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The madness of Nintendo Direct meant that we skipped the Japanese chart update last week, which saw the 3DS remain on top and the Wii U sales dip to 17,737 units, which was still a long way above the lows it had suffered in previous months. We have been in the midst of a relative dip in new software on Nintendo hardware in Japan, too, as the Pokémon X & Y sales train gradually slows down.

To start with the software chart, the top places are dominated by new releases on PS3, PS Vita and PSP, with some 3DS and Wii U veterans doing their best to make a mark; that said Daigasso! Band Brothers P, which looks delightfully quirky, makes its début in sixth place.

1. [PSV] God Eater 2 – 266,326 (New)
2. [PS3] Call of Duty: Ghosts – 190,631 (New)
3. [PS3] Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 – 151,800 (New)
4. [PSP] God Eater 2 – 112,024 (New)
5. [3DS] Pokemon X and Y – 82,705 (2,929,806)
6. [3DS] Daigasso! Band Brothers P – 40,196 (New)
7. [3DS] Monster Hunter 4 – 26,358 (2,938,669)
8. [3DS] Medabots Dual Kabut Ver. / Kuwagata Ver. – 21,454 (New)
9. [PS3] Grand Theft Auto V – 29,144 (579,822)
10. [PS3] Battlefield 4 – 19,291 (140,990)
11. [PSP] Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 – 16,976 (New)
12. [PS3] Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 2013 – 13,590 (181,174)
13. [360] Call of Duty: Ghosts – 12,950 (New)
14. [3DS] Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 – 11,444 (New)
15. [PSP] Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 2013 – 8,943 (107,799)
16. [3DS] Sentouchu Densetsu no Shinobi to Survival Battle – 7,981 (95,304)
17. [Wii U] Wii Party U – 7,352 (60,693)
18. [PSP] Arcana Familia 2 – 6,198 (New)
19. [PSV] Akiba’s Trip 2 – 6,074 (39,550)
20. [3DS] Model Oshare Audition Dream Girl – 5,999 (New)

The hardware chart is perhaps the most interesting that it's been for a good number of weeks, with God Eater 2 pushing Vita sales close to those of the 3DS XL / LL, while the PS Vita TV system launched reasonably well: it's a budget-priced micro-console that allows you to play a large proportion — not all — of Vita games on a television. The Wii U figures dipped due to a lack of major new releases hitting the charts, but remain at a steady level well above the abysmal four figure tallies of recent months.

3DS LL – 47,852 (53,190)
PlayStation Vita – 46,350 (21,764)
PlayStation Vita TV – 42,172 (New)
3DS – 22,250 (28,627)
Wii U – 15,906 (17,737)
PlayStation 3 – 12,019 (11,867)
PSP – 4,353 (4,010)
Wii – 518 (579)
Xbox 360 – 404 (346)

Next week's results will be significant for the Wii U in Nintendo's homeland, as Super Mario 3D World arrives without competition from the Xbox One or PS4 — both arrive in Japan in 2014. We've said much about major releases boosting hardware sales, but this will be a major test of that principle in the region. Will Mario provide the Wii U with a surge to the top of the hardware chart?

We'll find out next week.

[source gematsu.com]