News
UK CHARTS: Mario Kart Wii smashes records as it hits No.1
Tim Ingham Apr 14 2008, 4:51pm
Comments (20)
Racer enjoys biggest ever opening week for a first party Nintendo title as Gran Turismo drops to second
Nintendo has grabbed the number one spot in ChartTrack/ELSPA’s all formats weekly sales rankings with Mario Kart Wii – knocking Sony’s Gran Turismo 5: Prologue into second place.
The title recorded the eighth biggest opening sales week in UK software history to claim the top spot in the week, ending Saturday, April 12th – becoming far and away the biggest launch of any Nintendo published title.
Amazingly, its first week sales dwarf those of all five other Mario Wii games combined (Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Strikers, Mario Party 8 and Super Paper Mario).
ChartTrack points out that Wii games featuring Mario accounting for 21.2 per cent of all Wii units since the launch of the console in December 2006.
Elsewhere, Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 is a non-mover at number four – suggesting it’s still performing well on Wii itself.
Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 drops two places to number five, as sales of Condemned 2 from Sega fall by 20 per cent in its second week – seeing it move down from fifth to sixth spot.
The full top ten reads:
1) Mario Kart Wii – Nintendo
2) Gran Turismo 5: Prologue – Sony
3) Mario & Sonic at The Olympic games – Sega
4) Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 – Konami
5) Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 – Ubisoft
6) Condemned 2 – Sega
7) Wii Play – Nintendo
8) Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock – Activision
9) Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare – Activision
10) Carnival – Funfair Games – 2K Play
Comments
“Wow!”
Posted by: Mystore'sbetterthanyours - Apr 14, 5:14pm
The day one allocation we got was done and dusted pretty damn quickly, but I didn't realise it was going to be THIS big! Eighth biggest opening weekend of all time!
“Re: Wow!”
Posted: Apr 14, 5:22pm
God knows what the Smash Brothers launch will be like.
“Re: Wow!”
Posted: Apr 14, 5:33pm
Mario Kart is bigger than Smash Brothers in my view. Hats off to Nintendo, but it was always going to be this way.
“Re: Wow!”
Posted: Apr 14, 5:44pm
Wasn't Melee the biggest selling Gamecube game?
Or is that worldwide?
“Re: Wow!”
Posted by: Bob - Apr 14, 6:30pm
@Mystoresbetterthanyours
We too sold our allocation quickly, but given how insultingly low it was this was no surprise!
Congratulations to our new suppliers - Woolworths, Asda & Sainsburys (£27.97) who managed to supply us with more copies than Gem & Koch.
“Re: Wow!”
Posted by: AB - Apr 14, 6:41pm
Hey Bob,
You probably got a poor allocation cause you havent supported other Nintendo of Wii releases, probably becuse
the mystical hardcore gamer who you so avidly listen to and obviously spends a vast amount with you told you that the other games were S&^t probably Mario kart as well....Idiot!
Anyway thanks for coming up the goods Nintendo!!!
“Re: Wow!”
Posted by: Dan007 - Apr 14, 6:54pm
Hey Bob,
We got a rubbish allocation too, this is despite the fact we've stocked every Nintendo game/product for the wii & ds.
The fact is an unfair proportion of the stock was allocated to the multiples, Centresoft, Koch and Gem had next to no stock.
“Re: Wow!”
Posted by: Mark Kohler - Apr 14, 8:23pm
Well done Nintendo, nice to see that a a game I have always enjoyed lived up to the hype. Looking forward to Smas Bros.
“Re: Wow!”
Posted by: daz - Apr 14, 9:36pm
hey ( ab) i own a indie. and to say that its because we havent bought much stock of koch/gem is a load of bull.
If you new any this about this then you would know that stock was allocation only we got 11 units and we are a top 20 indie account, from koch!!!!!!
so you are a idiot for talking crap!!!
“Re: Wow!”
Posted by: Marv - Apr 14, 9:56pm
I hate to be an A-hole but man you guys keep talking about it so I have to comment. I'm looking forward to MarioKart but it sucks that you guys don't have Smash yet. It is so unbelievably good and surpasses its hype, I can't believe it hasn't released yet. I really hope you guys get some kind of exclusive gift or something special to sort of kind of make up for waiting this long. I suggest you buy it overseas. Get it.
“bs”
Posted by: Woods - Apr 15, 9:08am
Daz
Don't talk ****e, i work with Koch no49 retailer and he got 11 units, i don't think you are in the top 20. which company are you from?
Allocations are based on how much you buy, it can't be fairer than that can it?
“not for long???”
Posted by: krazykunal - Apr 15, 9:50am
Well Suprise Suprise! It was alway bound to be a knockout blow to the competition, but how long will it last??? ....with GTA IV imminent don't think it will last long at the top spot!
“Re: not for long???”
Posted: Apr 15, 10:00am
Wii fit... Wii Fit.
“Re: not for long???”
Posted by: Dave - Apr 15, 10:12am
Good to see Carnival hanging in there at number 10!
“Re: not for long???”
Posted by: woods - Apr 15, 10:17am
why? It's rubbish
“Not BS”
Posted by: dan007 - Apr 15, 10:20am
Mr Woods,
It is far from being BS, due to the stupid way Koch allocated the game a retailer @no.49 or @no.20 got the same units.
It didn't matter how much you have spent!
“Re: BS”
Posted by: Woods - Apr 15, 10:49am
Not true. It is based on what you have spent in the previous quarter.
It is ridiculous to say that the no 20 and no 49 customers get the same, for that to happen they would have to have the same market share.
A Top twenty customer would get approx 30 units, simple maths.
I wish Koch got more, but the allocation system is transparent.
“Re: BS”
Posted by: um... - Apr 15, 6:59pm
Well the large games store by me got over 400 units and still sold out by Sunday... Still, seems that the indi stores got short changed again.
And I'm guessing Mr. Tesco will end up with close on 50% of the Wii Fit allocation... :(
“Re: BS”
Posted by: Bob - Apr 15, 8:13pm
@woods
I can tell you absolutely that top 20 customers of Koch didn't even receive 30 units!
When you consider that most of those top 20 indies have mutiple stores its even more insulting.
The fact is indies were allocated less than 10% of the stock most would have ordered on a open market.
Last Friday every supermarket (Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys) had at least 50 units per store, their was no shortage of stock. It was simply the distribution of the stock was completely unfair. The indies are being treated as third class citizens by Nintendo.
“Re: BS”
Posted by: MR M - Apr 16, 9:05am
My local sainsburys only had 4 copies for the release as my mate works there, my shop had 6 from koch, 3 from gem and 4 from advantage/centresoft - however Im getting another 15 from advantage today, is this the start of stock that missed the indies for day 1 or was it held back delibrately ?