The Charts: Xmas Tradition Smashed

We recently went to great lengths to point out that if your game is Number 1 in what is elegantly described as 'Week 48' then you are likely to hold the Xmas Number 1 slot. Remember we pointed out that this had been the case for the previous four years? If not that piece of historical research is over here.

Enough of history because history has been thrown out of the window. Last week's Number 1, Electronic Arts' Need for Speed: ProStreet has been demoted one place and its mantle has been assumed by the unlikeliest partnership in gaming history since ever. Yes, SEGA's Wii-exclusive Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games has hurdled seven places and is now making the Black Power salute from the gold medal position.

As far as SPOnG can see, that's an awful lots of grannies buying M&SatOG - because there were apparently no Wiis on sale in the UK last week (although we did see 24 down in Game at Woking).

Okay, so that's the top slots taken care of; who cares about Number 3 anyway? Who remembers the bronze medalist? Well, aside from Pyrros Dimas' parents (look him up!) Activision probably does, because its hyper Christmassy Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (makes you go all warm inside don't it?) bounds up two places from last week. You can see what SPOnG's military man thought of the COD in this review.

So, all of those video games are, like, so last week - what of the new entries? Well, Wii exclusive, Link's Crossbow Training (complete with Wii Zapper) comes in at Number 27, which is just ahead of the PlayStation 3 exclusive, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (reviewed over here). Oh, and Pokémon Battle Revolution cutes and kids its way to Number 40.

Yes, that's it for fresh, new, young gaming blood in the entire Top 40.

Let's sack that off then and concentrate our energies on the Top 10. Here it is (last week's positions are displayed in brackets - there will be a test at the end of the year).

(6) 1 Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games - SEGA
(1) 2 Need For Speed: Prostreet - EA Games
(4) 3 Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Activision
(2) 4 The Simpsons Game - EA Games
(3) 5 FIFA 08 - EA Sports
(5) 6 Assassin's Creed - Ubisoft
(8) 7 Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 - Konami
(7) 8 WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2008 - THQ
(20) 9 Mario Party 8 - Nintendo
(9) 10 Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock - RedOctane/Activision

Not a bad spread of the traditional (COD 4, Assassin's Creed), the casual (Mario Party 8), the franchised (WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2008, The Simpsons Game).

Before the Nintendo hardcore army gets too feisty, we feel the need to point out that the game that everybody and their uncle Jane was extolling for its utter brilliance (including our review, over here), Super Mario Galaxy, actually slipped one place from last week's Number 10.

Somehow the universe just doesn't seem properly aligned now.

What's to look out for next week now that the Number 1 spot is up for grabs? Not a vast amount really. With Greedmas nearly upon us, it would be bloody insane to get a major game out late. So... Disney Pixar Cars: Mater-National (or Doc Holiday (Wii) with animation to us), World Series of Poker 2008: Battle for the Bracelets from Activision (on... PSP).

And that's really it.

Oh, if you don't forget about The Orange Box for PlayStation 3 - and you'd be a fool if you did.

More chart fun next week... get shopping or your relatives will hate you and your partner will be won away from you by someone who gives better presents!