The latest Media Create figures show that Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. Brawl has been knocked off the top of the Japanese software chart. Namco Bandai’s Gundam Musou Special for the PS2 debuts in the number 1 spot with 150 000 copies for the week ending the 2nd of March.

After several weeks at the top of the software chart, Super Smash Bros. Brawl sold 67 000 units and has to content itself with second place. Nintendo’s Wii Fit follows closely behind in third place with 64 000 copies with its life-to-date sales now totaling 1.6 million. Nintendo’s Soma Bringer for the Nintendo DS enters the charts at number 4 with 51 000 copies.

Counting down

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 boasts a title in the top ten this week with Namco Bandai’s The Idolm@ster: Live for You! debuting in fifth place with 44 000 copies. Atlus’ Etrian Odyssey II: The Royal Grail for the Nintendo DS drops from last week’s number 2 to number 6 with 25 000 copies. Koei’s Musou Orochi for the PSP moves down three places to number 7 with 24 000 copies.

Marvelous Entertainment’s Harvest Moon: Shining Sun and Friends for the Nintendo DS drops three places to number 8 with 22 000 copies while Nintendo’s Wii Sports remains in ninth places with 21 000 copies and life-to-date sales of 2.8 million. Konami’s Winning Eleven Play Maker 2008 for the Wii rounds off the top ten with 17 000 copies, dropping from last week’s number 6.

With three new titles debuting in the top ten this week, let’s take a look at those titles which didn’t quite make it this week. The Nintendo DS version of Nintendo’s Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games drops four places to number 14. The title is fairing better in the UK where it topped the All Formats Chart for a third consecutive week. Capcom’s PS3 version of Lost Planet: Extreme Condition loses ten spots to finish at number 17. Spike’s Bioshock for the Xbox 360 entered the chart last week at number 8 but falls out of the top thirty completely.

Looking ahead

Looking ahead to the hardware chart (which will be released tomorrow), the Wii is likely to continue its streak as best-selling console in Japan. Despite losing the top spot on the software chart with Super Smash Bros. Brawl losing its crown this week, there are still four Wii titles featured in the top ten.

The Nintendo DS also featured strongly in this week’s software chart, with three top ten titles under its belt and eleven of the top thirty positions, it may beat the PSP to second place this week. The PSP notched up just one top ten position and three top thirty places but the race is still bound to be tight between the two handhelds. With Sony of Japan’s recent announcement of a new Matte Bronze PSP Value Pack, a microphone for the PSP with Skype features and the Cradle for the PSP (all due to be released in Japan in March), there will be renewed interest in the PSP and it may even claim the number 1 spot from the Wii in the near future.

The PS2 claimed the top spot on the software chart this week and another two top thirty titles so its sales might show a slight increase. The PS3 scraped together two top thirty titles and the Xbox 360 one top ten place so there should not be much movement with these two next-gen consoles.

Missed last week’s charts? Make sure you head over to the hardware chart and software chart for the week ending the 24th of February.

Software Chart

Source: Media Create