Japanese Software Charts: Fire Emblem Scorches Competition

Sales are looking healthy across the board in this week's Japanese Software Chart (12th - 18th July 2010, courtesy Media Create), thanks to a wave of hot new releases on several platforms. It has resulted in a close race for the #1 spot, with the latest Fire Emblem just inching ahead of a new Dragon Quest Monsters spinoff.

1 Fire Emblem: Shin Monshou no Nazo Hikari to Kage no Eiyuu – Nintendo (DS) – 136,367 / NEW
2 Dragon Quest Monsters: Battle Road Victory – Square Enix (Wii) – 135,783 / NEW
3 Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 2010 – Konami (PS3) – 120,199 / NEW
4 Wii Party – Nintendo (Wii) – 112,850
5 Last Ranker – Capcom (PSP) – 60,757 / NEW
6 Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 2010 – Konami (PSP) – 51,778 / NEW
7 Inazuma Eleven 3 – Level-5 (DS) – 46,014
8 White Knight Chronicles 2 – SCEJ (PS3) – 34,285
9 Harvest Moon: Twin Villages – Marvelous Entertainment (DS) – 20,269
10 Momotarou Dentetsu Tag Match: Yuujou – Doryoku – Shouri no Maki! – Hudson (PSP) – 18,614 / NEW

(Note: Chart position is first, then game name, publisher, format and sales for this week)

Even Konami's brand new baseball title on the PlayStation 3 isn't that far behind Square Enix's Wii entry, clocking up 120,199 units to Dragon Quest Monsters' 135,783 units. In weeks where the Japanese software chart has seen new titles debut, the #1 spot is usually tens – in not hundreds – of thousands of units ahead of its nearest competition. Fire Emblem managed 136,367 units.

The only games still standing from last week include former #1 Wii Party, Level-5 favourites Inazuma Eleven 3 and White Knight Chronicles 2, and Harvest Moon: Twin Villages. Everything else is brand new, and even Hudson has managed a Top 10 entry with Momotarou Dentetsu Tag Match: Yuujou – Doryoku – Shouri no Maki debuting at #10.

Will we see a rounded Top 10 like this again soon? Let's just hope for some more AAA clashes, shall we? Makes things interesting.