Game Boy Advance Games Hit The Wii U - But Which Ones Are Worth Buying?

Until Mario Kart 8 arrives, Nintendo need to keep Wii U owners entertained and feeling like they actually do own a next-gen console.

Last week that plan involved a 22-year-old version of Mario Kart.

This week? Game Boy games!

Nintendo has released a set of three Game Boy Advance titles to the Wii U eShop, with five more to follow in the coming weeks.

First up (and out now) are the following titles (each with our mini review having played the game this week).

• Advance Wars (£6.29) is a highly addictive and intelligent little strategy game, in which you conduct turn-based warfare over a variety of cute, deadly battlefields. It's fun, but rock-hard in the later stages, where you're fighting mirror images of your own troops - and as such playing what are essentially complex, unique versions of chess. But it's fun too, and well worth a look.
• Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (£6.29), the first game in the Mario & Luigi series, this incorporates roughly the same blend of action-based battles, limited RPG elements and puzzle solving. It pales in comparison to the more recent 3DS outing, but it's a fun distraction - if not that well suited to playing in the living room.
• Metroid Fusion (£6.29) is a very retro-style Metroid game which sticks rigidly to the formula laid down in earlier versions. It's 2D, action-packed and polished for the platform, though naturally its aged and is as short an adventure as it ever was. Still for the price it's hard to get a better slice of action platforming in a pixel style.

Following on 10 April are:

• Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
• Wario Ware Inc: Minigame Mania

17th April:

• F-zero Maximum Velocity
• Golden Sun

24th April

• Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3