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With another week underway we have the UK chart results, which carry extra interest following the launch of Xenoblade Chronicles X, a title that has drawn critical acclaim and hype from enthusiasts but nevertheless has a tough task converting that into big sales.

That's how it's turned out in the UK, at least - the Monolith Soft RPG has only managed to secure 28th place in the all-format charts, yet its launch sales are actually 73% higher than those of Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii. Though the Wii title arrived on a system with a huge install base it was also at a time of decline for the last-gen hardware; it's impressive that the Wii U entry has brought improved sales for the series.

Xenoblade Chronicles X is actually third-best in terms of Wii U games, however. Mario Kart 8 continues to go well in 24th place with Splatoon close behind in 26th - sales of bundles containing both games are likely playing a part in that continued momentum. Super Mario Maker has re-entered the chart in 32nd place, while the only 3DS title in the top 40 is Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer in 33rd.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros. is a notable absentee, launching the same day as Xenoblade Chronicles X. It seems that it wasn't even close to a top 40 place as it's only managed 5th place in the 3DS-only chart - it's behind titles such as New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Tomodachi Life in those results.

Disappointing news for AlphaDream, and overall the charts still paint a picture of Nintendo struggling to have an impact on festive shopping in the UK. On the plus side Xenoblade Chronicles X has improved over its predecessor, which will hopefully combine with sales around the world to push the series forward into the next generation of Nintendo hardware.

[source chart-track.co.uk]