Here in the UK, we take our video gaming pretty seriously. No more than at this time of year when more games are bought than at any other time. So the annual xmas sales charts are always much anticipated as a barometer of just what is winning the hearts, minds and wallets of gamers.
To be honest, this year it looked as if all bets were off as far as which game would be top of the pops. Not least because Call of Duty: World At War has been sitting pretty in the number one position for no less than five whole weeks. Even the mighty Mario Kart Wii could not dislodge the war gamers.
But then something strange happened, that very English fascination with football came to the fore and FIFA 09 stormed right to the top to take the coveted number one all-format game slot.
It's good news for Electronic Arts following a number of development studio closures off the back of the continuing global economic crisis.
Perhaps just as surprising as the late run of FIFA 09 is the incredible rise of a game from 2006 to the number five position in the sales charts. Yet that is where Dr Kawashima's Brain Training on the Nintendo DS ended up.
The full Xmas chart is as follows:
- FIFA 09
- Call Of Duty: World At War
- Mario Kart Wii
- Need For Speed: Undercover
- Dr Kawashima's Brain Training
- Wii Play
- Quantum Of Solace
- Professor Layton And The Curious Village
- Tomb Raider: Underworld
- Wii Fit