PSP tops Japan hardware charts

Slim and Lite sales drive new surge in take-up; others remain static

While the release of the PSP Slim and Lite in Japan has reignited hardware sales of the console, numbers for other platforms dropped further, according to the latest retail data from Media Create.

Sales of the PSP, which in the figures isn't divided into individual SKU, hit nearly 280,000 in the week ending September 23 - that's up from 95,000 the previous week, and far more than normal chart-topper, Nintendo DS, on just over 70,000.

In fact most of the other platforms dipped once again as, with the PSP aside, hardware numbers continued to tail off.

The PlayStation 3 dropped by 18 per cent on the previous week, while sales for the PlayStation 2 dipped by 13 per cent, the DS by 12 per cent, and the Wii 5 per cent.

The only console to buck the trend, other than the PSP, was the Xbox 360, which saw sales jump by over a third - although that only represented a increase of about 400 additional consoles, to a total of 1687.

The hardware sales list in full:

1. PlayStation Portable: 277,794

2. Nintendo DS: 70,523

3. Nintendo Wii: 24,992

4. PlayStation 2: 11,373

5. PlayStation 3: 10,732

6. Xbox 360: 1687

7. Game Boy Advance: 382

8. Nintendo GameCube: 15

Final Fantasy VII No1 in Japan

New entries make up half of the latest sales top ten

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII has remained at the top of the Japanese software sales chart for a second consecutive week, despite pressure from new entries which include a new Metal Gear Solid title.

Portable Ops Plus, an expansion to the original PlayStation Portable title sold 93,000 units in its first week of release, according to data from Media Create, while Crisis Core racked up another 109,000 in the week ending September 23.

Pokemon titles took third and fourth places, while four other new entries, including Super Mario Strikers and Samurai Warriors: Katana also made the new top ten, with Nintendo platforms accounting for seven titles, and Sony platforms for three.

The full top ten is as follows:

01. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP)

02. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus (PSP)

03. Pokemon Fushigi no Dungeon: Toki no Tankentai (DS)

04. Pokemon Fushigi no Dungeon: Yami no Tankentai (DS)

05. Katekyoo Hitman Reborn!! DS Flame Rumble Kaien Ring Soudatsuen! (DS)

06. Super Mario Strikers (Wii)

07. Kiniro no Corda 2 Anchor (PS2)

08. Mario Party 8 (Wii)

09. Samurai Warriors: Katana (Wii)

10. Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Ring of Fates (DS)

Source: games Industry

Halo 3 reviews

Here’s what some of the top gaming sites said.

IGN.com: 9.5/10

The campaign, which is very good, is Halo 3's weakest point. It doesn't capture the cavalier spirit of the original Halo, but you'll still have fun playing through it. There's no first-person shooter on 360 that can equal Halo 3's blend of cinematic action, adrenaline-pumping shootouts, and male- (and female)-bonding gameplay. Look beyond the gameplay and you have a rich feature set unlike anything ever delivered in a videogame. The Forge and the replay functionality raise the bar for console shooters so high, it may never be surpassed this generation. There will be plenty of aspects for fans to nitpick, but it's hard to argue against Halo 3 as the most complete game available on any console.

GamePro.com: 5/5

Anyway you slice it, Halo 3 more than lives up to the high expectations set by gamers everywhere. It's solid gameplay, immense replayability, online functionality and incredible production values will ensure its place in video game history, and it is, without a doubt, a satisfying and fulfilling close to the beloved trilogy[?].

Gamespot.com: 9.5/10

On the surface, Halo 3 is every bit the sequel you would expect it to be, in that it delivers meaningful upgrades to both the story-driven and competitive sides of the package. However, it's the addition of the Forge level editor and the saved films that give the game an even longer set of legs, legs that will probably keep you running at full speed until Bungie figures out where, exactly, to go from here.

Eurogamer.net: 10/10

And yet, hype machine aside, cutting through the crap about console wars and the like, what we find in Halo 3 is quite simply this - the best game yet in one of the best FPS franchises of the era. Better than either of its predecessors, Halo 3 still can't quite escape the category of flawed masterpiece - but this time around, the flaws are so minor that even the most churlish of reviewers would be hard pressed to mark the game down.

Computer And Videogames: 9.7/10

Halo knows what it does best and it's done it. If you're one of those that is physically sick when even the world Halo is mentioned, we feel a little sorry for you. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face, as ours mums would say. You're genuinely going to miss out on an incredible gaming experience that offers many different ways to play it, alone with your mates, or against the global community.

Steve Jobs Immortalised in Lego

You really have to be wearing your geek credentials on your forehead to seriously think about buying this but here goes.

PodBrix, which has made a name customising Lego, has just announced the Young Woz and Jobs Playset. Like a Young Indiana Jones for Apple fanatics, this Limited Edition set aims to recreate in Lego the early days of Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs before everything went to hell in a hand basket. The blurb says:

“Hand created by Tomi, each playset contains a young version of Jobs and Woz immortalised in minifig form. The backdrop set features a desk with custom made computer, circuit board based project in progress, and a 2001 style calendar marking a fateful date. The reverse of the backdrop displays the limited edition unit number and is signed by Tomi.”

Source: Gizmondo

Halo 3 really breaking records?

Microsoft has hailed the £84m that Xbox 360 game Halo 3 made in the first 24 hours it was being sold as a record for an entertainment product.

Industry watchers are wary of declaring this as the start of a new era for computer and video games because many other sectors of the industry are larger.



More from BBC

Halo 3 launch video

Halo 3 Registers Biggest Day In US Entertainment History With $170 Million In Sales

Microsoft today announced that the Xbox 360 exclusive game “Halo 3” has officially become the biggest entertainment launch in history, garnering an estimated $170 million in sales in the United States alone in the first 24 hours. The Xbox 360 title beat previous records set by blockbuster theatrical releases like “Spider-man 3” and novels such as “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

“Halo 3” is the conclusion to the epic trilogy and picks up where “Halo 2” left off, answering questions around the fates of the beloved protagonist Master Chief and his artificial intelligence sidekick Cortana as they struggle to save humankind from destruction at the hands of the alien coalition known as the Covenant. In addition to the rich storyline, “Halo 3” continues the franchise’s grand tradition of delivering innovative online multiplayer experiences via Xbox LIVE, the world’s largest social network on TV.

“Halo 3 has become a pop-culture phenomenon,” said Neil Thomson, Senior Regional Director, Entertainment and Devices Division, Microsoft UK. “Not only is “Halo 3” setting sales records, it’s also redefining entertainment. Within the first 24 hours alone, we’ve seen more than a million Xbox LIVE members worldwide come online to play Halo 3 – that makes September 25 the most active Xbox LIVE gaming day in history.”

Retailers have also expressed their excitement about the launch of “Halo 3.”

Bob McKenzie, Senior Vice President of Merchandising for GameStop Corp commented that, “With consumer demand for Halo 3 and related products, we expect it to be the biggest video game title generator in GameStop's history."

“The initial demand we’ve seen for ‘Halo 3’ has been astounding, and the game is on track to become the number one gaming title of all time. ‘Halo 3’ is a genuine entertainment phenomenon and our customers have responded very enthusiastically to the release,” said Jill Hamburger, vice president of movies and games at Best Buy.

Developed by Bungie Studios, the “Halo” franchise is exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and optimized for the Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network. The more than 7 million Xbox LIVE users will get a continually evolving gaming experience with “Halo 3.” Its online multiplayer and cooperative gameplay for Xbox LIVE Gold users, the much-talked-about Saved Films feature that enables players to capture and save their favorite moments on their hard drives, and Forge, an innovative map editor that enables infinite customization options are just some of the new features to experience.

More than 10,000 retailers in the US hosted Midnight Madness events to celebrate the launch of this third installment in the billion-dollar franchise. In New York, Seattle, Miami and Los Angeles, Microsoft and retail partners hosted marquee launch events that featured contests and appearances by local celebrities and professional athletes who are fanatical about the “Halo” franchise, including Ludacris and Zac Efron and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates.

More than 1.7 million copies of “Halo 3” were preordered in the United States before a single store opened its doors at midnight, Sept. 25, making this the fasting pre-selling game in history, surpassing the previous record-setting pre-sales of “Halo 2.” Well beyond just a U.S. phenomenon, the launch of “Halo 3” was a worldwide celebration that released in 37 countries and available in 17 languages.

Vivendi Games Mobile's The Legend of Spyro

The Eternal Night Wins Best Mobile Game Award at French Video Game Festival

Vivendi Games Mobile, a division of Vivendi Games, today announced that the mobile game The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night was awarded the Best Mobile Video Game Award at the second annual Video Game Festival, in Montreuil, France. The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night game will be available on mobile phones worldwide in November.

The Spyro video game franchise to date has sold more than 15 million units globally and continues to be a big hit among both mobile and traditional console gamers. The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night console and handheld versions published by Sierra Entertainment will be available in October.

“We are extremely excited and honored that our game, The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night was awarded the coveted Best Mobile Game Award by the Video Game Festival,” said Paul Maglione, president of Vivendi Games Mobile. “The Spyro franchise is a classic franchise that is truly loved by both kids and adults alike and we are thrilled to once again bring the mighty purple dragon to mobile phones around the world.”

The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night mobile game gives players the chance to guide Spyro through 13 graphically stunning levels, specially adapted for mobile phones. The mission is to collect the four elemental powers that will enable Spyro to halt the resurrection of the Dark Master. As Spyro’s powers are gradually unlocked, players will uncover the mysteries of the bizarre universe and the many enemies that populate it.

Summary
Title: The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night (mobile version)
Genre: Action / Adventure
Worldwide release for mobile: November
Developer: The Mighty Troglodytes
Publisher: Vivendi Games Mobile

Experience the Melee of Modern Warfare with Delta Force

The Sequel to Black Hawk Down Puts Players in Europe Back on the Front Lines

Vivendi Games Mobile, a division of Vivendi Games, today announced the launch of Delta Force, the newest title based on the popular NovaLogic Delta Force Black Hawk Down: Team Sabre TM franchise. Delta Force equips players with full firepower as they face off against enemies in assault mode and take control of the U.S. Army’s elite anti-terrorist unit. Delta Force is now available on mobile phones throughout Europe.

Inspired by the iconic Ridley Scott movie Black Hawk Down, Delta Force features stunning graphics and impressive realistic weather effects. Gameplay mechanics are infiltration-oriented and players use state-of-the-art artillery, including rifles, machine guns and grenade launchers, positioning them for total annihilation. In addition to being able to strategically select from a team of diverse characters, each with their own special abilities, players can drive ground vehicles and pilot a helicopter for car chase, sniper and radio hacking missions that will have them ducking for cover.

“Delta Force has enough action and excitement to entertain players for hours as they experience undercover missions and dangerous attacks with some of the most advanced graphics and special effects available in mobile games today,” said Paul Maglione, president of Vivendi Games Mobile.

Delta Force allows users to choose between three characters to eliminate a terrorist organization trying to hijack the communication satellites: the trooper, the engineer or the sniper. Mini games challenge players to seek out informers, break enemy codes and track down terrorists in an armored car while avoiding sniper fire, dodging land mines and protecting civilians. The first installment in the franchise, Delta Force Black Hawk Down: Team Sabre received impressive feedback and reviews from the industry. Pocketgamer.com awarded Delta Force Black Hawk Down: Team Sabre the Bronze Award and said “overall a solidly put together game in the covert espionage mould which is fun to play and has good lastability.”

Jericho playable demo goes live.

It's blood, sweat and fears as the Clive Barker's Jericho playable demo goes live.

Battle demonic foes from the Crusades time slice with Church, Black and Delgado.

Prepare to confront evil and then blast its face off as Codemasters announces the release of the Clive Barker's Jericho™ playable demo.

The demo is now available from Xbox LIVE Marketplace for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and the Games for Windows demo available from www.codemasters.co.uk In Europe and PAL territories, the demo will be available for the PLAYSTATION3 computer entertainment system on October 4th from PLAYSTATION Network*.

Clive Barker's Jericho dispatches players to the Middle-Eastern city of Al-Khali. Controlling the Jericho squad, a team skilled in both conventional and paranormal warfare, players fight through different time periods from the city's history on a gruelling journey to unravel the legend of the First Born, God's first aborted creation of man and source of ultimate evil.

Thrusting gamers into the heart of this unique horror FPS, the demo is taken from the time of the Crusades in Al-Khali's past. A vicious attack has divided the squad, with one half presumed lost. As the demo opens, players join Sergeant Billie Church, Lieutenant Abigail Black and Sergeant Frank Delgado in the blood-drenched sewers and catacombs of a fortress.

Playing as Captain Devin Ross, the fallen squad leader who as a spirit is able to possess and heal individual members of the team, players must take advantage of Church, Black and Delgado's paranormal talents.

Delgado, a pyromancer and heavy weapons expert, can unleash a parasitic flame spirit to incinerate nearby enemies and wields a 7.62 calibre Minigun.

Church, a blood scribe, casts powerful wards, enchantments and banishments through the ritual of drawing her own blood. She also comes equipped with a customised Nodachi for ruthless melee attacks.

Black possesses astonishing telekentic powers, which lets her guide bullets fired from her customised XM-110 sniper rifle with pinpoint accuracy through multiple targets.

Only by combining the unique squad abilities of this paranormal fighting force can gamers survive this hellish nightmare and come closer to the truth.

Right from the off, players face a vicious onslaught from an army of grotesque crusader warriors. These twisted and tormented enemies, whose armour is fused with their rotting flesh and limbs replaced with axes and swords, are powerful, shocking realisations of monsters from the mind of Clive Barker.