Topic: Wii and DS Take Top Spots in March NPD

[NWR_DrewMG]

delivers a 1-2 punch in the latest edition of the NPD sales report.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=22919

 Nintendo Wii and DS were the top two selling game systems in March, according to the latest report from the NPD Group.   Wii sales reached 560,000 consoles,  and combined DS system sales reached over 700,000 handhelds, setting a new record for portable system sales.   In a recent press release, Nintendo notes that sales of Nintendo systems amounted to 59% of all video game hardware sold in March.    

Nintendo also benefited from strong sales of PokĂ©mon HeartGold and SoulSilver versions, which placed at #5 and #2 on the sales chart respectively, with the combined total at more than 1,780,000 units sold.  March also saw New Super Mario Bros Wii at #7 in the top ten with 457,400 units sold, and Wii Fit Plus with the Balance Board at #9 with 429,600 units sold.    

The full list is detailed below:    

Hardware:
   

 1. Nintendo DS: 700,800
 2. Wii: 557,500
 3. Xbox 360: 338,400
 4. PlayStation 3: 313,900
 5. PSP: 119,900
 6. PlayStation 2: 118,300
     

Software:
   

 1. God of War III (Sony Santa Monica/SCEA, PS3), 1.10 million
 2. Pokemon SoulSilver (Game Freak/Nintendo, NDS), 1.02 million
 3. Final Fantasy XIII (Square Enix, PS3), 828,200
 4. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (DICE/Electronic Arts, Xbox 360), 825,500
 5. Pokemon HeartGold (Game Freak/Nintendo, NDS), 761,200
 6. Final Fantasy XIII (Square Enix, Xbox 360), 493,900
 7. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Nintendo, Wii), 457,400
 8. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (DICE/Electronic Arts, PS3), 451,200
 9. Wii Fit Plus w/ Balance Board (Nintendo, Wii), 429,600
 10. MLB 10: The Show (Sony San Diego/SCEA, PS3), 349,200
     

NINTENDO DS AND WII SYSTEM SALES BACK TO TOP TWO POSITIONS IN MARCH    

April 15, 2010    

According to the independent NPD Group, which tracks video game sales in the United States, the Nintendo DS™ family of hand-held systems – including the new Nintendo DSi XL™ – set an all-time record for portable system sales in the month of March, selling more than 700,000 units nationwide. Sales of Nintendo's Wii™ console reached nearly 560,000 in March as post-holiday inventory began to improve. Nintendo systems accounted for 59 percent of all video game hardware sold in March.    

"Demand for Nintendo fun continues unabated," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "We're glad so many people are able to get their hands on our systems as we prepare for the May launches of Super Mario Galaxy™ 2 for Wii and Picross 3D™ for our Nintendo DS systems."    

Four of the top 10 best-selling games in March play only on Nintendo systems. These include Pokémon™ SoulSilver Version at No. 1 with more than 1.01 million units sold, Pokémon HeartGold Version at No. 5 with more than 761,000 units sold, New Super Mario Bros.™ Wii at No. 7 with more than 457,000 units sold, and Wii Fit Plus™ with Wii Balance Board™ accessory at No. 10 with more than 339,000 units sold.

[ControlerFleX]

With all of this rock solid proof that Nintendo has to show why there #1.....

I wonder why do most of us have problems "Justifying" why we own or play the Wii..??...

[KDR_11k]

What the hell are you talking about?

[D_Average]

With all of this rock solid proof that Nintendo has to show why there #1.....

I wonder why do most of us have problems "Justifying" why we own or play the Wii..??...

I'd say its because a lot of us grew up Nintendo fans, but some of us, like myself, spend 90% of their gaming time on the "other" consoles.  So it feels weird that Nintendo is doing its best at a time when we're spending the least amount of time with Nintendo products.

That will all change for me though once Galaxy 2 returns.  Galaxy 1 pulled me out of a decade long hiatus of playing video games and I'm sure I'll be just as addicted to the sequel (Thats right Malstrom, "3D Star Finder Mario pulled my casual a$$ back into gaming, rather than the DS New Super Mario Bros).

[Mop it up]

With all of this rock solid proof that Nintendo has to show why there #1.....

I wonder why do most of us have problems "Justifying" why we own or play the Wii..??...

Meh, some people are just insecure, it's no big deal really.

[KDR_11k]

The only system I might need to justify is the 360 since I play that the least, games are too expensive and often you can get the same games cheaper and better on the PC.

[ControlerFleX]

The only system I might need to justify is the 360 since I play that the least, games are too expensive and often you can get the same games cheaper and better on the PC.

Wow! Really? I usually find the 360 get the most love and that blows my mind. I don't understand how a system that is a proven broken piece of crap still have sooooo many fanboys... I still to this day tribute 30% of their sales to people that just bought a new 360 because the one they had broke....

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

fanboyism precedes the actual utility of the product.

[KDR_11k]

People bought the 360 for the games, not the hardware. Anyway, I'm not much for the dark and gritty style of the 360 games and most look generic while costing way too damn much.

[NWR_Lindy]

At least most Wii games look generic, but are cheap.

[KDR_11k]

Aren't the only generic looking Wii games the shovelware?

[D_Average]

The only system I might need to justify is the 360 since I play that the least, games are too expensive and often you can get the same games cheaper and better on the PC.

Wow! Really? I usually find the 360 get the most love and that blows my mind. I don't understand how a system that is a proven broken piece of crap still have sooooo many fanboys... I still to this day tribute 30% of their sales to people that just bought a new 360 because the one they had broke....

Blows my mind too dude.  Its all thanks to their year head start over the wii and ps3 coupled with the achievements system.  People became hooked, and would do anything necessary to keep the fix comin.

[ControlerFleX]

Aren't the only generic looking Wii games the shovelware?

Wii Sports/Resort, Wii Fit/Plus, Boom Blox/Bash Party, to name a few "generic" looking games that are far from shovleware.......

[KDR_11k]

Wii Sports wasn't generic looking when it came out, the Miis are stylized in a way we hadn't seen in gaming much before then.

[ControlerFleX]

Wii Sports wasn't generic looking when it came out, the Miis are stylized in a way we hadn't seen in gaming much before then.

I don't want to seem like I'm doing this I'm right and your not thing because I do value your opinion and respect the time you've spent on NWR buuuuuuut.....

Miis are a step backwards from a previous "generic" looking art style of characters; Animal Crossing. It traded the clothes editing with face editing. Granted we see a plethora of the face edits due to the Mii Channel but Animal Crossing wasn't afforded that type of "contest attention" 

[D_Average]

I would agree that Mii's are a stop down.  2nd Life was going strong when the Wii came out, as was the Sims.  Those avatars aren't anything special, but neither are the Mii's, at least with the others you had more detail.  First time I saw Mii's I thought "that's it?"  Oh well, they get the job done.

[Guitar Smasher]

Miis have a lot of charm, much more than 2nd Life.  They're basically caricatures, which are more fun in my opinion.

[NWR_insanolord]

I'd argue that Miis are much better looking, more distinctive, and less generic than 360 Avatars, even though the 360 avatars are much more detailed.