UK Charts: Xmas Fare or War Fare?

Who would have thought that Xmas could be a Zen experience? We wouldn't, but that was then, we now realise that if Xmas teaches us anything, it's that we know nothing at all.

Only two weeks ago we were all gathered around a toasty warm chart nodding our heads and agreeing that EA's Need for Speed ProStreet would definitely be the Xmas Number 1 in the full-priced, all formats chart - definitely.

Then, last week it was kicked off the top by Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games - a game so confusing to many hardcore Nintendo and SEGA fanboys that they've simply taken to listening to My Chemical Romance and then killing themselves rather than play it. Never mind - it's still at Number 1 - and that's what you get for listening to Emo.

The general public, however, does not feel the same way. This is why, for the second week running - that particular cross-IP, licensed tie-in game for Nintendo's rare as hen's teeth Wii remains at the top of the all formats chart.

Fortunately for those among the SPOnGregation who don't believe in the impurification of video games, Activision's testosterone smelling, straight-out war game Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare rises one place from last week's Number 3 slot. In fact it kicks blood-soaked, bone infused trench mud (in a very modern way) into the face of EA's definitely going to be Number 1, Need For Speed: ProStreet pushing the racer down one place from last week's challenging Number 2 to Number 4. Well, it does this along with EA's licensed (and therefore Granny and Mummy safe-buy) FIFA 08, which dramatically hurls itself like a Manchester United forward into the box... well, the Number 3 slot.

Bear with us while we look for any new content in this week's chart...

Nope... nothing.

Because you can see the chart in the neat format we've provided below, we won't go on about it, except to say that WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2008 is actually up two places - and we've never met anybody who has played the gosh-darned thing!

What we will point out is what hasn't made Top 10:

Activision's good karma from COD4's Number 2 position is balanced by Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock detuning down one place to Number 11.

Sony and Naughty Dog's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, is well, charted just not in the Top 10.

You'll feel foolish like an American games reviewer trying to find his desk looking for Eidos' Kane & Lynch Dead Men in the Top 10 - it won't be there! You can, however, read our review right over here.

It would also appear that, while people want to sprint with the fat plumber, fewer people want to party with him as Mario Party 8 also falls out of the Top 10 like a drunken gate crasher at your sister's party falling out of the window and impaling himself on the railings below. Be sensible with letting gate crashers in this Xmas, readers!

Right, with Xmas Day falling next week sometime, it's time to get your money on that all important final Number 1 of the year... study the form... get your money down.

^{SPOnG in no way endorses getting your money down.}


All Formats - Full-Price
(1) 1 Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games SEGA
(3) 2 Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Activision
(4) 3 FIFA 08 EA Sports
(2) 4 Need For Speed: ProStreet EA Games
(5) 5 The Simpsons Game EA Games
(8) 6 WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2008 THQ
(6) 7 Assassin's Creed Ubisoft
(7) 8 Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 Konami
(11) 9 Super Mario Galaxy Nintendo
(12) 10 The Golden Compass SEGA


All Formats - All Prices (compare and contrast)
(1) 1 Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games Sega
(3) 2 Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Activision
(4) 3 FIFA 08 EA Sports
(2) 4 Need For Speed: ProStreet EA Games
(5) 5 The Simpsons Game EA Games
(6) 6 Dr Kawashima's Brain Training Nintendo
(9) 7 WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2008 THQ
(7) 8 Assassin's Creed Ubisoft
(11) 9 More Brain Training From Dr Kawashima Nintendo
(8) 10 Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 Konami