Recently released video game console sales numbers show that the Wii console has positively controlled the console computer game market in 2008. Essentially the Wii console has outpaced the contest by at considerable margin. Essentially the NPD reports that in 2008 10.8 million, yes million, Wii consoles were sold. In comparison the Xbox 360 sold 4.74 million units, and the PlayStation 3 sold 3.55 million units. For those who are not great at math look at it this way, there were more Wii console units sold than both Xbox 360′s and PlayStation 3′s combined.

It has long been a parable that Wii console sales don’t directly represent gamers interest in the Wii console itself thanks to the speculation that gamers do not continue to play games on the console after the 1st purchase and novelty price has worn off. To combat this idea it should be noted that the Wii console is in charge of the top 4 selling games of 2008, with the number one selling game being Wii Play, which moved a respectable 5.28 million copies.

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Microsoft’s console makes rare appearance atop Media Create’s retail recap, thanks to debut of Square Enix’s top-selling Star Ocean: The Last Hope.

The Xbox 360 isn’t what most people would call a “hit” in Japan, but the console does catch a few breaks every once in a while. For the week of February 16-22, that break came in the form of Square Enix’s Xbox 360-exclusive Star Ocean: The Last Hope. In its first week on the Japanese market, the Tri-Ace-developed sci-fi role-playing game achieved sales of 162,000 units, pushing the Xbox 360 past the Wii and PlayStation 3 in total weekly sales, according to Media Create.

On the week, Media Create’s charts reflect that the Xbox 360 sold 25,334 units. In a tight race, the Wii just edged out the PlayStation 3, selling 16,973 consoles to 16,149 for Sony’s flagship. Handhelds were a different story, as the DSi–which launched in Japan in November–sold 41,839 units, while the PSP shifted 29,552 systems. The DS Lite, which is sold alongside the DSi as it will be in other regions, also moved an additional 9,975 units.

With Star Ocean taking the top slot, Mario & Luigi RPG 3!!! for the DS placed second, selling 62,000 copies in Japan. Namco Bandai scored a trio of chart-toppers on its release of the Idolmaster SP trifecta Perfect Sun, Missing Moon, and Wandering Star, which sold a respective 46,000, 39,000, and 35,000 units. Sega’s Shining Force Feather for the DS debuted in the sixth slot, selling 30,000, while Capcom’s perennial best-seller Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G moved an additional 18,000 units.

Titles for Sony’s systems rounded out the remainder of the chart. Flight-Plan’s Sacred Blaze sold 17,000 during its first week on the market, a figure nearly matched by the PS3 edition of Street Fighter IV. From Software’s Demon’s Souls rounded out Media Create’s weekly recap, taking the 10th slot with 15,000 units sold.

Week of February 16 – February 22, 2009

Software:

1) Star Ocean: The Last Hope (360) – 162,000

2) Mario & Luigi RPG 3 (NDS) – 62,000

3) Idolmaster SP: Perfect Sun (PSP) – 46,000

4) Idolmaster SP: Missing Moon (PSP) – 39,000

5) Idolmaster SP: Wandering Star (PSP) – 35,000

6) Shining Force Feather (NDS) – 30,000

7) Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (PSP) – 18,000

8) Sacred Blaze (PS2) – 17,000

9) Street Fighter IV (PS3) – 17,000

10) Demon’s Souls (PS3) – 15,000

Hardware:

DSi: 41,839

PSP: 29,552

Xbox 360: 25,334

Wii: 16,973

PS3: 16,149

DS Lite: 9,975

PS2: 5,029

Check out the source of this item Japan Sales Charts Feb. 16-22: Xbox 360 hardware, software king

TOKYO (AFP) — Nintendo’s Wii outsold rival Sony’s PlayStation 3 (PS3) three-fold in Japan last year, helping the country’s multi-billion dollar video game market to notch up its best ever year, a survey showed Monday.

Nintendo sold about 3.63 million Wii consoles in its home market in 2007 while Sony sold 1.21 million PS3s, according to magazine publisher Enterbrain.

The Wii also trounced the PS3 more than three-fold in the key year-end sales period between November 25 and December 30, selling 774,123 Wii consoles against Sony’s sales of 232,421 PS3s, the survey showed.

Nintendo won back its lead after the two rivals briefly traded places in November, when the PS3 outsold the Wii in Japan for the first time, helped by a price cut and a stronger line-up of games, according to Enterbrain.

Sony’s game unit said Monday that it had sold 1.2 million PS3s in North America during the holiday shopping period after a hefty price cut.

“The PlayStation brand ended the year in a very strong position and clearly indicates more positive momentum going into 2008,” Jack Tretton, head of Sony Computer Entertainment in the US, said in a statement.

Analysts said that although PS3 sales appear to be improving after a tough first year, in terms of sales it is still far behind the Wii.

“Consumers both in Japan and overseas are still attracted by the Wii, which remains a fresh concept,” said Hiroshi Kamide, a game analyst at KBC Securities.

The Wii also retains a three-fold sales advantage over the PS3 in North America, where Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is also posing competition for Sony, he said.

Sony “either has to slash the price further or increase the number of games available, which is something software makers are reluctant to do” because there are too few owners in the US to make it worthwhile, he added.

Microsoft sold 257,841 Xbox 360s last year in Japan, continuing to struggle on its rivals’ home turf two years after the console’s launch, the survey showed.

Japan’s total computer game market was worth a record 687.7 billion yen (6.37 billion dollars) in 2007, up 9.9 percent from the previous year, Enterbrain said.

The market was buoyed by robust sales of Nintendo’s DS and the Lite version handheld consoles, which have sold a total of just over 21 million units since the initial launch three years ago, it added.

Software sales were also strong, with games for Nintendo consoles making up four of the five top-selling games, the survey showed.

Well, this was quite the weekend for yours truly. Mainly because I was without cable and internet all weekend. I will say that in the year 2009 we have become 100% dependent on these two sources for news and entertainment. I was stuck looking for updates on my iPod Touch and watching 1970’s style blurry blue/green/red local TV stations. It was like being in the past and the future at the same time. Ok, my rant is over on that, just wanted to put it out there, also it’s the reason why there was no episode of Do Work Friday last week. Don’t worry, it will be back this week and I may even hit you with a double dose of awesomeness!

Yes, today is in fact Monday. The last Monday in the first month of tenth year of the twenty-first century to be exact. So, what does Nintendo have in store for us on this epic Monday? We will be getting two games today, WiiWare will be getting Niki – Rock N Ball, while the Virtual Console will be getting the classic Sega title WonderBoy in Monster Land.

Niki-Rock ‘n’ Ball is a supposedly new take on classic arcade gaming, you know the ones where the only objective is to kill everything and make it to the end of the level. In the game you will be a ball rolling along collecting pearls and medals and killing monsters. You can transform to “rock” form to take even stronger monsters out, all the while hopping and rolling along different stages. The game is developed by Bplus and can be played solo or co-op with a friend. It is available today for 500 points, check the trailer below.

WonderBoy in Monster Land is a title that was originally available for the Sega Master System way back in 1987. The original title was considered ridiculously hard, mainly for the fact that there was no continue or password system on the consoles. This game takes the WonderBoy of the original title and transports him from prehistoric times to medieval times. He will have a sword as his main weapon and can barter for upgrades to armor and magic. The title, developed by Sega and Weston games is a 1 player game and is available today for 500 points.

Check out the source of this item Virtual Console and WiiWare Update Monday!

I still remember when I got my first Nintendo. It was either in 1991 or 1992. I vividly remember opening the box, unwrapping the controllers and accessories and hooking everything up. Okay, well maybe my parents hooked it up since I was only 6 years old at the time, but still. Those memories will last forever.

At the time the original Nintendo Entertainment System was the best new video game console to hit the market. It had 8 bit graphics with stereo quality sound. In fact, I own a Nintendo NES to this day and will hold onto it forever. Those old games never truly get “old.”

I particularly like the Mario Bros. series games as well as Duck Hunt. You gotta love Duck Hunt! A true first-person shooter that makes use of a gun that you can point and aim at the  screen, and then at the right moment, pull the trigger for the perfect shot.

A few years later, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System was born. Of course, I had to have one of those as well. Around this time the Sega Genesis came on the scene as Nintendo’s biggest competitor. I owned an SNES, and my friends owned a Sega. I never could get used to the Sega, but it was fun nonetheless.

Video game consoles have evolved a lot over the past 20 years. Some consoles have come and gone, while new companies joined in on the video gaming world. As technology becomes better and better, so do the video game systems.

Right now the major players in the video game industry are Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft. There’s no d0ubt some stiff competition between the three. I have to admit that all three are top notch and provide their own unique value to users.

I believe what makes Nintendo stand out from the crowd is the longevity that it’s been around. The Nintendo NES was first launched in 1985. It’s now 2009, 24 years later! That really says something about Nintendo.

What’s more impressive is the now popular Wii gaming system that has boosted Nintendo past Sony and Microsoft. The Wii is truly unique and one of a kind. It provides interaction to video games that no other console can provide.

The funny thing is that the same technology used in the Wii was used with the NES. The technology is just now more refined. Back then you had the infrared gun for Duck Hunt as I mentioned. You also had a glove with motion sensing technology, similar to that of the Wii. There was also another accessory that made use of motion.

The fact that Nintendo keeps improving its technology and is looking after the video game enthusiasts who want to dive into the action and be a part of the game says a lot.

I believe that Nintendo still stands as the King of video gaming and will continue to provide the latest and best video game experience that no other console can provide.

That’s not to say they have the most popular or best games by any means, but Nintendo has gained respect with many video gamers due to their seniority in the industry and the value that they provide.