The Software

As inferior systems have proven, a machine is only as good as its software. Consistently, the Game Boy leads the field when it comes to quality titles, and there's a multitude to choose from.

Platform Games - Ten a penny on the Game Boy, but the majority are all pretty decent affairs. Primarily, seek out Wario Land, the Super Mario Land trilogy, and the Donkey Kong Land series.

Shoot 'Em Ups - A weak area, partially because the original hardware blurred anything that moved too quickly. Nevertheless, Probotector 2, Parodius, and R-Type 2 all offer solid and compelling action.

Puzzle Games - No contest with this one. Quite simply, Tetris is the only puzzle game you'll ever need. Unless, of course, you fancy a splash of colour, in which case Tetris DX will do the trick.

Role-Playing Games - Nintendo and Square have the market sewn up, with Legend Of Zelda: Link's Awakening and the Final Fantasy series representing the finest RPGs the Game Boy has to offer.

Beat 'Em Ups - Surely the appeal of a good beat 'em up is hammering a friend and, as such, decent examples are thin on the ground. Street Fighter 2 and Mortal Kombat 2 represent the best of an average bunch.