The 30 top selling games of 2009 amply demonstrate the Japanese market continues to revolve around Nintendo, RPGs and the occasional dash of Sony, with precious little in the way of originality or novelty on display, not that these games are necessarily bad.
The chart, as compiled by Ascii:
| Title | Date | 2009 Sales | Total Sales | ||
| 1 | DS | Dragon Quest IX | 09/07/11 |
4,089,136 |
4,089,136 |
| 2 | DS | Pokémon Heart Gold | 09/09/12 |
3,301,873 |
3,301,873 |
| 3 | DS | Tomodachi Collection | 09/06/18 |
2,059,236 |
2,059,236 |
| 4 | Wii | New Super Mario Brothers | 09/12/03 |
1,897,089 |
1,897,089 |
| 5 | Wii | Wii Sports Resort | 09/06/25 |
1,499,058 |
1,499,058 |
| 6 | PS3 | Final Fantasy XIII | 09/12/17 |
1,455,505 |
1,455,505 |
| 7 | Wii | Wii Fit Plus | 09/10/01 |
1,205,424 |
1,205,424 |
| 8 | Wii | Monster Hunter III | 09/08/01 |
949,095 |
949,095 |
| 9 | PSP | Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G |
08/10/30 |
878,880 |
1,080,715 |
| 10 | DS | Inazuma Eleven 2 | 09/10/01 |
851,175 |
851,175 |
| 11 | DS | Mario & Luigi RPG3!!! | 09/02/11 |
708,311 |
708,311 |
| 12 | DS | Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days | 09/05/30 |
571,981 |
571,981 |
| 13 | PS3 | Biohazard 5 | 09/03/05 |
552,553 |
552,553 |
| 14 | PS3 | Ryu ga Gotoku 3 | 09/02/26 |
525,826 |
525,826 |
| 15 | Wii | Wii Fit | 07/12/01 |
499,251 |
3,470,235 |
| 16 | DS | Professor Layton 4 | 09/11/26 |
481,311 |
481,311 |
| 17 | PSP | Fantasy Star Portable 2 | 09/12/03 |
415,522 |
415,522 |
| 18 | Wii | Mario Kart Wii | 08/04/10 |
404,751 |
2,447,964 |
| 19 | PSP | Shin Sangokushi Musou MULTI RAID | 09/02/26 |
397,080 |
397,080 |
| 20 | DS | Pokémon Fushigi no Dungeon | 09/04/18 |
383,226 |
383,226 |
| 21 | Wii | Taiko no Tatsujin Wii | 08/12/11 |
375,895 |
625,391 |
| 22 | PS3 | Winning Eleven 2010 | 09/11/05 |
370,831 |
370,831 |
| 23 | DS | Rhythm Tengoku Gold | 08/07/31 |
361,292 |
1,763,270 |
| 24 | PS3 | Tales of Vesperia | 09/09/17 |
352,961 |
352,961 |
| 25 | PSP | Tales of The World | 09/01/29 |
339,523 |
339,523 |
| 26 | DS | Pokémon Platinum | 08/09/13 |
325,911 |
2,536,712 |
| 27 | PSP | Gundam vs Gundam NEXT PLUS | 09/12/03 |
323,531 |
323,531 |
| 28 | DS | Wagamama Fashion Girls Mode | 08/10/23 |
314,832 |
861,393 |
| 29 | DS | Gyakuten Kenji | 09/05/28 |
313,891 |
313,891 |
| 30 | PS2 | SD Gundam G Generation Wars | 09/08/06 |
306,985 |
306,985 |
2009 seems not to have been the most inspiring year for the Japanese gaming market, with a succession of formulaic RPG sequels, Pokémon titles and casual games dominating the charts.
Even more disturbingly, of the top 30 games of 2009 only 2 are non-sequels, with one being a Sims style rearing game and the other a fashion game. 7 of the top 30 were not even released in 2009.
Originality and innovation in game design seems at some point to have become a commercial liability in the Japanese market, perhaps even more so than elsewhere.
Alright!!!
Tales Of Vesperia
I knew it was gonna be a hit game ^^
I mean I was one of the first people around where I live to purchase this game and complete all the achievements in like 3 weeks.
This game is like one of the best I played.
FFXIII go go go!
-2009 seems not to have been the most inspiring year for the Japanese gaming market-
STFU! Ryu ga Gotoku 3 more than compensates all the fagotry up there.
So the 360 owns Europe and USA (wii doesn’t count)
PS3 gets JP.
I think we have a winner in the 360.
oh wow,Dragonquest still breathes!