Big in Japan Mar. 1-7: Pokemon Ranger: Hikari no Kiseki

Nintendo's creature-capture RPG tops software charts but fails to lift DS above PSP's hardware-leading weekly performance.

Spike's beat-'em-up Kenka Bancho 4: Ichinen Sensou for the PSP debuted atop Media Create's chart for the last week of February. However, the title's hold on the top slot has proven short-lived, as a trio of new entrants, along with perennial chart favorite New Super Mario Bros. Wii, crept past Spike's brawler during the first week of March.

Pokemon Ranger captures the week's top slot.

Leading the way was Nintendo's juggernaut gotta-catch-'em-all franchise, as Pokemon Ranger: Hikari no Kiseki for the DS sold 160,532 units during the March 1-7 reporting period. Also a franchise title, Namco Bandai's .hack//Link for the PSP slotted into second in its first week with 60,487 units sold, while Square Enix's budget-priced rerelease of the best-selling Dragon Quest IX for the DS finished third with 40,797 units sold.

Koei's Nobunaga's Ambition: Tendou for the PlayStation 3 represented the final sales chart debut for the week, securing a seventh place finish with 32,964 units sold. The remainder of the week's top 10 had a familiar ring to it, as Tomodachi Collection, God Eater, Wii Fit Plus, and Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition all continued to turn in solid performances.

Pokemon Ranger's strong software start did little for the DS, as the PSP continued its reign atop the hardware chart. The handheld's 64,808-unit performance outdid the Wii's 33,880-unit weekly tally. The PS3's 28,824 units snuck in above Nintendo's DS trifecta. Meanwhile, the Xbox 360 sold 2,764 units, the PlayStation 2 moved 1,839 units, and the PSP Go brought up the rear with only 1,275 systems sold.

JAPAN GAME SALES WEEK OF MARCH 1-7, 2010
Software:
Rank / Title / Publisher / Platform / Unit sales
1) Pokemon Ranger: Hikari no Kiseki / Nintendo / DS / 160,532
2) .hack//Link / Namco Bandai / PSP / 60,487
3) Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies (Ultimate Hits) / DS / Square Enix / 40,797
4) New Super Mario Bros. Wii / Nintendo / Wii / 40,685
5) Kenka Bancho 4: One Year War / Spike / PSP / 36,515
6) Tomodachi Collection / Nintendo / DS / 35,208
7) Nobunaga's Ambition: Tendou / Koei / PS3 / 32,964
8) God Eater / Namco Bandai / PSP / 28,945
9) Wii Fit Plus / Nintendo / Wii / 25,926
10) Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition / Capcom / PS3 / 23,537

Hardware:
PSP - 64,808
Wii - 33,880
PS3 - 28,824
DSi LL - 23,611
DSi - 15,017
DS Lite - 4,316
Xbox 360 - 2,764
PS2 - 1,839
PSP Go - 1,275

23 Comments

  • atopp399

    Posted Mar 15, 2010 6:15 am PT

    PSP Go did well.

  • greenmagnuma

    Posted Mar 14, 2010 6:51 am PT

    can't wait till pokemon ranger 3 comes out here, just completed number 2 with full pokedex

  • brendanhunt1

    Posted Mar 13, 2010 7:19 am PT

    Cillerboy
    psp go wasn't advertised well at all.

  • Cillerboy

    Posted Mar 13, 2010 3:27 am PT

    @neo-sarevok i was talking about the PSPGo

  • jeffv541

    Posted Mar 13, 2010 12:21 am PT

    My grandpa helped invent pokemon

  • wiidsduelpack

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 7:18 pm PT

    Warning to Nintendo that they are losing sales. First the Wii and now the DS, Nintendo has to do something. They haven't released any good first party DS game in about a year.

  • Chico_Azteca

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 6:28 pm PT

    not suprised, everyone there already have like 2 ds of each model

  • RitterXplode

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 5:52 pm PT

    Nice.
    @ okassar:
    it's actually the opposite. You're satisfied clicking thinking you're killing soldiers, while they prefer to think and then click to get to their goal.

  • elbert_b_23

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 4:37 pm PT

    come on koei we need Nobunaga's Ambition games in n/a

  • digitaltiger

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 4:30 pm PT

    I will be surprised if next generation Microsoft doesn't have a hand held game system.

  • Neo_Sarevok

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 3:56 pm PT

    @ Cillerboy: Not necessarily. Japan simply loves hand helds. The games are cheaper to produce, cheaper to buy (Japanese games, especially console titles, are very expensive compared to in the U.S.), and great for playing on-the-go on bullet trains. I'm sure Sony knew the PS3 may not do as great, but they didn't want to isolate the U.S. market who ARE fans of consoles.

    This is is why Microsoft is so far behind in Japan is because they don't have a hand held platform to extend their titles to, unlike Nintendo and Sony.

  • Cillerboy posted Mar 12, 2010 3:38 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Cillerboy

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 3:38 pm PT (hide)

    when a last gen system is outselling a highly technological piece of equipment that was heavily advertised, then u know sony failed massively in this regard

  • Ovirew

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 3:17 pm PT

    I played the first Pokemon Ranger, and it was actually kinda fun. But, I didn't really see the need for one sequel, let alone multiple. I'm surprised that Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver aren't still topping their charts though. I think Dragon Quest IX will be a pretty good game.

  • sartnd

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 3:08 pm PT

    Yakuza 4 will top next week.

  • glennvolio posted Mar 12, 2010 3:02 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    glennvolio

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 3:02 pm PT (hide)

    The lack of 360 on this list is truly disturbing. I'm glad I don't live in Japan.

  • sartnd

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 3:02 pm PT

    @gimgak

    Actually sold more than 2000 in japan!

  • gimgak

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 2:54 pm PT

    hey! xbox actually sold more than 1000 in japan! we should celebrate!

  • okassar posted Mar 12, 2010 2:54 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    okassar

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 2:54 pm PT (hide)

    Wow the Japanese have some interesting taste. Games like MW2, ASC2, and GoW3 top our lists while you see Pokemon and .hack top theirs, lolollollol, I wish I was that easily entertained.

  • mariostar0001

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 2:32 pm PT

    Still NSMBW? That's cool! Glad the DS is winning software again, and the combined DS hardware sales are higher then they look, 42,944 total.

  • Hellspawner

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 2:30 pm PT

    now what i find intresting are the last 2. Look Ps2 beats Psp Go. like common!

  • MATERAZZI_23

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 2:29 pm PT

    Come on Koei, bring Nobunaga's Ambition to the West.

  • AngelCage-2

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 2:28 pm PT

    1 psp to rule all of the DS models... wow.

    I refuse to consider that GO crap a real PSP family member.... it's like the hideus relative that nobody likes to talk about.

  • moose3469

    Posted Mar 12, 2010 2:10 pm PT

    Thats because everybody and their mommas already have atleast 2 DS's

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