It’s that time of the week when we cast an eye across the far side of the gaming globe to see what our Japanese counterparts have been buying, and, as is often the case, for us to wonder open-mouthed why their tastes are so radically different to ours...

Or rather they’re not this week, seeing as Japan has fallen hook, line and lead-weighted sinker for the blimming marvel that is Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. In fact, where MGS4 tops the charts in the UK but has only had what is gloomily described as a “minimal” impact on PS3 hardware sales, in Japan the game’s sold close to half a million units in its first week – more than ten times its next nearest competitor – and, as the latest Media Create hardware figures testify, it has helped to shift a very healthy 75,000 extra consoles.

But on with those charts, software first – full Japanese names left in for your amusement. And remember, the first number is the weekly sale (for the week ending June 15) and the second figure in brackets represents total sales to date. Ach, you know the drill by now:

1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of the Patriots – 480,695
2. Wii Fit – 34,975 (2,227,511)
3. Mario Kart Wii – 34,569 (1,420,534)
4. Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu Portable 3 – 26,095 (171,368)
5. Pachislot Kouryoku Series DS Vol. 2: CR Neon Genesis Evangelion – 24,749
6. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G – 23,329 ( 2,303,103)
7. DS Misa Yamamura Suspense: Kyoto Murder Files – 18,647 (52,467)
8. Dragonball Z: Burst Limit – 12,394 (101,396)
9. Wii Sports – 12,684 (3,081,628)
10. Fushigi no Dungeon – Furai no Shiren 3: Karakui Yashiki no Nemuri Hime (a.k.a. Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer 3, on Wii) – 12,653 (73,003)

And those all important hardware figures:

PS3 – 75,311
PSP – 64,675
Wii – 45,564
DS – 39,201
PS2 – 7,297
Xbox 360 – 2,163

So there you have it, and what a good week for Sony it has been, with a number one title and four of the top ten games on either PS3 or PSP. But what’s going on with the Xbox 360 breaking the 2000 sales barrier? Is this some kind of resurgence?

Nah, don’t be silly...