The Latest UK Video Games Chart

Well I’m back again with the Latest UK Video Games Chart and I’m still tweaking that pesky layout, below is last week’s list.

January 15th - 21th

The Latest UK Video Games Chart

Well I’m back again with the Latest UK Video Games Chart and I’m trying out a new layout, below is last week’s list.

January 8th - 14th

POS.		TITLE	PUBLISHER	LAST WEEK
1	-	FIFA 12	EA SPORTS	1
2		JUST DANCE 3	UBISOFT	4
3		THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM	BETHESDA SOFTWORKS	5
4		BATTLEFIELD 3	EA GAMES	2
5		CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 3	ACTIVISION	3
6	-	ZUMBA FITNESS	505 GAMES	6
7		ZUMBA FITNESS 2	505 GAMES	12
8		RAGE	BETHESDA SOFTWORKS	9
9		ASSASSIN’S CREED: REVELATIONS	UBISOFT	10
10		NEED FOR SPEED: THE RUN	EA GAMES	7
11		MARIO KART 7	NINTENDO	13
12		YOUR SHAPE: FITNESS EVOLVED 2012	UBISOFT	-
13		FORZA MOTORSPORT 4	MICROSOFT	11
14		SAINTS ROW: THE THIRD	THQ	8
15	-	SUPER MARIO 3D LAND	NINTENDO	15
16	-	FOOTBALL MANAGER 2012	SEGA	16
17		RAYMAN ORIGINS	UBISOFT	19
18		MARIO & SONIC LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES	SEGA	14
19		KINECT SPORTS: SEASON TWO	MICROSOFT	18
20		WII FIT PLUS	NINTENDO	-

Prince of Persia Jumps Its Way onto the 3DS and Wii

Nintendo’s eShop (along with Nintendo DSi shop and Wii Shop Channel) gets an update this week, and included for 3DS and Wii owners are the retro Prince of Persia games.

Depending on where you shop, you will get a different version of Prince of Persia. Those who browse the eShop will find the Game Boy Color version while those who check out the Wii Shop Channel will find the SNES version.

For DSi owners…Yeah you’re screwed as you get no Prince of Persia. On the plus side you get 40-in-1 Explosive Megamix and a cute looking tower defense game called Come On! Heroes. Okay so that’s not much of a consolation, especially with the former sounding like a huge waste of time. At least the latter seems to be charming with a cute visuals and hopefully an amusing story behind it.

You can check out the prices and descriptions below.

For those using Nintendo Video, you’ll be pleased to hear that:

“Available this week via Nintendo Video, is the next instalment of the Circus 3D series. Circus 3D is a series of clips which will transport you into a world of a real life circus and put you the viewer in the heart of the action wherever you may be. Take in a birds-eye view of an acrobat on parallel bars or feel like you are with the artists on stage through innovative points of views. Watch an aerial performance from the floor or the point of view from inside a cage with tigers. Circus 3D will offer you an exhilarating experience which immerses you into circus life as if you were actually there, all in 3D and in the palm of your hand.”

“Also available this week via Nintendo Video is a 3D clip courtesy of Red Bull, showcasing some of the world’s best skiers taking part in the Hahnenkamm race in Kitzbühel, Austria. From the Start all the way down to the finish, this unprecedented 3D clip provides a breathtaking insight into the toughest downhill ski race in the world.”

Japan video game sales charts – January 2nd – January 8th

The latest software sale figures for the Japanese video game industry have been released, seeing Nintendo dominate the charts.

According to Siliconera, the software sales benefited from a Japanese New Year tradition called “Otoshidama” where “children receive money from relatives after the new year begins” (I wish that was a British tradition).

As you can see on the sales chart below, Nintendo has benefited the most from this tradition, with two games in the top five (Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario 3D Land taking the top two spots respectively), six games in the top ten and altogether ten games in the top 20. Namco Bandai and Capcom also got a good rub from Otoshidama as they had three and two games place in the charts respectively.

System wise, Nintendo again dominate as five Nintendo 3DS titles, two Nintendo DS titles and NINE Nintendo Wii titles take up the charts, leaving only two PSP and PS3 titles to fill the rest of the top 20. No surprises that no Xbox 360 titles are to be found in the top 20 as rarely do they remain on the charts for more then one week. No PS Vita titles appearing may be alarming but I’ll attribute that to early days.

Onto the games themselves. the aforementioned Mario Kart 7 retains its top spot while Super Mario 3D jumps up from 4th to 2nd spot. Monster Hunter 3G goes down one position but Capcom will be pleased to see Monster Hunter Portable 3rd (PSP the Best) re-enter the Japanese software sales charts at number 18, after spending last week at the 26th spot. That’s not the only game to re-enter the charts; Rhythm Heaven (21st to 19th position), One Piece: Gigant Battle 2 New World (24th to 18th position) and Magician’s Quest: The Stylish Wizard (22nd to 16th position). However, the most impressive re-entry is Nintendogs + cats, climbing a whopping 10 positions to go from 23 to 13. Biggest drop was Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 2012, which dropped from 17 to 20.

In other notes, Final Fantasy XIII-2 continues to do poorly (compared to the Final Fantasy XIII) and Level 5 will be please to see the Otoshidama tradition give them a much needed boost of sales for Inazuma Eleven Go: Shine/Dark, which had suffered compared to previous Inazuma Eleven installments.

Source: Siliconera

The Latest UK Video Games Chart

Push Start is going to start providing you with the UK’s gaming habits. The titles below are what gamers of the UK are playing right now… or at least what they were playing last week. We’ll aim to provide you with this information every Monday.

January 1^St – 7th

1.  FIFA 12

2.  Battlefield 3

3.  Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

4.  Just Dance 3

5.  The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

6.  Zumba Fitness

7.  Need For Speed: The Run

8.  Saints Row: The Third

9.  RAGE

10.  Assassin’s Creed: Revelations

11.  Forza Motorsports 4

13.  Zumba Fitness 2

14.  Mario Kart 7

15.  Mario & Sonic London 2012 Olympic Games

16.  Super Mario 3D Land

17.  Football Manager 2012Sonic Generations

18.  Kinect Sports: Season 2

19.  Rayman Origins

20.  EASports Active 2

Netflix Arrives in the UK and Ireland

Today it was announced that the popular entertainment streaming service Netflix would be crossing the pond. Yup, if you’re living in the UK or Ireland and you’re willing to be separated from £5.99 a month you can access Netflix and its bountiful selection of films and TV programmes. If you’re not quite sure about the service and in need of a little persuasion then you’ll be happy to know that the first month is free for everyone across multiple platforms, all you need to do is head over Netflix.com. If you’re wondering what devices support Netflix then look no further than about an inch below this paragraph;

• Smart TVs
• Game Consoles (Wii, 360, PS3)
• Blu-ray Players
• Laptops
• Tablets
• Mobile Phones

“We are starting 2012 in the best possible way: by giving consumers in the UK and Ireland an amazing entertainment experience,” said Reed Hastings, co-founder and chief executive officer of Netflix. “Now, you can enjoy as many great films and TV programmes as you want, when you want, where you want, for one low monthly price with no contracts or commitments.”

At launch, Netflix is offering films and TV programmes from All3Media, the BBC, CBS, Channel 4’s 4oD, Disney UK & Ireland, ITV, Lionsgate UK, MGM, Miramax, Momentum Pictures, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox and Viacom International Media Networks, there will be more than enough to satisfy anyone that is thinking of adopting the service into their home.

Mario Kart Wii reaches 28 million in sales

Nintendo have announced that Mario Kart Wii, the 8th Mario Kart game in the series, has sold a huge 28 million copies.

It’s no surprise really as aside from Mario Kart (and the Mario franchise as well) being a huge powerhouse, Mario Kart Wii is the perfect Mario Kart (aside from Mario Kart Super Circuit in my opinion), due to being accessible to everyone and just down right fun, even if the blue shells can make things miserable.

The release of Mario Kart 7 for the Nintendo 3DS on 2nd December (Europe) and 4th December (North America) should see the Mario Kart series continue it’s very successful run.

Note: I haven’t played Mario Kart 7, but out very own Daniel Pepper has and you can check out his excellent review right very soon.

Note 2: If your wondering why I said “Mario Kart Wii, the 8th Mario Kart game in the series” and not “the 6th Mario Kart game in the series*, it is because Nintendo also released two Mario Kart Arcade machines.

Source: My Nintendo News

Adventure in the Desert Awaits Link in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for Wii

Nintendo have just revealed more details about the captivating areas, items and gameplay in the The Legend of Zelda^™: Skyward Sword, launching across Europe exclusively for Wii^™ on 18^th November 2011.  This week, Link journeys through the Lanayru Desert where he must find his way through the puzzles in the Lanayru Mining Facility, sail across a sea of sand and discover new items to add to his collection. Newly revealed game elements include the following:

• Lanayru Desert and the Lanayru Mining Facility: In this vast area, surrounded in all directions by a sea of sand, Link must search for the Lanayru Mining Facility. As strange a place as this is, Link will encounter characters both new and familiar, such as Gorons. Inside the Lanayru Mining Facility, Link will encounter mine carts which contain Timeshift Stones through this expansive area, experiencing new puzzles and challenges. He must also face the dungeon boss Moldarach, a fearsome giant scorpion.

•Sandship: Later in his quest, Link returns to a different area of the Lanayru Desert as he sails across a sea of sand in search of a ship.

• New Items: In the desert, Link will receive two new items – the Clawshots and the Gust Bellows. The Clawshots allow players to grapple and pull themselves towards otherwise unreachable areas. The Gust Bellows can blow out a burst of air which can stun enemies and clear paths through piles of sand. Players will find the Gust Bellows essential to solving the puzzles in the Lanayru Mining Facility.

Nintendo will continue to provide fans with select details and information about the game prior to its launch across Europe on 18^th November.

This week Nintendo 3DS owners will also have the chance to watch on Nintendo Video^™ a special 3D video of The Legend of Zelda Main Theme Melody which was performed as part of The Legend of Zelda 25^th Anniversary Symphony performances. Keep an eye out as additional special clips will be made available via SpotPass^™ for Nintendo Video in the near future.

Also keep an eye out today on the Nintendo Channel and www.nintendo.co.uk/skywardsword to check out an exclusive video of Robin Williams and daughter Zelda Williams enjoying The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will be available as a limited edition bundle, featuring a copy of the game, a CD featuring selected orchestral arrangements from the The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony performance and a rare gold-coloured Wii Remote^™ Plus controller bearing the Hylian Crest. Pre-order* now to avoid disappointment and to secure your copy.

Source: Press Release

Check out our exclusive preview video here

Skyward Sword Areas, Soundtrack and Items Announced.

Nintendo have just revealed more details about the captivating areas, items and game play in The Legend of Zelda^™: Skyward Sword game, launching exclusively for Wii^™ on 18^thNovember 2011.  This week, the Eldin Volcano area comes into focus, as well as the game’s connection between music and game play through the newly revealed Harp item. Newly revealed game elements include the following:

• Eldin Volcano and the Mogma: After battling Demon Lord Ghirahim in Skyview Temple, Link travels to Eldin Volcano where he meets the Mogma - a new race of subterranean creatures that are also exploring this area. The Mogma help Link traverse this fiery environment, giving him key items and advice along the way.

• New Items: In the Eldin Volcano area, Link will receive additional items including the Digging Mitts and the Bomb Bag. With the addition of the Bomb Bag, players can collect bombs from bomb flowers, which are essential to puzzle solving. The Wii Remote™ Plus controller gives players a variety of ways to use bombs. Players can throw bombs using an overhead motion or roll them like bowling balls, even putting a spin on their trajectory. The Digging Mitts, an item new to The Legend of Zelda series, allow players to dig in marked areas on the ground for secret and key items hidden in the ground. In the Eldin Temple area, this includes the pieces needed to open the door to the Earth Temple.

• Earth Temple: In the Earth Temple, players must balance Link on a giant ball as he rolls across pools of molten lava. Link must also face Scaldera in this temple, while navigating a steep incline.

• Harp: As in previous Zelda titles, music plays an important role in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and is integrated into game play. Using the Wii Remote Plus controller, players can play a variety of songs using a Harp Link receives during the game.

Nintendo will continue to provide fans with select details and information about the game prior to its launch across Europe on 18^th November.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will be available as a limited edition bundle, featuring a copy of the game, a CD featuring selected orchestral arrangements from the The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony performance and a rare gold-coloured Wii Remote Plus controller bearing the Hylian Crest. Pre-order* now to avoid disappointment and to secure your copy.

For more information and videos about The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword visit www.nintendo.co.uk/skywardsword

For more information about The Legend of Zelda^™ visit www.thelegendofzelda.co.uk

For more information on The Legend of Zelda 25^thAnniversary visit www.zelda25th.co.uk

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