In a bit of news that is sure to surprise nary a reader, Nintendo’s lineup of casual titles has dominated the first-half of 2009 in the UK in terms of software sales, as hard-hitting titles on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC struggle to keep up, according to information released by Chart Track via ELSPA (Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association).

Leading the list of top selling games in the UK is Wii Fit, which has managed to claim a number of weekly chart topping sales figures since its release last year, while Wii Play and Mario Kart Wii do their part to form 72% of the top five games’ sales volume, reaching a combined 1.65 million units sold.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village sits at No. 4, while the PS3-exclusive Killzone 2 follows up at No. 5. And Resident Evil 5?

Resi 5 surprisingly only manages a place at No. 6, popping in just ahead of Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training at No. 7, which has now managed to sell an incredible 3 million units since its release, making it the most popular game in the UK ever.

The Sims 3’s performance so far this year is impressive, placing itself at No. 8 on the best sellers list, despite only having been released a month ago. Call of Duty: World at War and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games chart at numbers nine and ten respectively.

Director general of ELSPA, Michael Rawlinson, commented on these results by saying: “These figures are clear evidence that gaming is now mainstream in the UK. The demographic has changed, so it’s time we did away with the misperception that videogames are merely the preserve of teenage boys shooting zombies.

“Innovation in the industry means the social and educational benefits of gaming are now enjoyed by players of both sexes and of all ages,” continued Rawlinson.

Performance figures for 2009 in the UK so far are the second best the region has seen, as year-on-year sales drop by 5.7% and ‘only’ 29.7 million have been sold thus far, compared to 31.5 million units for the same period last year. Prospects are positive, though, as business group director of GfK Chart-Track, Dorian Bloch said:

“The videogame entertainment markets show that across software, hardware and accessories, the first half of 2009 is a solid platform for retailers, manufacturers and publishers to build momentum into the last quarter of 2009.

“The widening demographic and the growing trend in physical-motion gaming, means the industry is well positioned to see further growth.”

The full list of top ten best selling games for the first half of 2009 in the UK are as follows:

• Wii Fit
• Wii Play
• Mario Kart Wii
• Professor Layton and the Curious Village
• Killzone 2
• Resident Evil 5
• Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training
• The Sims 3
• Call of Duty: World At War
• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games

Source: GamesIndustry.biz