Koei’s new PS2 title, Musou Orochi, took home the winners trophy in the weekly Japanese video game sales competition according to tracking firm Media Create. In the week of 19th to 25th March, the game, which is sort of a mix of Koei’s popular Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series, sold through 406 247 copies, well ahead of the competition.

Also new on the software chart was the latest Dragon Ball Z game from Bandai-Namco on the Nintendo DS coming in at 3rd place with 65 203 sales, and a crayon drawing game from Banpresto at number 7 with 38 413. Yoshi’s Island DS continues it’s great run so far with another 100 thousand copies, and recent chart residents Wii Sports, Wii Play, Monster Hunter Portable 2nd and Prof Layton and the Mysterious Village continue to put up consistent numbers.

Hardware Numbers

The hardware numbers continue to follow the pattern established recently, with the DS and Wii outselling their competitors by over three to one. Both the DS and Wii were up this week with 130 684 and 75 571 units sold respectively, while the PSP and PS3 kept up a simliar pace to last week with 41 546 and 30 459 units sold. The Xbox 360 had a slight bump up to 3492 from 2910 due to the release of Sega’s Armored Core 4.

Next Week

Next week sees the release of More English Training (NDS) from Nintendo (the previous one has sold over a million copies), as well as new Digimon and Tamagotchi games on the DS from Bandai-Namco, and Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix+ on PS2 from Square Enix. Also being released is Sega’s Fist of the North Star on PS2, the next installment of Koei’s horse racing series, Winning Post 7 Maximum 2007 on PS2 and PS3, and Konami’s Pro Baseball Spirits 4 on PS2 and PS3.

Hardware Chart

Software Chart

Upcoming Titles

Norwegian Cruise Line today became the first cruise line to offer guests the chance to experience Nintendo’s Wii on board its ships.

Guests will find Wii systems on Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Norwegian Pearl, as well as all NCL’s America ships but will be available on the rest of NCL’s fleet by April. Guests will be able to play Wii Sports featuring tennis, golf, baseball, boxing and bowling along with Wii Play, WarioWare: Smooth Moves and Excite Truck.

Wii’s social phenomenon growing

“With its active, engaging and inviting game experiences appealing to every age from kids to parents to grandparents, the Wii from Nintendo is a natural fit for Freestyle Cruising,” said Colin Veitch, NCL’s president and CEO. “With the addition of Wii to our on-board activities, we can now offer bowling, boxing, golf, tennis and baseball across the entire fleet. Cheering, yelling and high-fives will be highly encouraged.”

“Millions of people around the world continue to discover the fun of playing Wii with their friends and families,” says George Harrison, Nintendo of America’s senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. “Norwegian Cruise Line is a great partner, as they offer us direct access to non-traditional gamers. Our partnership reinforces how Wii’s social phenomenon continues to grow, from the centerpiece of gaming parties, to a workout supplement, to a fun facet of vacation cruises.”

Customizable experience at sea

Each ship will feature Wii systems in the atrium and other public rooms. Guests will be able to gather and play against each other on large video screens. Each ship has a Kid’s Crew facility which will also have two Wii kiosks providing kids-only fun. Look out for tournaments and activities on board.

“This partnership with Nintendo is an industry first and another innovation for NCL,” Veitch said. “This continues our mission to dismantle the traditional cruise experience and deliver the most exciting and most customizable experience at sea.”

Atari today announced that the first Bullet Witch downloadable content is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. Bullet Witch is published by Atari in partnership with Japanase publisher AQ Interactive Inc and was launched for the Xbox 360 in February.

This first set of downloadable content includes a free new White Witch costume for heroine Alicia as well as a Bullet Witch Xbox 360 Theme pack. Players can also download one new mission ‘Dynamite Beauty’ featuring ‘Great Spells’ unlocked and two enhanced versions of the ‘Clad in Streaming Black’ mission featuring a heightened level of difficulty. These two downloads will cost players 20 points each.

More free costumes for Alicia will become available over the coming weeks including Mummy, Schoolgirl, Secretary and Pixie. New missions ‘Caterpillar City,’ ‘Endless,’ ‘One Shot Kill’ and ‘Geist Search and Destroy’ plus enhanced editions of the missions ‘City of Screams,’ ‘Up in Flames at 10 000ft,’ ‘Down in the Valley,’ ‘The Bound Soul’ and ‘The End of Chaos,’ will be available for 20 points each.

Bullet Witch is developed by Japan-based Cava. Set on a bleak planet earth in 2013, humans are on the brink of extinction with demons creating destruction. Mankind’s survival rests with Alicia, a beautiful witch blessed with magical skills and a quick trigger finger. Playing as Alicia, players set out on a quest to save mankind using fearsome weaponry and powers with which Alicia can manipulate natural phenomena in the environment.

IDG World Expo today announced that Nintendo of America will be an anchor exhibitor for IDG World Expo’s Entertainment for All Expo (E for All). E for All will be running from the 18th to the 21st of October at the LA Convention Center.

Created for people who are passionate about video games, E for All is a new event which was launched in response to demand from consumers to see and try new products before they reach the stores shelves. Organisers are anticipating that the expo’s mid-October dates will launch an early and successful holiday shopping season for the gaming industry. Consumers will be able to test the latest games and gadgetry and purchase products at the onsite retail facilities.

“The E for All Expo supports Nintendo’s mission to reach as many types of consumers as possible to expand the world of video games to new audiences,” says George Harrison, Nintendo of America’s senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. “Our Wii and Nintendo DS systems are all about gaming for the masses, and the E for All Expo will give consumers a chance to try out the hottest new Nintendo video games.”

“Nintendo’s early involvement in E for All demonstrates the importance of a broad consumer-focused event for this industry,” says Mary Dolaher, executive vice president of IDG World Expo. “E for All has been shaped from the ground up with all gamers in mind, and Nintendo has proven its commitment to embracing the spectrum of gamers, as we’ve seen with their launch of the Wii. In addition to being our flagship exhibitor, Nintendo of America Executive Vice President of Operations Don James has agreed to serve on our Exhibitor Advisory Board. I couldn’t ask for a more universally respected colleague in this new venture.”

Nintendo today announced that the fun and addictive puzzler, Picross DS, would be launching across Europe exclusively on the DS on the 11th of May at an estimated retail price of £30.

This pick up and play title is the latest in Nintendo’s Touch! Generations series joining other popular games such as Nintendogs, 42 All Time Classics and Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training. Picross DS offers light puzzle entertainment that is accessible to everyone, irrespective of age or experience. Be warned though because players will have to have speedy fingers and fast minds to conquer the puzzles in Picross DS.

Quick and quirky puzzle solving fun

The main Picross Mode requires players to reveal a hidden image which lies beneath the puzzle by filling in a grid with squares and crosses to complete patterns. Players can look forward to 300 puzzles ranging from elementary five by five grids to complicated twenty by twenty grids. Should players get stuck they can choose to receive clues to help finish the puzzle as well as give themselves a head start with a roulette style hint function which reveals one line of the puzzle.

My Picross Mode allows players to create their own puzzles which they can share with their friends using the Nintendo DS wireless connectivity or the Wi-Fi Connection service or even challenge their friends with. Players will use the DS stylus and touch screen to design Picross DS puzzles of all sizes as well as the images beneath the puzzle which is released upon its completion.

Chart your progress

Picross DS also features a calendar based Daily Picross DS Mode where players are challenged to complete several quick puzzles every day. This mode is comprised of the five by five grid puzzles and is designed to test how quickly players can analyze and complete five small puzzles. A chart will also plot each day’s results which show a player’s progress. Players can unlock new modes through playing Daily Picross DS Mode for consecutive days, including No X’s, Error Search and Memory.

Mini-games and unlockable customization options

Keep an eye out for various touch screen mini-games which can be unlocked and played in the main Picross Mode. Players will compete in skill and reaction based challenges as they race against the clock. Players can also customize their game environments by unlocking various different skins with themes including nature, sport and video game heroes.

Multiplayer mode allows up to five players to compete against each other and the clock to complete puzzles first in Multi-Picross Mode. Players can also take part in Online Battle Mode with another player from anywhere in the world with Nintendo’s Wi-Fi Connection service. Wi-Fi also allows players to download a nearly endless supply of new puzzles. Players can upload the puzzles which they have created in My Picross Mode which other players can browse and download online. Players can also download official puzzles from Nintendo.

EA recently announced that it had renewed the license to launch more games within Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings world. EA has developed games based on Tolkien’s trilogy of books and based on New Line Cinema’s films of The Lord of The Rings since 2001. The new title is scheduled to be released in 2008 and promises to engage gamers in compelling adventures on Middle-earth inspired by the books and movies.

“The Lord of the Rings is an incredible canvas to create epic games,” said Frank Gibeau, EA’s executive vice president and general manager of North American publishing. “We look forward to our next project with New Line Cinema and Tolkien Enterprises scheduled to ship in 2008.”

“We have a long history of making great games with EA and are thrilled to extend our longstanding relationship,” said David Imhoff, New Line’s senior executive vice president of worldwide licensing and merchandising. “We look forward to working closely with EA to create even more compelling Lord of the Rings adventures in the future.”

Publisher 505 Games today announced that the Wii version of Cooking Mama will be released in Europe, exclusively, on the Wii on the 11th of May.

Cooking Mama has already been a hit of the DS and now Wii owners can also don an apron under the watchful eye of Mama. Players will use the Wii Remote and Nunchuck to create meals ranging from everyday snacks to gourmet meals. The combination of the Wii Remote and Nunchuck allows for exciting new ways to interact and play, with players required to use their whole body at times.

Cook off

Prepare to chop and mash in 3D because the Wii version of Cooking Mama features stylized 3D visuals. It also features a new Challenge Mode where players can prepare a dish in its entirety from start to finish, being graded at the end rather than at each stage of preparation. Cooking Mama features recipes from ten different nations so players can learn how to prepare famous dishes from around the world. Challenge a friend or the CPU to a two-player cook off in multiplayer challenges.

Developed by Office Create, Cooking Mama is scheduled to be released on the 11th of May at an estimated retail price of £39.99.

Here are some screenshots from the game:

Majesco Entertainment today announced The Wild West for the DS. Developed by Happy Happening, this touch screen shoot out game will be released this summer.

“The Wild West features many of the gritty adventures that marked the settling of the American west,” said Ken Gold, vice president of Marketing. “From gold rushes to train robberies to stagecoach chases, it includes a range of action-packed scenarios that handheld gamers can experience for only $19.99.”

The Wild West features both 2D and 3D levels and allows players to choose between two different animal characters with different storylines. Players can earn additional weapons to use in the main Story Mode by completing the themed mini-games. Players can also look forward to challenging bosses between levels which are guaranteed to test even the most skilled touch screen sharpshooters.

Sierra Entertainment has confirmed that F.E.A.R. (First Encounter Assault Recon) for the PS3 will hit US store shelves on the 24th of April and UK and European store shelves on the 20th of April.

F.E.A.R. sees players becoming an elite soldier trained to deal with unusual situations such as containing a crisis when they are called in to confront a murderous force. This stylized FPS combat is fused with suspense which will guarantee that players will discover the true meaning of F.E.A.R.

The PS3 version of F.E.A.R. features visual effects which deliver an intense action movie experience as well as unpredictable encounters with combat adaptable A.I. The Instant Action Mode is a new arcade style mode consisting of close quarter’s battles which track player progress via leader boards for the PlayStation Network for the PS3. PS3 owners can also look forward to an exclusive PS3 level and weapon. The game supports up to 16 players in multiplayer mode.

SEGA and Nintendo today announced that two legendary icons in the entertainment industry, Mario and Sonic, are set to star in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. Developed for the Wii and DS, this will be the first time these two stars have appeared together in a game in video game history. We thought we would take a walk down memory lane and look back on the highlights in Mario and Sonic’s video game careers.

Let’s a go!

Mario is Nintendo’s legendary icon, the best known and best loved character in video game history. First appearing as ‘Jumpman’ in the original Donkey Kong arcade game in 1981, Mario was destined for success. Mario became hugely popular all over the world on every Nintendo home console and handheld system. Up until April 2007 Mario has appeared in nearly 100 video games with Mario games selling more than 193 million worldwide.

Blue dude with the ‘tude

Sonic the Hedgehog celebrated his sixteenth anniversary this year. To date SEGA’s much-loved blue hedgehog who can travel at super sonic speeds has sold over 44 million copies worldwide and starred in more than 30 games. Sonic was born on the 23rd of June 1991 as the fastest, most technologically advanced character for the SEGA Genesis console. Sonic’s original name was ‘Mr Needlemouse.’

Sonic is not just a video game icon, he has also starred in two animated TV series, comic books and an animated movie. In addition he has his own theme park and was the first and only game character ever to be featured in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Sonic’s appearance on almost every well-known game platform earned him his star on the ‘Walk of Game’ landmark which honours gaming icons.

SEGA of Europe compiled a list of the highlights of Mario and Sonic’s careers. Enjoy!

Highlights of Mario’s career

1981: Mario is created by legendary video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He appears in his first game, the arcade game Donkey Kong, but is known simply as ‘Jumpman.’

1982: The Jumpman character is renamed ‘Mario’ for the arcade release of Donkey Kong Jr. He is named Mario because of his resemblance to the owner of Nintendo of America’s first warehouse, Mario Segali.

1983: The arcade game Mario Bros. becomes the first game to feature Mario as a title character and also marks the first appearance of Mario’s brother, Luigi.

1983: Mario becomes a TV star by appearing as a circus trainer in the CBS cartoon series Saturday Supercade, which runs through 1985.

1985: Mario stars in Super Mario Bros. on Nintendo’s first US home video game console, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The world is introduced to the Mushroom Kingdom, the setting for many future Mario adventures.

1989: Mario becomes one of the first video game characters to appear in a motion picture. He debuts on the silver screen in The Wizard, which gives eager players their first glimpse of Super Mario Bros. 3.

1989: Mario jumps into every kid’s hand with the launch of Super Mario Land for Nintendo’s original Game Boy.

1990: Super Mario Bros. 3 for the NES launches and goes on to sell more than 17.3 million games worldwide, making it the most successful individually sold video game of all time, a record that still stands.

1991: Mario appears with Yoshi for the first time in Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).

1992: Super Mario Kart for the Super NES launches one of the most popular franchises in Nintendo history.

1993: Mario’s adventures inspire a major motion picture: Super Mario Bros. – The Movie. The film stars Bob Hoskins as Mario, John Leguizamo as Luigi and Dennis Hopper as King Koopa.

1995: The Super NES game Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island features Mario as a baby – and he still saves the princess!

1996: Mario becomes the first video game character to have complete movement in a 360-degree, 3D home video game environment in Super Mario 64 for Nintendo 64.

1999: Mario Party for Nintendo 64 defines the party-game genre and sparks numerous popular sequels on future platforms.

1999: Super Smash Bros. arrives on Nintendo 64 featuring Mario and a cast of all-stars.

2001: The top selling Super Mario Advance marks Mario’s debut on the new Game Boy Advance handheld system.

2001: Mario’s first appearance on the Nintendo GameCube in Luigi’s Mansion. Mario’s little brother and sidekick, Luigi, has to rescue Mario when he is held captive by ghosts in a haunted mansion.

2002: Super Mario Sunshine marks the first true Mario game on Nintendo GameCube. Mario is given unprecedented freedom of movement as he tries to clean up Delfino Island.

2005: The Walk of Game in San Francisco honors both Mario and Shigeru Miyamoto as two of its first inductees.

2006: The tables are turned on Mario when longtime kidnap victim Princess Peach has to rescue him in Super Princess Peach for Nintendo DS.

2006: Mario’s 25 years of popularity continue, as New Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS emerges as one of the top selling games in the United States for the year, with nearly 2 million units sold.

2007: The first Mario game for the Wii system from Nintendo is Super Paper Mario, a remarkable game that shifts Mario between 2D and 3D environments. Other upcoming Mario games in development for the Wii include Super Mario Galaxy and Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

2007: Mario will appear with Sonic the Hedgehog for the first time in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games.

Highlights of Sonic’s career

Milestones

- An estimated 50 million people have played at least one Sonic game.

- Gamers have collected over 66 billion rings while playing Sonic.

- Sonic was the first video game included in the National Film and Television Archive of the UK, where historic films and TV programs are preserved.

- An average of 8 000 Sonic games are sold worldwide every day.

- Gamers have spent over 500 million hours playing Sonic games.

Important dates

1990: April sees the commencement of development of ‘action game for the new age’ and in November Sonic The Hedgehog is officially announced.

1991: Sonic The Hedgehog for Genesis ships in the US on the 23rd of June. Sonic ships in Japan in July. On the 28th of December Sonic The Hedgehog for Game Gear is released in Japan, marking Sonic’s debut on handheld platforms.

1992: In November Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is released for Genesis and Game Gear in the US on ‘Sonic 2s Day.’ Miles ‘Tails’ Prower is introduced for the first time. The game sells over 400 000 copies in five days.

1993: Sonic sponsors the F1 Williams team in April, and in the same month scientists discover a new gene with spikes similar to Sonic’s. They dub the new gene ‘Sonic The Hedgehog gene.’ In June the Adventures of Sonic The Hedgehog cartoon begins airing in nationwide in the US. In September Sonic The Hedgehog appears in US arcades, and in November Sonic stars in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade with a 65-foot long balloon.

1994: Sonic The Hedgehog 3 blasts on Genesis on the 2nd of February. In October Sonic and Knuckles ships in the US. The two games could be combined by locking Sonic and Knuckles into the Sonic 3 cartridge, allowing the complete adventure to be played. In October Sonic appears in a nationwide MTV ‘Rock the Rock’ special shot on Alcatraz. Twenty-five finalists from over 100 000 entrants compete in Sonic 3 for the title of “The World’s Most Hard-Core Gamer.”

1996: In a videogame first Sonic is included in the National Film and Television Archive of the UK, where historic films and TV programs are preserved. Marking Sonic’s first full 3D adventure, Sonic 3D Blast is released on Saturn.

1998: In December Sonic Adventure is released in Japan on Dreamcast while US fans eagerly await its arrival stateside.

1999: Sonic Adventure ships on the 31st of August in the US, eventually becoming the best selling SEGA Dreamcast game of all time with over six million copies sold worldwide. Sonic’s second cartoon series launches in the US. In October Sonic’s first clothing line is released in Japan.

2000: The Sonic fashion project makes its way to Paris, France as Sonic apparel is displayed at the Concept Store/Jean Charles de Castelbajac.

2001: On the 18th of June Sonic Adventure 2 ships in the US for Dreamcast. In June a series of tenth birthday celebrations for Sonic are held across Japan. In December CoroCoro Comics announces that the artist of the Sonic The Hedgehog comic will be well known artist Santa Harukaze. The comic first appears in December.

2002: Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is released for GameCube on the 3rd of February, marking Sonic’s debut on the platform. Sonic Team’s Yuji Naka receives a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Game Developers Choice Awards in the US, an award presented to individuals who have made innovative and significant achievements in the videogame industry.

2003: In February the new animated series Sonic X is announced.

2004: In January Sonic Heroes is released on GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, marking Sonic’s largest multi-platform launch to date.

2005: On the 15th of November Shadow the Hedgehog marks Shadow’s first appearance in a standalone game, shipping on NGC, PS2, and Xbox. On the same day Sonic debuts on Nintendo DS with the well-received Sonic Rush.

2006: With games shipping or in development on seven different platform, 2006 marks Sonic’s busiest and most diverse gaming year to date.

2007: In the fall, Mario and Sonic make video game history by joining forces in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Beijing 2008. Sonic makes his debut on the Wii system with Sonic and the Secret Rings shipping in February.

SEGA and Nintendo today announced that two legendary icons in the entertainment industry, Mario and Sonic, are set to star in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. Developed for the Wii and DS, this will be the first time these two stars have appeared together in a game in video game history.

Mario & Sonic will be published by SEGA across Europe and North America while Nintendo will publish in the Japanese market. It will be available for Christmas 2007. The game is licensed through a worldwide partnership with International Sports Multimedia, which is the exclusive interactive entertainment software licensee of the International Olympic Committee.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games will see players competing in events taking place in environments based on official venues of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Players will be able to compete as or against characters from both Mario’s and Sonic’s worlds including Mario, Sonic, Luigi, Knuckles, Yoshi, Tails and more. Using the Wii and DS control systems, players will maneuver their favourite character in various events including the 100m sprint, table tennis and swimming in pursuit of the gold medal.

Respectful rivals since the early days

“We are thrilled to partner with Nintendo and ISM on this groundbreaking title,” said Hisao Oguchi, President and Chief Operating Officer, SEGA Corporation. “For the first time, two of the world’s greatest games’ characters come together to compete in the world’s greatest sporting event and we couldn’t be more excited.”

“Mario and Sonic have been respectful rivals since the early days of video games,” says Shigeru Miyamoto, Senior Managing Director and General Manager, Entertainment Analysis and Development Division, Nintendo Co., Ltd. “In fact, for a long time they have been discussing the possibility of one day competing against each other. Now that they have been given the perfect opportunity to meet at the Olympic Games, we may finally learn who is actually faster, Mario or Sonic?”

“The Olympic Games represent the true spirit of competition and passion,” said Raymond Goldsmith, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ISM. “Bringing together intensely competitive and fun characters like Mario and Sonic in an Olympic setting helps showcase the sports of the Olympic Games in a new and compelling way for all generations.”

Microsoft today announced that TV series and movies from A&E Network, ADV Films, National Geographic and TotalViD.com will add more content to Xbox Live in the US. Paramount Pictures will also offer its feature films for the first time on Xbox Live. Xbox 360 owners will be able to download titles in HD including ‘Braveheart,’ ‘Team America: World Police,’ ‘World Trade Center’ and ‘South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.’ Warner Bros. will also release its direct-to-video movies for the first time. Available exclusively in high definition on Xbox Live simultaneous with their availability on DVD, titles will include ‘Sublime’ and ‘Babylon 5: The Lost Tales.’

“With more than 300 games expected by year’s end, an Xbox Live community of more than 6 million people and a growing catalogue of premium content from some of the biggest names in entertainment today, Xbox 360 is an incredible value,” said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. “Adding partners and content like this helps reinforce the console’s position as the center of connected entertainment in the living room.”

Microsoft has reported that Xbox Live downloads have increased by 400% since TV shows and movies became available for download late last year. Xbox Live members have enjoyed Comedy Central’s first-ever HD definition episode of ‘South Park’ and Warner Bros. served up promotional clips from ‘300’ which has been downloaded more than 477 000 times to date.

Existing Xbox Live partners are increasing the amount of content which they offer and the number of partners also continues to grow. Examples of TV shows and films that will be coming to Xbox Live include:

- A&E Network: ‘Dog the Bounty Hunter;’ ‘King of Cars;’ ‘Gene Simmons Family Jewels;’ ‘Driving Force;’ and ‘Criss Angel Mindfreak.’

- ADV Films: Top offerings from the No. 1 producer-distributor of Japanese animation (“anime”) outside Japan.

- National Geographic: The television series ‘Is It Real?’ and ‘Taboo’ as well as programs such as ‘21 Days to Baghdad’ and ‘Air Force One.’

- TotalVid.com: A broad action-sports offering including extreme skiing and snowboarding, skateboarding, motocross, surfing and mountain biking.

Microsoft has confirmed the upcoming availability of Xbox 360 Elite. This new model will include a 120GB hard drive, a HD multimedia interface (HDMI) port, a HD cable as well as a premium black finish for the console, black wireless controller and black Xbox Live headset. The Xbox 360 Elite and its accessories are expected to begin arriving in stores in the US on the 29th of April. Consumers can expect to pay $479.99 for the Xbox 360 Elite.

The Xbox 360 120GB hard drive enables gamers to store thousands of songs, a library of Xbox Live Arcade Games along with downloadable HD TV shows and movies which are available on Xbox Live Marketplace. The new 120GB hard drive will also be sold as a stand-alone accessory meaning current Xbox 360 owners can upgrade their 360 for $179.99.

Xbox 360 fans can also purchase the additional Xbox 360 Elite accessories which will also be available separately, including the black Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, black Xbox 360 Play & Charge kit and the black Xbox 360 rechargeable battery. The Xbox 360 HDMI cable is new to Xbox 360. HDMI allows consumers to get HD video as well as multichannel surround sound from one cable. The Xbox 360 Elite will also come with Xbox Live Silver Membership as well as a one month subscription to Xbox Live Gold.

“Today’s games and entertainment enthusiast has an insatiable appetite for digital high-definition content,” said Peter Moore, corporate vice president for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “Xbox 360 Elite’s larger hard drive and premium accessories will allow our community to enjoy all that the next generation of entertainment has to offer.”

Although the PS3 failed to break the opening weekend hardware record of 32 421 units sales set by Nintendo’s Wii last December, it still sold 20 000 units in Australia during the first three days after its launch. Sony Australia is reporting that the sales of hardware, software, and extras down under have topped AUS$25 million so far.

Sony’s next-gen console also failed to top Microsoft’s Xbox 360 launch sales figures, which held the record for a console launch in Australia with its 30 000 units sold in its first four days, amounting to AUS$30 million. However, Microsoft lost this record when Nintendo launched its Wii last December.

Nintendo is not to be outdone by the PS3 breaking sales records in the UK this past weekend. Nintendo today announced that the Nintendo DS and DS Lite combined have sold over three million units in the UK with the DS taking 68% of sales of the 2007 handheld console market.

Nintendo has credited its success to games and software which has been designed to appeal to a wide range of people including non-gamers. The Touch! Generations titles, including Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training, Nintendogs, Electroplankton and Sudoku Master, stand as examples of the popularity of DS titles among non-gamers.

David Yarnton, Nintendo UK’s general manager said “It’s a great testament to the strength of the DS hardware and software range available, that just as Nintendo DS has passed its second birthday here in the UK, it reaches such a landmark sales figure. With many more Touch! Generations games launching in 2007, Nintendo DS and Wii will continue to be the main driving forces behind the expansion of the video game market this year.”