Nintendo dominating global console games charts, January - September 2010

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Nintendo delivered another of its semi-annual financial reports on October 29 and with it came top 20 video game charts for the USA, UK, France, Germany, Spain, the UK and Japan relating to sales from January to September 2010.

As expected, Nintendo titles are common across the globe, with New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Pokémon  appearing in six of the seven top tens.

Only in the UK did they chart lower, and instead the Wii's Just Dance ruled the roost and Xbox 360 titles were in the ascendancy even more than in the console's native USA.

Halo: Reach, exclusive to the Xbox 360, took first in the USA and fourth in the UK. In continental Europe, the relative unpopularity of the Xbox 360 as compared to the PlayStation 3 meant that it didn't appear at all in their respective Top 20 rundowns.

Another regional difference can be seen in the choice of console types.

Where Europeans are more interested in home consoles, the Japanese major on portable playability, with the DS accounting for five of the top ten titles, and the PSP popping up with Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.

The charts also go to show what a big hit Red Dead Redemption has been the Rockstar group of companies. Based on technology developed for Grand Theft Auto IV, Redemption has benefited from the regular release of new game content since the game launched in May.

Market research companies are now starting to investigate ways of tracking PC download sales, meaning that in the not too distant future it should be possible to compare gaming habits across PCs and consoles more accurately.

Best-selling games of 2010, January to September
USA
1. Halo: Reach (360)
2. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
3. Red Dead Redemption (360)
4. Pokémon SoulSilver (DS)
5. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)
Source: NPD

Germany
1. Wii Sports Resort (Wii)
2. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
3. Pokémon SoulSilver (DS)
4. Pokémon HeartGold (DS)
5. FIFA 11 (PS3)
Source: GfK / Media Control

France
1. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
2. Wii Sports Resort (Wii)
3. Pokémon SoulSilver (DS)
4. Red Dead Redemption (PS3)
5. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)
Source: GfK

Spain
1. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
2. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board (Wii)
3. Call of Duty: Modern warfare 2 (PS3)
4. Red Dead Redemption (PS3)
5. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)
Source: GfK

UK
1. Just Dance (Wii)
2. Wii Fit Plus (Wii)
3. Red Dead Redemption (360)
4. Halo: Reach (360)
5. Wii Sports Resort (Wii)
Source: GfK- Chart Track / ELSPA

Japan
1. Pokémon Black (DS)
2. Pokémon White (DS)
3. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
4. Dragon Quest VI (DS)
5. Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2 (DS)
Source: Media Create

For the full national Top 20s, see Nintendo's Semi-Annual Financial Results Briefing at http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/101029/05.html