Japan Charts Nov. 5-11: Mario Party DS celebrates

Portable minigame compilation featuring Nintendo's irrepressible mascot unseats Galaxy and ekes past Koei's latest beat-'em-up.

Last week, Nintendo's mustachioed mascot stormed the Japanese sales charts with his critically acclaimed interstellar jaunt Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii. Apparently in celebration of last week's success, Mario Party DS has sold 235,000 units in its first week at retail, making it the best-selling game for the week ended November 11, according to the latest figures from stat trackers Media Create.

This week's chart showed a bit more diversity than last, with Nintendo products amounting for only six of the top 10 best-selling titles. The latest iteration of Koei's long-running beat-'em-up franchise Shin Sangoku Musou 5 (aka Dynasty Warriors 6) cut through the competition in a big way this week, with the PlayStation 3 version being the second-best seller for the week with 188,000 units sold and the Xbox 360 version selling 22,000 units. A North American release for Omega Force's next action game is currently slated for next year.

Sony platform titles scored the only other non-Nintendo slots in this week's chart. Konami's Castlevania Chronicle for the PlayStation Portable, which went on sale in North America in October, debuted in the sixth slot with 19,000 units sold. Also trailing its North American release, Insomniac Games' Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction sold 12,000 copies in its opening week, securing it the 10th slot.

The rest of the week belonged to Nintendo. Super Mario Galaxy cooled its jets this week, selling 74,000 copies and bringing its two week total to 325,000 units in Japan. Square Enix's Final Fantasy Tactics A2 for the DS dropped one slot to four, selling 23,000 units, while Wii Sports maintained is seventh position, selling 15,000 units. In the eighth and ninth slots were DS Nishimura Kyotarou Suspense Detective Series: Deadly Intent and Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day for the DS, both selling approximately 13,000 units.

Japan Game Chart Week of November 5, 2007

1. Mario Party DS - 235,000 / DS
2. Shin Sangoku Musou 5 - 188,000 / PS3
3. Super Mario Galaxy - 74,000 / Wii
4. Final Fantasy Tactics A2 - 23,000 / DS
5. Shin Sangoku Musou 5 - 22,000 / X360
6. Castlevania Chronicle - 19,000 / PSP
7. Wii Sports - 15,000 / Wii
8. DS Nishimura Kyotarou Suspense Detective Series: Deadly Intent - 13,000 / DS
9. Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day - 13,000 / DS
10. Ratchet & Clank Future - 12,000 / PS3

Rankings based on Media Create figures from November 5-11, 2007.

62 Comments

  • playstation_wii

    Posted Nov 21, 2007 4:10 pm PT

    No halo 3?

  • lamprey263

    Posted Nov 19, 2007 2:02 pm PT

    Ratchet & Clank at #10?! Well, I guess the Japanese really don't like shooters.

  • enoslives7

    Posted Nov 17, 2007 2:53 pm PT

    looks like the xbox is all but dead in japan

  • metc123

    Posted Nov 17, 2007 6:30 am PT

    Solid sales for MPDS

  • Delongman

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 12:44 pm PT

    I envy all thos who have Mario G!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • MasterChief725

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 11:55 am PT

    i agree with dr.corndog, i played both version of dynasty warriors...uhh..

  • Dr_Corndog

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 9:56 am PT

    Why on earth is a Dynasty Warriors game sitting at the top of the list?

  • finaleve

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 9:46 am PT

    fr33_loader > A better question is, "Seriosuly, don't people get tired of Halo?" No offense, but Mario does something new each game, and adds gameplay mechanics. What new thing has Halo introduced? Last I checked, Halo 1 introduced nothing more than a generic FPS to the Xbox, Halo 2 added duel weilding (which has been done before, Perfect Dark 64 did it), and 3 added items. Combine all that and all it really says is its the same generic game, but a little quirk that makes killing things last a bit longer.
    Multiplayer really saves the game, but maybe Japan isn't into online play as much as we are, Or maybe has a bigger market for things that aren't extremely violent but are really fun to play, or perhaps something that has a strong storyline. Just because you don't like those games doesnt mean other people do, so grow up.

    I wonder how well Mario Party Advanced did, since I noticed the card game didn't over too well here.
    Mario Galaxy, FFTA2, Castevania, Suspense Detective, and maybe even Ratchet and Clank (if i ever get a PS3).

    360 should be glad they got a Dynasty Warriors on their system to help boost their sales more.

  • thekey

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 9:13 am PT

    jazziey "bah to ps3...."

    PS3 hasn't won anything any region yet.

  • okassar

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 8:27 am PT

    Don't pay too much attention to this unless you live in Japan.The Japanese have a special taste for Domertic(inner-country) products.That's why the 360 isn't that popular there and I believe no American game title has made the chart..........Mario Party DS.....lol,get frikkin' Halo 3,I don't see how Japan can resist like all American products,sucks for them.

  • SuperVidGamer

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 7:07 am PT

    tman978:
    If Wii Sports is free and Wii Play is a freebie for a Controller, How can they be on the list? I never understand that.     Wii Sports isn't packaged with the wii in Japan, and Wii Play, is a 50 USD game with a free controller.

  • tman978

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 6:41 am PT

    If Wii Sports is free and Wii Play is a freebie for a Controller, How can they be on the list? I never understand that.

  • Player1_HDS

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 6:32 am PT

    I really want Final Fantasy Tactics A2 to come to the US!

  • uklegendkiller

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 6:29 am PT

    What is it with all the fan boyism, It doesn't matter what console you play on all that matters is the overall quality of the games.

    & Big_Gamer_Al the japanese aren't in to kiddy things at all, they're all gaming mad, and they play games for reason to have fun just one look at the chart and you can that.

  • greater_bird

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 5:38 am PT

    I wish they'd bring this Suspense Detective Series over here. I keep seeing its name.

  • Big_Gamer_Al

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 4:49 am PT

    The Japanese like kiddy things

  • blingchu55

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 3:38 am PT

    I don't get japan.....they are a casual market but they buy Dynasty Warriors? I guess it is understandable because Im a ninty fan and even I like dynasty warriors. But still.....

  • DonutTrooper

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 3:32 am PT

    All my friends have a DS, and so do I. So perhaps when the holiday linup ends (and we all have money again), we'll pick up Mario Party DS. I think it's a step foreward for the franchise, becuase I really don't like the console Mario Parties anymore.

  • Mullies

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 2:28 am PT

    Are you lot that ignorant to think that no one buys Dynasty warriors games? Its huge in Japan. In the UK, its also quite a big thing too.

  • Reetesh

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 1:12 am PT

    OUt of all those the games I am going to buy are only Ratchet and Clank and SMG

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 1:06 am PT

    So much for 360's one week reign over the PS3.

    Dynasty Warriors skyrocketed the PS3.

  • DPumbliQ

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 12:24 am PT

    Strange, GS tells us good news of the PS3...... Well it had to happen sometime.......

  • smfes

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 11:48 pm PT

    Recently as yesterday i just picked up Zelda Phantom Hourglass for my DS and i'm sure having a blast with it, i'm also SO getting Mario Party DS! Go Nintedo!

  • Vojkan80001

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 11:44 pm PT

    Mario FLOP

  • cravygravy

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 11:28 pm PT

    "This is kinda funny. Last week gamespot ran this info with the headline being the 360 outsells the PS3 by a couple hundred consoles for the first time ever. Now they post the data for the week of Nov 5-11, and no mention of hardware sales. Completely missing from this article. Could it be that the 360 was beaten bloody? Check the numbers on vgchartz.com. The PS3 outsold the 360 9 to 1 last week (something like 63000 to 6800 consoles). I don't think gamespot is purposely suppressing this type of data, but you have to wonder sometimes."

    Of course they are, Gamespot receives a fat check in the mail every month to not report positive PS3 news.

  • vass86

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 11:25 pm PT

    aren't all the minigame compilations getting to people yet?!

  • ebookerd1

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 10:52 pm PT

    Well maybe this will teach people that the Japanese chart only effect the japanese people. I mean look at these games. Dynasty Warriors???? Yeah you sell me on that one.

  • fr33_loader

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 10:19 pm PT

    Seriously, people dont get tired with Mario?

  • YukoAsho

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 9:36 pm PT

    It's kinda disappointing that Mario Galaxy is being outsold by a freaking Dynasty Warriors game.

  • MegaXtreme

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 9:04 pm PT

    Yeah Dynasty Warriors 6! I am so pumped for that game right now, and it's lookin good and sitting pretty. I bought Super Mario Galaxy and its AMAZING. Mario Party DS will be mine.

  • Putzwapputzen

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 8:59 pm PT

    haha, congrats ds!

  • Konxumer

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 8:48 pm PT

    For all of the crying going on how many of you have played Mario Party DS?

  • jazziey

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 8:43 pm PT

    bah to ps3....

  • noahcycle12

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 8:24 pm PT

    Because all the haters out there still want the PS3 to fail Mark_HD. Wish people would just play games on what they want and stop all the fanboyism.

  • Mark_HD

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 8:00 pm PT

    Where are the Hardware sales? The title should be like "PS3 sales beat Wii and Xbox 360 combined with just 1 day of sales for the 399 40GB PS3"

  • bigcalkenobi

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 7:40 pm PT

    This is very disappointing , but I think that the reason Mario Party DS outsold Galaxy in the 3rd week is because the DS is way more popular than the Wii in Japan. I really hope that SMG is back on top next week, but Mario Party DS is very popular casual franchise on the most popular videogame system in Japan, so I wouldn't count on that.

  • T-bone123

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 7:12 pm PT

    I don't know if this is good news or bad news for Mario...

  • Madmangamer364

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 7:02 pm PT

    This is actually more disappointing than good news. I can't believe Super Mario Galaxy, as superb and critically acclaimed of a game as it is, has fallen off the charts so quickly. This wouldn't surprise me if a game like Super Smash Bros. Brawl had came out, but Mario Party DS?! I'm scratching my head at this one.

  • Fire_EmblemFan

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 6:59 pm PT

    YAY! GO NINTENDO!

  • puppiemaster

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 6:53 pm PT

    I'm getting Galaxy in the morning, sleep is not as important as Mario

  • REVOLUTIONfreak

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 6:33 pm PT

    What's with SMG in Japan? They'll buy as many copies of Mario Party DS as they can find, but when it comes to an actual Mario platformer (an incredibly good one at that) they hardly even take a second look at it.
    I suppose it's the fact that Super Mario Galaxy isn't selling as well as it SHOULD is what is bothering me... because it's still selling very well.

  • padouke

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 6:28 pm PT

    yeah thats right. galaxy is one hell of a game. i cant get enough of it. im anxious to see how america's week compares...

  • darkride66

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 6:27 pm PT

    This is kinda funny. Last week gamespot ran this info with the headline being the 360 outsells the PS3 by a couple hundred consoles for the first time ever. Now they post the data for the week of Nov 5-11, and no mention of hardware sales. Completely missing from this article. Could it be that the 360 was beaten bloody? Check the numbers on vgchartz.com. The PS3 outsold the 360 9 to 1 last week (something like 63000 to 6800 consoles). I don't think gamespot is purposely suppressing this type of data, but you have to wonder sometimes.

  • uklegendkiller

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 6:24 pm PT

    I'm not surprised by the chart at all japan went mobile years ago apart from final fantasy it's very rare to see a none handheld game top of the charts.
    People who are saying third is dissapionting for mario galaxy it isn't for saying how mobile japan is third is, third is not bad at all and i doubt nintendo will be bothered they're dominateing the chart.

  • Makaatsu

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 6:11 pm PT

    mario only sold 50k more then a 360 game??? whats going on in Japan?

  • Acid_Kitsune

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 6:09 pm PT

    I can already see a Mario Party 10 in the future... that will be something.

  • kori911

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 5:51 pm PT

    A quarter million is a lot mario of games.

  • -supercharged-

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 5:47 pm PT

    Mario Party DS beat out Mario Galaxy? Wow that's suprising. Mario Party is alot of fun though especially if you got others to play with you.

  • wiidominance

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 5:45 pm PT

    As far as console games go in Japan, I think 325k for SMG is pretty darn good, remember, Sales went down in japan with the so called "gamers drift" , Oh well, I told them many times, revise your pricing scheme people ... games are way too expensive, they are not selling enough because people want to get them but can't, they don't have the money ... Anyway .. W00t .. at least SMG will break the barrier of 500 k when it finally stops selling.

  • wizzardjeff

    Posted Nov 15, 2007 5:33 pm PT

    i cant believe so many people like mario party
    its mediocre at best

advertisement

Hot Stories

Newsmakers

Featured Stories

Submit News

Got tips? Send them in!

Related Game

Mario Party DS Boxshot
Mario Party DS

Game Stats

  • Rank:
    1,229 of 59,148
    (down by 79)
    DS Rank:
    87 of 2,746
    Tracking:
    1,275 Track It»
    Wishlists:
    721 Wish It»
  • Users Now Playing:
    351
  • Number of Players:

    1-4, 4 Online | Offline Modes: Competitive, Cooperative, Team Oriented

  • Top 5 User Tags:
    1. mario party ds
    2. mario
    3. ds
    4. mario party
    5. party
  • Everyone Rating Description

    Titles rated E (Everyone) have content that may be suitable for ages 6 and older. Titles in this category may contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language. Learn more

Full Game Details »Close

Related Games

Recent News

See All News »

Site Blogs