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Big in Japan Oct. 19-25: Pokemon, Wii Fit Plus repeat

Tomodachi Collection for DS takes third to complete Nintendo chart-topping trifecta; Rune Factory, Forza 3, FIFA 10 make their debuts.

Nintendo's latest financial report might have been a bit gloomier than the company's investors are used to in recent years, but at least the company is managing to keep its stranglehold on its home market. For the seventh straight week, Nintendo has claimed at least two of the top three chart spots on Media Create's Japanese retail sales charts.

This unfortunate Pokemon appears to have a constantly exploding spine.

This unfortunate Pokemon appears to have a constantly exploding spine.

For October 19-25, Nintendo actually reprised its performance from the previous week, locking down the top three spots with the same games in the same order. The company's DS hit Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver led all games with 117,972 sold, followed by Wii Fit Plus' 88,197 sold, and the DS game Tomodachi Collection's 52,464 weekly sales.

The next best-seller of the week, Inazuma Eleven 2: Kyoui no Shinryokusha - Fire and Blizzard for the DS, wasn't made by Nintendo, but it showed the same consistency. The Level 5 soccer-themed role-playing game sold 49,238 copies, claiming its fourth straight week on the charts since release, and third in a row at the four spot.

Rune Factory 3 for the DS, was the best-selling new release of the week, selling 41,279 units and leading a field of four strong new releases. Microsoft had a rare Xbox 360 game near the top of the charts with the sixth-place debut of Forza Motorsport 3 (31,818 sold), while EA's footie sim FIFA Soccer 10 dribbled to seventh place with 20,598. The latest addition to Koei's Dynasty Warriors series rounded out the new releases, with Dynasty Warriors 5 Special on the PSP edging its way into 10th place with 18,348 copies sold.

On the hardware front, sales were slightly down almost all the way across the board. The DSi retained its top spot with 42,199 sold, followed by the PSP with 32,865 sold. With the portables claiming the top two spots, Sony's PS3 and its 29,977 sold had to settle for third. The Wii trailed in fourth with sales of 25,917, and the Xbox 360 was a distant fifth (sixth when counting DS Lite sales separately from the DSi) with 4,470 sold.

JAPAN GAME SALES WEEK OF OCTOBER 19-25, 2009
Software:
Rank / Title / Publisher / Platform / Unit sales
1) Pokemon HeartGold and Soul Silver / Nintendo / DS / 117,972
2) Wii Fit Plus / Nintendo / Wii / 88,197
3) Tomodachi Collection / Nintendo / DS / 52,464
4) Inazuma Eleven 2: Kyoui no Shinryokusha - Fire and Blizzard / Level 5 / DS / 49,238
5) Rune Factory 3 / Marvelous / DS / 41,279
6) Forza Motorsport 3 / Microsoft / 360 / 31,818
7) FIFA Soccer 10 / EA / PS3 / 20,598
8) Wii Sports Resort / Nintendo / Wii / 19,262
9) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves / SCE / PS3 / 18,508
10) Dynasty Warriors 5 Special / Koei / PSP / 18,348

Hardware:
DSi - 42,199
PSP - 32,865
PS3 - 29,977
Wii - 25,917
DS Lite - 6,550
Xbox 360 - 4,470
PS2 - 1,951

23 Comments

  • scrawya

    Posted Nov 3, 2009 9:22 am GMT

    Gold remade is golden, i must get it.

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Nov 3, 2009 2:29 am GMT

    Is it just me or do the Japanese buy a lot of exactly the same game, just with a new title.

  • Yuck_Too

    Posted Nov 2, 2009 8:06 am GMT

    An Xbox title out sells all PS3 titles in Japan?!

    Seriously say what you like but that's an eye opener.

  • severe_009

    Posted Nov 2, 2009 12:51 am GMT

    @scarface_dm

    It's not "weird" to have cultural differences, it doesn't mean you love your Xbox360, everybody in the world loves it too, sheesh...

  • glennvolio posted Nov 1, 2009 1:19 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    glennvolio

    Posted Nov 1, 2009 1:19 pm GMT (hide)

    Again, thank God I don't live in Japan.

  • wahyudil

    Posted Nov 1, 2009 4:05 am GMT

    rune factory 3 for DS??? wow, I haven't ended Rune Factory Frontier yet .... its already 200 plus hour gameplay now ....

  • CorruptGamerGX

    Posted Nov 1, 2009 12:37 am GMT

    kejigoto
    Looks like those PS3 numbers are coming down each week.... They are just barely ahead of the Wii now.

    Considering the PS3 and Wii were neck to neck for 3 weeks in a row, I would say the PS3 is a bit higher this time around making your comment irrevelevent.

    Better luck next time.

  • coldsauce09

    Posted Oct 31, 2009 5:41 pm GMT

    31,818 american soldiers is playing forza 3 right now.

  • Chico_Azteca

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 11:26 pm GMT

    Pokemon will always be my number 1 portable games

    i just love the games, they never get old and last a LOT more than many games lately

  • SuprSaiyanRockr

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 7:59 pm GMT

    I still enjoy Pokemon. it's the only game that lasts over 100 hours.

  • Brettsky128

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 7:26 pm GMT

    Pokemon! Pokemon! Whoooo!! Do we have a US release date yet?!

  • linkdarkside

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 7:17 pm GMT

    man im 21 and i still love pokemon.those games are adictive.

  • sergioalb64

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 7:06 pm GMT

    The DS is so big, Nintendo had to make the DSi XL...

    Seriously, though, DS is King of the World...of gaming.

  • Regisland

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 6:32 pm GMT

    the wierd thing is that the ps3 is selling alot,but the software isnt,i cant believe U2 is on 9

  • Regisland posted Oct 30, 2009 6:30 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Regisland

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 6:30 pm GMT (hide)

    thos japs have some wierd taste of gaming.....nintendo?

  • kejigoto

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 6:13 pm GMT

    Looks like those PS3 numbers are coming down each week.... They are just barely ahead of the Wii now.

    Also surprised to see Forza 3 on the list.

  • Tom-Servo

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 5:47 pm GMT

    Oh wait nevermind, I just now saw the Uncharted 2

  • Tom-Servo

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 5:47 pm GMT

    I was wondering why this was in my updates since I dont care for any of the games listed

  • hashabnelah

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 5:43 pm GMT

    It would be interesting next week when Bayonetta, Tekken 6, and Four Warriors of Light: Final Fantasy Gaiden sales are reported.

  • ProVail

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 5:01 pm GMT

    wow that's weird

  • scarface_dm posted Oct 30, 2009 4:52 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    scarface_dm

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 4:52 pm GMT (hide)

    Japanese are wierd, they think pokemon is better than Forza3 and Uncharted2, and they fail to buy a 360, *shakes head *
    I just dont get it.....

  • elbert_b_23

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 4:40 pm GMT

    japasnese love there pokemon just as much as handhelds but i guess a busy country like that no one ever stays home long enough to enjoy consoles i guess hell i always loved handhelds more then consoles

  • muzik_mafia

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 4:31 pm GMT

    PS3 swallowed 360...

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