Halo 3: ODST was never in any danger of, y’know, failing in any way. Nevertheless the scale and speed of its success has been rather surprising.

Indeed, the hardcore and slightly truncated blaster has gotten pretty close to matching its mighty predecessor. Such was the demand for that title that it sold 64% of its weekly total within the first 24 hours and it has simultaneously become the 12th biggest game in terms of week 1 sales for a single format game. Not bad, eh! – and needless to say it’s this week’s number one on the all format/full price chart. Halo 3 still canes it, of course, being the fourth biggest-seller behind such goliaths as GTA San Andreas and GTAIV on both next-gen platforms.

Elsewhere another sequel has actually surpassed its parent – Professor Layton and Pandora’s Box, launching at two, which is a place higher than the previous game ever managed. After that Marvel Ultimate Alliance makes a heroic debut at seven and the gawjuss-looking World of Warcraft-challenger, Aion, narrowly misses the top ten at this week’s 11. The rest, as you’ll see, is musical chairs. Any guesses which of this week’s top ten will get dumped when FIFA 10 gatecrashes the party next week...?

1. Halo 3: ODST (NE)
2. Professor Layton and Pandora’s Box (NE)
3. Need for Speed: Shift (1)
4. Guitar Hero 5 (2)
5. Wii Sports Resort (5)
6. Batman: Arkham Asylum (4)
7. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 (NE)
8. Colin McRae: Dirt 2 (3)
9. Wet (6)
10. Wii Fit (9)

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, ©2009 ELSPA Ltd