searching for a director, with the goal of shooting the picture in 2026 and releasing it in 2027.”
While Sony has yet to confirm an official release date, it still has the potential to be overshadowed by The Legend of Zelda’s first live-action adaptation. There’s also the issue that not enough people seem to find the IP intriguing enough to turn into a fully-fledged film, inviting comparisons that could work against Sony’s favour.
