ChartSpot: August 2005

In what has become an annual tradition, August has seen an Electronic Arts football game knocked off the top of the console charts by...an Electronic Arts football game! Yes, once again the latest PlayStation 2 college gridiron game, NCAA Football 06, was succeeded at number one by the latest PS2 version of the Madden franchise, Madden NFL 06. The Xbox version of Madden took the number two slot, while the GameCube edition became the first game for Nintendo's console since Resident Evil 4 to enter the top 20, landing at number seven.

Unfortunately for diversity-seeking football-game fans, there was no ESPN NFL 2K alternative to Madden this year--nor will there be for the better part of a decade, given the company's exclusivity deal with the NFL. Nor will there be an ESPN game when the pact expires in 2009, since EA signed a 15-year deal to use the sports network's brand in games.

If pigskin's not your thing, August saw some new console entrants of both the commando and canine variety. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2 Summit Strike, the expansion pack to the popular Xbox squad-based strategy game Ghost Recon 2, debuted at number four. Nipping at its heels was Nintendogs: Dachshund & Friends, the wildly popular DS domestic-pet sim, in the fifth slot. The two other versions of the game, Nintendogs: Labrador Retriever & Friends and Nintendogs: Chihuahua & Friends, debuted at ninth and 12th, respectively.

As usual, there wasn't much change on the PC charts in August. Other than the entry of Microsoft Game Studios' Dungeon Siege II at number five, it was just the same group of recurring favorites swapping places--or in the case of Battlefield 2 and World of Warcraft, not moving at all. The two best sellers stayed in their respective first- and second-place slots, while July eighth-place finisher RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 pulled into third place. Finally, it wouldn't be a PC chart without a gaggle of Sims titles, and last month had four in the top 10: The Sims 2 (6th), The Sims 2 University (7th), The Sims Deluxe (8th), and The Sims: Unleashed (10th).

ALL CONSOLES
Rank	Last Month	Title	Platform	Publisher	Release Date	Average Price
1	**	Madden NFL 06	PS2	Electronic Arts	Aug-05	$49
2	**	Madden NFL 06	Xbox	Electronic Arts	Aug-05	$49
3	1	NCAA Football 06	PS2	Electronic Arts	Jul-05	$48
4	**	Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2 Summit Strike	Xbox	Ubisoft	Aug-05	$30
5	**	Nintendogs: Dachshund & Friends	DS	Nintendo	Aug-05	$31
6	4	Pokemon Emerald	GBA	Nintendo	Apr-05	$35
7	**	Madden NFL 06	GC	Electronic Arts	Aug-05	$49
8	10	Star Wars: Battlefront	PS2	LucasArts	Sep-04	$20
9	**	Nintendogs: Labrador Retriever & Friends	DS	Nintendo	Aug-05	$31
10	3	Halo 2 Map Pack	Xbox	Microsoft	Jul-05	$20
11	17	Delta Force: Black Hawk Down	Xbox	NovaLogic	Jul-05	$50
12	**	Nintendogs: Chihuahua & Friends	DS	Nintendo	Aug-05	$31
13	**	Dragon Ball GT: Transformation	GBA	Atari	Aug-05	$30
14	2	NCAA Football 06	Xbox	Electronic Arts	Jul-05	$48
15	**	Darkwatch	Xbox	Capcom	Aug-05	$49
16	8	Lego Star Wars	PS2	Eidos Interactive	Mar-05	$40
17	20	Burnout 3: Takedown	PS2	Electronic Arts	Sep-04	$20
18	**	Delta Force: Black Hawk Down	PS2	NovaLogic	Jul-05	$49
19	**	Advance Wars : Dual Strike	DS	Nintendo	Aug-05	$35
20	9	Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition	PSP	Take 2 Interactive	Jun-05	$49

PC
Rank	Last Month	Title	Publisher	Average Price
1	1	Battlefield 2	Electronic Arts	$48
2	2	World of Warcraft	Vivendi Universal	$48
3	8	Roller Coaster Tycoon 3	Atari	$29
4	3	Guild Wars	NCsoft	$49
5	**	Dungeon Siege 2	Microsoft	$50
6	5	The Sims 2	Electronic Arts	$49
7	4	The Sims 2 University	Electronic Arts	$33
8	6	The Sims Deluxe	Electronic Arts	$20
9	7	Half-Life 2	Vivendi Universal	$48
10	9	The Sims: Unleashed	Electronic Arts	$10
11	**	Madden NFL 2006	Electronic Arts	$40
12	**	Zoo Tycoon: Complete Collection	Microsoft	$25
13	**	Mall Tycoon	Activision	$16
14	16	Warcraft III Battle Chest	Vivendi Universal	$38
15	14	Star Wars Battlefront	LucasArts	$21
16	12	Zoo Tycoon 2	Microsoft	$31
17	18	Halo: Combat Evolved	Microsoft	$20
18	**	Doom 3	Activision	$26
19	13	The Sims: Superstar	Electronic Arts	$10
20	**	Seaworld Adventure Parks Tycoon 2	Activision	$20

PLAYSTATION 2
Rank	Last Month	Title	Publisher	Release Date	Average Price
1	**	Madden NFL 06	Electronic Arts	Aug-05	$49
2	1	NCAA Football 06	Electronic Arts	Jul-05	$48
3	5	Star Wars: Battlefront	LucasArts	Sep-04	$20
4	4	Lego Star Wars	Eidos Interactive	Mar-05	$40
5	10	Burnout 3: Takedown	Electronic Arts	Sep-04	$20
6	**	Delta Force: Black Hawk Down	NovaLogic	Jul-05	$49
7	3	Destroy All Humans!	Thq	Jun-05	$48
8	**	Charlie and the Chocolate Factory	Take 2 Interactive	Jul-05	$40
9	7	Medal of Honor: European Assault	Electronic Arts	Jun-05	$39
10	**	Darkwatch	Capcom	Aug-05	$49

XBOX
Rank	Last Month	Title	Publisher	Release Date	Average Price
1	**	Madden NFL 06	Electronic Arts	Aug-05	$49
2	**	Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2: Summit Strike	Ubisoft	Aug-05	$30
3	2	Halo 2 Map Pack	Microsoft	Jul-05	$20
4	6	Delta Force: Black Hawk Down	NovaLogic	Jul-05	$50
5	1	NCAA Football 06	Electronic Arts	Jul-05	$48
6	**	Darkwatch	Capcom	Aug-05	$49
7	9	Burnout 3: Takedown	Electronic Arts	Sep-04	$19
8	10	Star Wars: Battlefront	LucasArts	Sep-04	$20
9	**	Halo 2*	Microsoft	Nov-04	$38
10	**	The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction	Vivendi Universal	Aug-05	$49

GAMECUBE
Rank	Last Month	Title	Publisher	Release Date	Average Price
1	**	Madden NFL 06	Electronic Arts	Aug-05	$49
2	9	Harvest Moon: Another Wonderful Life	Natsume	Jul-05	$30
3	2	Super Smash Bros. Melee	Nintendo	Dec-01	$30
4	4	Super Mario Sunshine	Nintendo	Aug-02	$19
5	3	Pokemon Colosseum	Nintendo	Mar-04	$20
6	10	Charlie and the Chocolate Factory	Take 2 Interactive	Jul-05	$30
7	**	Sonic Gems Collection	Sega	Aug-05	$30
8	5	Animal Crossing	Nintendo	Sep-02	$20
9	7	Kirby Air Ride	Nintendo	Oct-03	$20
10	**	The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker	Nintendo	Mar-03	$19

GBA
Rank	Last Month	Title	Publisher	Release Date	Average Price
1	1	Pokemon Emerald	Nintendo	Apr-05	$35
2	**	Dragon Ball GT: Transformation	Atari	Aug-05	$30
3	5	Lego Star Wars	Eidos Interactive	Mar-05	$30
4	**	Disney's Kim Possible 3	Buena Vista Games	Jul-05	$29
5	**	Charlie and the Chocolate Factory	Take 2 Interactive	Jul-05	$30
6	8	Disney Princess	Thq	Mar-03	$15
7	2	Fantastic 4	Activision	Jun-05	$28
8	4	Madagascar	Activision	May-05	$29
9	3	Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of The Clones	Thq	May-02	$15
10	**	That's So Raven 2	Buena Vista Games	Jul-05	$29

DS
Rank	Last Month	Title	Publisher	Release Date	Average Price
1	**	Nintendogs: Dachshund & Friends	Nintendo	Aug-05	$31
2	**	Nintendogs: Labrador Retriever & Friends	Nintendo	Aug-05	$31
3	**	Nintendogs: Chihuahua & Friends	Nintendo	Aug-05	$31
4	**	Advance Wars : Dual Strike	Nintendo	Aug-05	$35
5	1	Kirby: Canvas Curse	Nintendo	Jun-05	$35
6	2	Super Mario 64 DS	Nintendo	Nov-04	$29
7	4	Warioware: Touched!	Nintendo	Feb-05	$35
8	3	Meteos	Nintendo	Jun-05	$31
9	7	Yoshi Touch & Go	Nintendo	Mar-05	$31
10	5	Goldeneye: Rogue Agent	Electronic Arts	Jun-05	$30

PSP
Rank	Last Month	Title	Publisher	Release Date	Average Price
1	1	Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition	Take 2 Interactive	Jun-05	$49
2	2	Coded Arms	Konami	Jul-05	$40
3	**	Death Jr.	Konami	Aug-05	$40
4	3	Untold Legends: Brotherhood of The Blade	Sony Online Ent.	Mar-05	$40
5	5	Need For Speed: Underground Rivals	Electronic Arts	Mar-05	$50
6	6	Twisted Metal: Head On	Sony	Mar-05	$40
7	4	Dead To Rights: Reckoning	Namco	Jun-05	$40
8	8	Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee	Sony	May-05	$39
9	9	ATV Offroad Fury: Blazin' Trails	Sony	Apr-05	$40
10	10	Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix	Activision	Mar-05	$48