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Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 1/21-1/27
Let's face it: the Japanese sales numbers for the week of 1/21 are just foreplay. What we really want to know is how Super Smash Bros. Brawl did, although rumors are coming in that the game sold a whopping 500,000 copies in its first day. All this hype even catapulted the Wii above the DS in hardware sales last week, according to the numbers released by Famitsu. We think the Wii will hold the top spot in Japan for at least another few weeks, while it basks in Brawl's glory. The Wii may have made a stir in the hardware charts, but all's boring on the software front. Wii Fit shows us its well-toned legs by remaining at the number one spot, and Super Mario Galaxy has fallen out of the top ten once again. Wii Play also slipped a bit, losing some of its former dominance. To see the Japanese hardware and software figures for last week, look no further than after the break.
Friday Video: Bring your own BUUUUHHH
Yeah, listen. We know we've talked a lot about Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, and now it's out, and maybe we should just leave it alone. But we can't let go yet. We've had too much fun making jokes about rubbing and destruction, and with the yelling and ... and ... it's an emotional time. So we had to have one more video. One last moment in the sun. You'll have to do your own yelling with this video, however. It's stuffed with melodramatic descriptions, but there's a distinct lack of BUUUUUHHHH.%Gallery-4700%
Another week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 1/14-1/20
We already know that the Wii is doing well in Japan. How has the hardware and software been shaping up against other consoles and games, though? Let's take a look at last week's sales to find out.The Wii continues to flip-flop positions with the PSP, this time ending up on the more favorable side of the coin. Regaining the second place spot with 76,000 units sold, the Wii only dropped 6,000 units from last week's numbers.Wii software continues to do well, too -- at least concerning "Wii" and "Mario" games. Wii Fit sales in Japan were even greater than DS handheld sales. Super Mario Galaxy also ended up back in the top ten, in part because of consistent sales, and in part because a few DS games lost steam. Some other Wii games didn't make the top of the charts, like Trauma Center: New Blood (which sold 3,100 copies last week in its debut). Check out the actual sales numbers and rankings for hardware and software after the break.
DS Daily: Mario & Sonic vs. the fog of war
This week's U.S. releases brings us a battle of epic proportions. On the one hand, you've got a mascot title that actually manages to look more compelling than its console counterpart, and on the other ... hell, man, it's Advance Wars. But since not everyone likes the same things, we're wondering which of the two you might pick up. There's also a third option, of course ... will you rebel and buy neither game? The horror! But we're sure there are such people out there.Or, y 'know, you might want both.
DS releases for the week of January 21st
Legions of gamers have been waiting for this week, which brings the release of the latest Advance Wars. Even with the risks that come with picking up the newest version, we're sure that quite a few of you may be disappearing for the next few weeks. Know that you'll be missed, and try to remember to eat.Not a war person? No worries; if you feel like doing a little yelling, you've got some options. Unless, of course, you live in Australia, where there are no new DS releases being reported for the week. How sad. Advance Wars: Days of Ruin Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games For releases in the rest of the major markets, march on past the break.
Mario and Sonic at the embarrassing confession
It could be because this latest trailer starts with the hammer-throw/BUUUUUUHHHHH footage from the Japanese commercial, or because we've spent too much time acting over-the-top enthusiastic about this minigame collection, but we found after watching this that we really want to play Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. Is that weird? It's not that we're so surprised to be interested in a game, it's just that we thought we were over the minigame thing by now. And, well, it does instill a bit of nostalgia to care about a Sonic game.But there's no denying it -- that vault event (the one in which the player draws shapes to make Peach flip) just looks fun. And it's just drawing shapes with the stylus! Well done, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. You got us a little.
Another week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 1/7-1/13
Sales for all systems predictably tumbled last week as Japan's holiday shopping season came to an end. That's not all that dropped, though; the Wii also slipped to third place, while the PSP claimed the second spot. Although the hardware sales reflect Japan's portable-mania, the software sales once again scream Nintendo.Since we already knew about Wii Fit's million accomplishment, there wasn't much surprise in the software charts. Super Mario Galaxy, however, finally fell out of the top ten as it makes it way toward the million mark.Hardware: DS: 103,000 PSP: 84,000 Wii: 82,000 PS3: 34,000 PS2: 15,000 Xbox 360: 5,500 The software sales are listed after the break.
Win a medal in 'buying Mario and Sonic'
Well, not so much "win" as "receive for free." And by "medal" we mean "pin with the game's logo on it." But other than that, this pin is just like an Olympic medal. Athletes win medals for excellent performance in Olympic events, and you can get this pin for going to GameStop and spending thirty-five dollars! It's the true Olympic experience.This is the perfect accessory to let other DS fans know that "Yes, I'm the one who bought the DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games." Or, more likely, the perfect eBay fodder to recoup some of the cost of the game.
DS releases for the week of January 14th
Wherever you are this week, there's not a lot to choose from. That isn't to say there aren't a few worthwhile titles hitting the shelves, but the key words here are "a few." As in "not many." As in, "not a big burden on your wallet." Considering everything we've got coming up for the DS, around the world, that's probably pretty good news. Corvette Evolution GT Miami Nights: Singles in the City Nanostray 2 For the rest of the world's major markets, see the release lists after the jump.
Another week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 12/31-1/6
The Wii got a huge boost in hardware sales thanks to the New Years holiday, which is known to be big for consumerism in Japan. All system sales increased, in fact, but the gap between the Wii and PSP widened as the Wii sold almost 80,000 more units than it did the previous week. The bump in hardware sales also affected software sales, helping Nintendo regain its domination in the charts. The top twelve games were for Nintendo systems, with a lot of those games either having the words "Wii" or "Mario" in their titles. Wii Sports and Wii Play continue to bully newer titles out of the top ten, while Wii Fit nears the million mark (and according to some trackers, already reached it as of today). Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles also shows some legs by barely making the top thirty, selling 21,000 copies last week for a total of 234,000.It will be interesting to see whether Super Mario Galaxy can hang in the top ten, but regardless, it seems that the game will hit one million sales relatively soon. Also, expect a huge drop in sales all around next week, as holiday spending in Japan finally comes to an end.The hardware and software numbers are listed after the break, for your viewing pleasure.
Rub! Pull! Ogle! New Mario & Sonic screens
While there's no yelling in this new set of screenshots from Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, there's plenty of rubbing, pulling, and other sharp, staccato commands. Also, there's bonus character art when you need to rest from all the touchscreen-mutilating action. It's not all about the games; there's got to be lots of posing and stretching as well.Y'know, we've seen the Olympics before, and we don't remember any event with three floating basketball hoops. We'd like to go ahead and call for Mario's drug screen, 'cause something just ain't right about all this. Looks fun ... but perhaps chemically-induced.%Gallery-4700%
Mario and Sonic at the Rubbing Olympics
We're going to be let down by any and all Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games advertising that doesn't feature bellowing from now on, but that doesn't mean we don't want to see more footage of the game. This latest trailer features some fencing and ping-pong, but also provides us with a good look at the "Dream Race" event, which is basically Mario Kart without karts. More than anything, Sega's bizarre fixation on "rubbing" is on display here. Having already created two games built around the idea of rubbing (so much so that "rub" appears in the titles of both in Europe), Sega is using the term to describe the screen-digging back-and-forth technique used in most of these games. We don't mind -- our screen works hard and deserves the occasional massage.
Mario & Sonic is AWESOME
We thought we weren't that into the DS version of Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games. But Nintendo has fully convinced us that the game is amazing and worth our time, using some innovative marketing. The first commercial here both influences our reaction to the game and mirrors our reaction to the commercial itself.First, we just watched, from the perspective of a player, as he tries the hammer throw the first time. The controls are easy to figure out, and he's swinging at a pretty good speed almost immediately. Then he releases the hammer and AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! GO HAMMER! We love this game now. We want to buy the yelling-at-stuff sports game when it comes out on the 22nd. We'll be first in line to yell at all the retail employees.[Via GoNintendo]
Another week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 12/24-12/31
Normally we bring you Japanese sales charts on Wednesday, but since Japan was on vacation this week, that didn't exactly work out. It's back to work for Japan, however, which means that the sales numbers for games and hardware for the week of 12/24 were finally released.So, how did Nintendo fare? While software sales were good, the company certainly lost its dominance in the charts. The week of 12/17 had Nintendo in nine out of ten of the top spots, while the week of 12/24 had the company in only seven. (Note: When "only seven" is a bad week, that's a good thing.)To see what this means for the Wii (and to view the actual Famitsu sales numbers), check after the break.
Mario & Sonic at the official web site
With Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games finally heading out in January for U.S. and Japanese gamers, and in February for the European market, it's no surprise that Nintendo's finally gotten around to putting up their official site. Sega's site has been up for some time, as has Nintendo's site for the Wii version, but the DS game has lagged a bit behind. On the Japanese site, you can see some of the games and how they'll control, in all their touchscreen-destroying glory, as well as characters, event breakdowns, and more.[Via Gamefront]
Another week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 12/17-12/23
The Wii did well last week in Japan, finally managing to outsell the PlayStation 3 again by five to one. Wii Fit, Super Mario Galaxy, and Mario and Sonic continued to find success in the software sales charts, while Wii Sports and Wii Play extend their quests toward spectacularly high numbers.We're glad to see that Super Mario Galaxy is doing well (the game is great, in case you haven't noticed), and are still awed by the phenomenon that is Wii Sports. Only one game in the top ten (and top fifteen, for that matter) was for a non-Nintendo system, which exemplifies the company's current dominance in Japan. Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon is mysteriously missing from the charts, however, leading some to speculate that the game sold less than FIFA 360 (which took the last place with 2,400 copies sold).Check after the break to see the sales numbers for Japan's hardware and software.
Expect SMG, RRR2, and more; pay less
Starting today until this Saturday, Target will have six of its Wii games for sale for only $37.00! As you can see from the list below, they're not all crap, either! Super Mario Galaxy Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Need for Speed: Prostreet Madden NFL 08 Smackdown vs Raw Most of these titles are already out of stock on Target's online shop, but you should still be able to pick them up at a brick and mortar location. If you've been putting off on buying Super Mario Galaxy to accommodate your Christmas budget, with the holiday now behind us and this great deal, you can make this long overdue purchase without having to feel guilty about it![Thanks, Tofufa!]
Nintendo taking SSBB, other games to Jump Festa
Nintendo slipped this one right under the wire -- Super Smash Bros. Brawl will be joining Super Mario Galaxy and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games at Jump Festa this weekend. Will it be playable? There's no confirmation, though the game was playable at E for All. Wouldn't it be lovely to have new playable content? We crave new and exciting Smash Bros. footage. We'll keep our eyes peeled for the videos that are sure to be rolling out this weekend.
Another week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 12/10-12/16
It's that time of the week again when we find out how the Wii and its games sold in Japan. While we really have no need to be worried about the hardware, certain unconfirmed numbers earlier this week did raise concerns about third-party software sales. So, how did the fair Wii fare in the land of the rising sun this week? Regarding hardware sales, the Wii just barely eked out in front of the PSP to take second place with 168,000 units sold, jumping up over 50,000 units from last week. As for the software, there's some good and bad news. Check after the break to see the numbers.
Mario and Sonic at the wacky Dream Events
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games for the DS looks startlingly similar to the Wii version, except, of course, for the obvious downgrade in graphical quality. The style is the same, and the events are all the same. The only major difference is the change in perspective done for the sake of controls. For example, the camera in the hammer throw event is directly above your character, to allow you to draw swirls around him or her to simulate the character's rotation. For the events in which the controls are not significantly different, like the button-controlled trampoline, both versions look almost identical.Like the Wii version, the DS game contains a few off-the-wall Dream Events set in the Mario and Sonic universes. Two of these, along with a bunch of the normal events, are revealed in this latest set of screens. Dream Marksmanship looks similar to a normal shooting contest, except everyone shoots at what look like some enemy robots from Sonic games. And Dream Basketball involves flying hoops!
