Big in Japan Dec. 7-13: New Super Mario Bros.

Earlier this week, Japanese game-industry tracking firm Enterbrain reported that Nintendo's latest platformer New Super Mario Bros. Wii has continued to sell gangbusters into its second week. Fellow Japanese stat-tracker Media Create has subsequently affirmed that initial report, saying that New Super Mario Bros. Wii sold 431,198 units during the December 7-13 reporting period.

Namco Bandai's Tales of Graces for the Wii scored the biggest debut of the week, selling 143,215 units. However, perhaps the most surprising debut was Infinity Ward's record-setting Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Though Western-developed titles (not to mention consoles) traditionally fare poorly in Japan, Modern Warfare 2 on the PlayStation 3 opened in fourth with 92,743 units. The final new top 10 debut, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3, finished in fifth with 75,596 units sold.

The remainder of Media Create's chart will have a familiar ring to it. Nintendo's perennial top performers Tomodachi Collection, Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver, and Wii Fit Plus all once again charted, as did PokePark Wii: Pikachu no Daibouken, which debuted the week before. Sega's Phantasy Star Portable 2 and Namco Bandai's Kidou Senshi Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam Next Plus also returned to Media Create's chart.

With two Wii games dominating the software chart, the console itself secured top billing on the hardware front. On the week, the Wii sold 135,898 units in Japan, easily beating out the PS3's 75,086 finish and the PSP's 71,885 tally. The DSi, DSi LL, and DS Lite followed with respective 68,184 units, 58,006 units, and 11,376 units sold. The Xbox 360 managed to crack the 10,000 marker, while the PSP Go sold 3,077 units and the PlayStation 2 shifted 2,463 machines.

JAPAN GAME SALES WEEK OF DEC. 7-DEC. 13, 2009
Software:
Rank / Title / Publisher / Platform / Unit sales
1) New Super Mario Bros. Wii / Nintendo / Wii / 431,198
2) Tales of Graces / Namco Bandai / Wii / 143,215
3) Tomodachi Collection / Nintendo / DS / 101,905
4) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 / Square Enix / PS3 / 92,743
5) Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 / Namco Bandai / PSP / 75,596
6) Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver / Nintendo / DS / 75,006
7) Phantasy Star Portable 2 / Sega / PSP / 74,203
8) Wii Fit Plus / Nintendo / Wii / 64,209
9) PokePark Wii: Pikachu no Daibouken / Nintendo / Wii / 57,410
10) Kidou Senshi Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam Next Plus / Namco Bandai / PSP / 56,596

Hardware:
Wii - 135,898
PS3 - 75,086
PSP - 71,885
DSi - 68,184
DSi LL - 58,006
DS Lite - 11,376
Xbox 360 - 10,646
PSP Go - 3,077
PS2 - 2,463