Enterbrain has released its analysis of the Japanese game market for the first half of the fiscal year 2006 (March 27th to September 24th). The best selling game has been New Super Mario Brothers (Nintendo) on the DS with 3.09 millions copies sold. Nine out of the top ten selling games are DS titles.

The others are:
2- Motto Otona no DS Training (Nintendo, DS): 1.53 millions copies.
3- Winning Eleven 10 (Konami, PS2): 1.04 million
4- Otona no DS Training (Nintendo, DS): 900,000 copies.
5- Oideyo Dobutsu no Mori (Nintendo, DS): 870,000 copies.
6- Tetris DS (Nintendo, DS): 840,000 copies.
7- Final Fantasy III (Square Enix, DS): 730,000 copies.
8- Otona no DS Training Eigo (Nintendo, DS): 670,000 copies.
9- DS Oryori Navi (Nintendo, DS): 500,000 copies.
10- Tamagochi no PuchiPuchi Omissetchi (BNG, DS): 500,000 copies. ...

Future plc, the international special-interest media group, today announces that it has reached an exclusive agreement with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) to publish the new Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK.

Official PlayStation Magazine sees Future and SCEE continue their long established publishing partnership, which began in 1995. The new magazine strengthens Future’s Official PlayStation portfolio and will run alongside the successful Official PlayStation 2 Magazine and the recently launched Official PSP Guidebook.

Launching with a special PlayStation 3 preview issue next month – Official PlayStation Magazine will lead with PS3 coverage, whilst covering the burgeoning PSP and well-established PS2 markets. The first issue is the ultimate and exclusive guide to Sony’s next-generation console – with the team given unparalleled access to the PlayStation 3 and its launch games.

With a comprehensive retail footprint from launch – Official PlayStation Magazine has widespread stocking in WH Smith, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Co-Op, Morrison’s and Borders, as well as independent retailers, airport and train station outlets. The new title goes monthly in January 2007 and to coincide with the European launch of the console in March 2007, will feature PS3-focused covermounts.

Ray Maguire, Senior Vice President and UK Managing Director, SCEE, said:

“The Official PlayStation Magazine will be a focal point for the PlayStation brand alongside our existing Official PlayStation 2 and PSP titles. We are delighted to be continuing our relationship with Future and strengthening the Official PlayStation portfolio as we prepare for the launch of the PlayStation 3. Since 1995 they have continued to innovate and develop the Official magazines, making them the best partner for this exciting new title.”

Robert Price, Managing Director, Future added:

“Future has enjoyed a long and successful publishing partnership with Sony, which began over a decade ago, and we are delighted to see this continue. As UK gamers look forward to the PlayStation 3 – the new Official PlayStation Magazine will be there to guide readers into the exciting next-generation, as well as bringing them the best from Sony’s other platforms.”

Headed by Editor, Tim Clark and Editor-in-Chief, Mark Donald, the preview issue of Official PlayStation Magazine goes on sale Wednesday, November 15th, with a cover price of £4.99. ...

Car-lovin' sister site Jalopnik sends an update on the Gizmondo craziness. Former company honcho and Swedish gangster Fat Stefan Eriksson has rejected his plea deal. If Eriksson, whose real first name is "Bo," had accepted this deal and pleaded "no contest" to four counts, he would've been hit with a two year, four month sentence and a US $25,000 fine. There's more, including admitting previous felony conduct.

But, "Bo" said "no."

Now, the mafioso businessman is looking down an 11 year sentence for two counts of theft, two counts of embezzlement and two counts of driving under the influence. ...

Due to its extreme violence and body-chainsawing antics, Gears of War will not be released in Germany, Microsoft has disappointingly revealed to our German friends.

Apparently USK, the German body responsible for games rating, has refused to give Gears an age rating after several submissions from Microsoft. The big M says that after consultation between Epic and the USK, a cut-down version of the ultra-violent shooter was decided to be "not possible" without fundamentally changing the core gameplay..

The announcement comes after Capcom's zombie-blaster, Dead Rising was also banned in the country for its extreme violence.

As Germany is one of the biggest videogame markets in Europe, the news will no-doubt come as hefty blow to Microsoft and Epic. We've contacted the developer for comment on the cancellation and will let you know when we get a reply. ...

News Via CVG

In just over a week's time we'll be suited-and-booted, ready for the 24th annual Golden Joysticks awards ceremony. And to tweak the excitement a little further, the person who knows as given us permission to release a list of the ten games that are all vying for the biggest gong in gaming, the Play.com Ultimate Game Of The Year.

So, without furtherado - and in alphabetical order only - here are the top ten games in the running for the Play.com Ultimate Game Of The Year. Make your vote count right here!

Animal Crossing: Wild World

Call of Duty 2

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Special Edition

Half-Life 2

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend

Mario Kart DS

New Super Mario Bros.

Pro Evolution Soccer 5

Resident Evil 4

Vote now and have your say on who wins. ...

Featuring fishing, air hockey, shooting and Pose Mii mini-games

Looks like good, simple fun, doesn't it? The fishing, air hockey and shooting gaems are pretty self-explanatory. Pose Mii is an interesting game that has you twisting and pointing the Wii Remote to manipulate a Mii, positioning it to fit into the poses shown in the bubbles.

Wii Play, which is one of three first-party launch games, aims to get families playing the Wii with a selection of simple games like pool, pinball and the games pictured below.

For £39.99, Wii Play will come bundled with a Wii Remote, which costs £30 on its own anyway. So anyone planning on grabbing another Wii Remote for their new console can't go far wrong splashing out an extra tenner to get Wii Play too. It all makes sense.

Screens Here ...

New preorder from SuccessHK






Price:USD 48.74 (around 25Pounds) ...

New preorder from SuccessHK



* A whole new way to capture Pokemon - Circle Pokemon using the Capture Styler with the DS stylus
* Use each Pokemon's abilities to clear obstacles and complete missions
* Train your Pokemon to help you capture other Pokemon
* Compatible with Pokemon Diamond and Pearl

...

Apple today apologised for selling a "small number" of video iPods infected with the RavMone.exe virus. Pox-ridden ipods accounted for less than one per cent of the video iPods hitting the streets after September 12.

The company says it has seen "less than 25 reports" concerning this problem. Well, we've had one from Reg reader Richard, who by Apple's calculation represents slightly more at four per cent of victims. He bought his 30gig vPod from Argos, the UK mass market retailer, on 7 October.

Then there is 'dctrjons', another four per center, who shared his RavMone.exe problems with Apple's own forums on 22 September.

JUST bought a 30Gig video Ipod. I connected it, downloaded the Itunes software and then sync'd my music and Podcasts. After which I changed the settings to use the Ipod as a drive. Instructed I would have to manually eject the drive.

Well I told ITunes to do so - "Cannot drive is still in use" Closed ITunes and tried to eject it from Windows explorer and was given the same error. Closed all programs, taskbar, disconnected from the internet, still no luck.

Finally opened task manager and being very familiar with all processes that are legal on my machine I found 3 RavMonE.exe's running. Googled it and I have found several references but 99% of them are in foreign language and many relate to IPods...but did not bother to translate myself.

So my question is, anyone else JUST get an Ipod and see encounter this. I see someone else stating there computer was locked up...I noticed severe slowdown when I went through trouble-shooting. I forcibly closed the RavMonE.exe processes and my IPod started working fine.

Of course, as Apple notes, only Windows PCs are affected by RavMone - so Apple computer owners will neither know nor care if their iPods are infected. Apple also aims at boot at the unnamed contract manufacturer which supplied the dodgy iPods.

But let's face it, the company has messed up a little and has to show some contrition, not an act that comes naturally to this secretive, paranoid company. Here's its mea culpa: "As you might imagine, we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it." ...