The Charts: Project Gotham Challenges FIFA

Electronic Arts' FIFA 08 resists competition from Microsoft for a second week in this week's Charts, hanging on to the top spot.

It's not Halo 3, however, that's the strongest contender this week. Instead, it's Microsoft's Bizarre-developed racer, Project Gotham Racing 4, that skids in at Number 2. Despite the third entry into the Project Gotham series having been a launch title for the 360, PGR4 has a better launch week, even with a cut price PS3 launching in the same week.

Halo 3, meanwhile, is left to slip another place, sitting at Number 3.

The cross-platform Ratatouille from THQ sees another jump this week thanks to the film's presence in the cinema. It scrambles from Number 8 to Number 4. It's THQ stablemate, Juiced 2, doesn't fair quite so well, however, dropping from Number 3 to Number 7.

Just a side note here, but don't you just love the way that Disney/Pixar brings out a movie called Ratatouille and then on the poster has to spell it out in phonetics?

EA's MySims (for the Wii and DS) and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 (for everything) drop a place each, sitting at Number 5 and Number 6 respectively.

Cheaper bundling of the 60GB PS3 does well for Resistance: Fall of Man, with the controversial shooter blasting its way back into the Top 10 like a mutated badger from an alternate timeline at Number 8.

Similarly, renewed Wii stock gives Wii Play a boost from Number 11 to Number 9 and Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree up from Number 15 to Number 11.

EA's Tony Hawks challenger, skate., follows what seems to be rapidly becoming a trend. The late arrival of the PS3 version pushes it up two places to Number 12. You can catch SPOnG's review of the superb skater here.

PS3 bundling also works its magic for Heavenly Sword, which re-enters the Top 40 at Number 14, while MotorStorm follows suit with a jump from Number 23 to Number 18.

The only new entry in the Top 40 aside from PGR4 is Vivendi's multi-platform Crash of the Titans, which leaps into the Charts at Number 19.

Next week, keep an eye out for... well, SPOnG would be lying if we said we were overexcited. Expect a chart appearance from Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2 and Naruto Ninja Council.