Inasmuch as the Japanese software story stays largely the same, as does weekly hardware sales. The PSP continues to sit pretty atop the Media Create sales charts, but regular "Simple 2000: The Japanese Hardware Chart" watchers will notice that the big black slice is starting to thin. A big Wii sales boost has plenty to do with that, but Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G sales trending down—holiday boost notwithstanding—is likely accountable. Numbers were up across the board, but Nintendo benefited the most.

• PSP - 100,870
• Wii - 71,518
• Nintendo DS - 52,542
• PlayStation 3 - 10,177
• PlayStation 2 - 8,802
• Xbox 360 - 1,725

Media Create Weekly Sales

PS2 to PS3 Guitar Hero Adapter Rescues Otherwise Non-Functional Guitars

Here's some great news...that possibly comes a few months too late. TAC has released an adapter that will make your PS2 Guitar Hero controllers compatible with PS3 versions of Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Running $19.99, the company promises the adapter makes guitars "100% compatible" for use, supporting: regular PS2 controllers, Red Octane's and Activision's SG Controller, the Kramer Wireless, Nyko's PS2 Frontman guitar, the DreamGear Shredster, all React PS2 guitar controllers and all Psyclone PS2 guitar controllers. While the $20 sticker price is a bit steep to make this purchase a no-brainer, many of us have been sitting on otherwise useless PS2 guitars. So we'll just label this a good thing and call it a day. You can buy one here, hit the jump for the full details.

Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G madness continues to drive PSP sales, with another solid week for Sony's handheld in Japan. Console spending is down this week across the board, with Xbox 360 performance dipping close to three figure lows. Nintendo hardware is mostly neck and neck, with not much in the way of big releases expected next week. Perhaps Sega's handsome Senjou no Valkyria will help unimpressive PlayStation 3 sales.

• PSP - 85,421
• Nintendo DS - 44,551
• Wii - 44,241
• PlayStation 3 - 7,438
• PlayStation 2 - 6,545
• Xbox 360 - 1,076

Media Create Weekly Sales

The Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G bump gives the PlayStation Portable another very good week, down from a fortnight of six-figure sales, but still outselling the competition by a healthy margin. That's fantastic news for Sony, whose other PlayStation platforms aren't fairing so well this week amid generally underwhelming release lists. Wii sales were up, but not by a margin that one would expect with such stellar Mario Kart Wii sales.

• PSP - 85,721
• Nintendo DS- 47,158
• Wii - 46,296
• PlayStation 3 - 8,232
• PlayStation 2 - 6,834
• Xbox 360 - 1,147

Media Create Weekly Sales

This week's Media Create hardware sales chart looks nearly identical to last week's as Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G domination continues to decimate the competition. PSPs are outselling everything, with the only change for the week of March 31 to April 6 a barely noticeable increase in share from the PlayStation 3. Everyone else is holding steady amid a lack of powerhouse releases.

• PSP - 120,964
• Nintendo DS - 55,190
• Wii - 44,618
• PlayStation 3 - 11,303
• PlayStation 2 - 10,423
• Xbox 360 - 1,452

Media Create Weekly Sales

Zounds! Based on the monstrous success of Capcom's Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G, the PSP reached impressive hardware sales heights this week in Japan. It came very close to outselling every other piece of hardware combined, with nearly 130,000 units, some of which were bundled with the latest Monster Hunter expansion. Here's how the hardware battle went down during March 24 to March 30.

• PSP - 129,986
• Nintendo DS - 58,916
• Wii - 48,785
• PlayStation 3 - 11,206
• PlayStation 2 - 10,296
• Xbox 360 - 1,547

Media Create Weekly Sales

Nyko Zero PlayStation 3 Controller Glows Goodness

Are you dreading spending $55 on a new DualShock 3? Then how about spending $60 on a generic? This Zero controller by Nyko promises all the wireless rumble/tilt of the DualShock 3. But why would you spend more than on official Sony gear? It features aluminum panels, backlit LED buttons, comfortable controls and a removable NiMH batter pack good for 25 hours of play. The catch? Word is that the wireless technology isn't Bluetooth, but standard 2.4Ghz (requiring an adapter, we're guessing). Still, if this had an offset analog stick ala Xbox 360, I would consider the purchase.

Zero PS3 [Nyko via Gaming Blog]

The Nintendo DS is the new weekly king of the hardware castle, most likely boosted out of third place by strong sales of Pokémon Ranger: Batonnage. Regardless of who's showing in first, it's almost a three way dead heat, with the Wii and PSP rounding out the top three. There's nothing to really write home about outside of those three star performers, with Xbox 360 sales barely visible, despite having two games showing in the top fifty for the week.

• Nintendo DS - 65,055
• Wii - 62,404
• PSP - 59,833
• PlayStation 3 - 12,874
• PlayStation 2 - 9,990
• Xbox 360 - 1,407

Media Create Weekly Sales

The battle for weekly first place hardware showings in Japan went back to Sony this week, with the PSP outselling the Wii one more time. With just a few thousand sales setting them apart, however, the contest is almost a dead heat. DS Fever seems to have cooled a bit over the past few weeks, with the handheld resting quietly in third, presumably waiting to strike back before the end of the year. Quiet times on the hardware front make us look forward to new marquee releases. Until then...

• PSP - 57,651
• Wii - 55,845
• Nintendo DS - 53,266
• PlayStation 3 - 14,934
• PlayStation 2 - 9,930
• Xbox 360 - 1,744

Media Create Weekly Sales

Why Don't Next-Gen Games Give Us Next-Gen Gameplay?

While a lot of games are pushing the limits of what can be done visually in games, we also wanted to push gameplay to levels that literally could not be done on the previous generation of hardware.

Sorry for the late update on weekly Japanese hardware sales, but yesterday was a bit nutty. Capcom Digital Day, Gamecock's EIEIO stuff, NPD sales data—it's enough to make one head's spin! Add to that some confusion on Media Create's updates due to a daylight savings time shift and you get a Friday version of Japanese sales data.

Despite Yakuza 3 Kenzan! being the week's software champ, 180,000 software units didn't put PlayStation 3 sales into overdrive. A 55% week-to-week boost is nothing to scoff at, but Sega's period piece adventure couldn't pull the console out of fourth. Instead, the PSP and Wii swap places, with the 360 still picking up the rear.

• Wii - 57,068
• PSP - 53,924
• Nintendo DS - 48,658
• PlayStation 3 - 21,008
• PlayStation 2 - 10,429
• Xbox 360 - 2,891

Media Create Weekly Sales

Nintendo Wins February Console War

January's NPD sales saw a bit of a shake up, as the post holiday hardware hangover hit Nintendo and Microsoft particularly hard. That lead to an atypical second place finish for the PlayStation 3, which outsold the Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS. February, however, sees a return to form, with the DS and Wii nabbing spots one and two, respectively, absolutely killing the competition. Just imagine if they could keep some of these things in stock...

Fortunately for Sony, the PlayStation 2 picked up the slack, selling an extremely impressive 351,800 units. As expected, and forewarned by Microsoft, the Xbox 360 trailed it's console competition, showing in second-to-last place. The full hardware numbers are after this.

Wow. The PlayStation Portable has become somewhat of a monster in Japan lately. Despite Wii and DS games outselling everything on the PSP this week, the Sony handheld tops the Media Create hardware charts with a comfortable lead. These folks must really love their Musou!

Here's the full hardware rundown for the week of February 25 to March 2 in Japan.

• PSP - 73,706
• Wii - 64,535
• Nintendo DS - 51,922
• PlayStation 3 - 13,520
• PlayStation 2 - 10,986
• Xbox 360 - 2,282

Media Create Weekly Sales

With the popularity of Wii Fit and Super Smash Bros. Brawl showing no signs of slowing overseas, Wii hardware is back on top. Normally reserved for Nintendo DS hardware, the Wii has ruled the Media Create roost since Brawl's release in Japan. Things have cooled considerable on the PlayStation 3 front, with this past week showing the Wii outselling Sony's big box five-to-one. Maybe news of Metal Gear Solid 4's release will start moving some units, but we don't expect to see a big spike until Old Snake ships.

The console war in Japan went down like so during the week of February 18 to 24.

• Wii - 63,504
• PSP - 53,373
• Nintendo DS - 50,151
• PlayStation 3 - 14,060
• PlayStation 2 - 9,634
• Xbox 360 - 2,001

Media Create Weekly Sales

No shake ups last week in Japan, as the Wii continues to top Media Create sales charts on strong Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Wii Fit sales. The Xbox 360 is unfortunately holding on to nothing but a sliver of the Japanese hardware pie, with figures dropping to lows Microsoft hasn't seen since last fall. The full hardware list for the week of February 11 to 17 is right after this.

• Wii - 78,583
• Nintendo DS - 62,362
• PSP - 59,654
• PlayStation 3 - 17,637
• PlayStation 2 - 11,266
• Xbox 360 - 2,198

Media Create Weekly Sales

What Was January's Biggest Seller?

January may have gone to the Wii and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare on the hardware and software sides respectively, but both were bested by an accessory as the biggest selling item, according to the NPD Group. The Wii nunchuk controller claimed that prestigious honor, selling an impressive 375,000 units in the United States.

At only $19.99, it's not surprising that Nintendo is pushing millions of these puppies out the door. All those people who snatched up Wii Play last year—4.12 million of them did—need to spend the earmarked Wii dollars on something. Wii Sports boxing is certainly no fun without it.

As in the United States, Wii rules the hardware sales roost in Japan. Super Smash Bros. Brawl may be killing it in the software charts, but those figures don't necessarily translate to big hardware boosts which could be due to supply constraints. Numbers were down for every platform but the PSP, which continues to threaten the Wii for the number one spot on Media Create's list. For the week ending February 10, the Japanese console war racked up the following casualties.

• Wii - 81,737
• PSP - 75,912
• Nintendo DS - 60,464
• PlayStation 3 - 23,985
• PlayStation 2 - 11,038
• Xbox 360 - 3,615

Media Create Weekly Sales