Japanese Software Charts: Dragons Beat Snakes

Now that's more like it! A heap of new big-name releases have helped revitalise the Japanese Software Chart this week (26th April - 2nd May 2010, courtesy Media Create), with Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker pipped to the post by Square Enix's Dragon Quest Monsters spin-off series.

1 Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 – Square Enix (DS) – 623,643 / NEW
2 Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker – Konami (PSP) – 434,366 / NEW
3 Super Street Fighter IV – Capcom (PS3) – 80,882 / NEW
4 New Super Mario Bros. Wii – Nintendo (Wii) – 44,593
5 Super Street Fighter IV – Capcom (360) – 28,454 / NEW
6 Mario Kart Wii – Nintendo (Wii) – 28,152
7 Tomodachi Collection – Nintendo (DS) – 26,787
8 Katekyoo Hitman Reborn! DS Fate of Heat III – Yuki no Shugosha Raushuu! – Takara Tomy (DS) – 24,050 / NEW
9 NieR Replicant – Square Enix (PS3) – 20,889
10 Wii Fit Plus – Nintendo (Wii) – 19,690

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

Super Street Fighter IV fireballs its way into two positions on the Top 10 as well. The PlayStation 3 version outsold the Xbox 360 release by some 52,000 units, but the latter still debuts nicely at #5. Takara Tomy's DS game of popular manga Reborn sees an appearance at #8.

In terms of older titles, Mario Kart Wii has had an unexpected sales increase over last week to take 6th position in the chart. What could be driving its revival, we wonder? Previous #1 holder, NieR Replicant, drops to #9 thanks to the sales surge seen throughout the board, while Wii Fit Plus, New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Tomodachi Collection continue to do good things for Nintendo.