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An increase in hardware sales and a decrease in software has left the Japanese games market flat for the first half of 2014, according to Famitsu data.

Hardware sales grew 6.4 per cent compared to the same period last year while software sales declined 3.8 per cent, leaving the overall market up just 0.1 per cent.

3DS is the best selling console so far in 2014, with sales nearly double that of nearest rival the Vita. PS4 sales are double that of the PS3 which itself is ahead of Nintendo’s Wii U.

3DS – 1,079,166 units PS Vita – 639,730 units PS4 – 613,785 units PS3 – 300,386 units Wii U – 291,605 units PSP – 80,251 units Xbox 360 – 6,421 units Wii – 6,194 units

And here are the lifetime sales for each platform:

PSP –19,688,744 units total 3DS – 15,773,177 units total Wii –12,744,273 units total PS3 –9,868,886 units total PS Vita –2,914,869 units total Wii U –1,810,032 units total Xbox 360 –1,613,980 units total PS4 –613,785 units total

Despite only arriving in May, Mario kart 8 is already the fourth best selling game of the year. PS4 exclusive Knack is the eighth and Bandai Namco’s Dark Souls II is the tenth.

Six of the H1 2014 Top Ten are 3DS titles.

1. Yokai Watch (3DS): 849,027 (1,135,480 units total)

2. Dragon Quest Monsters 2: Iru to Ruka no Fushigi na Fushigi na Kagi (3DS): 739,032 (739,032 units total)

3. Kirby: Triple Deluxe (3DS) 633,695 (633,695 units total)

4. Mario Kart 8 (Wii U): 512,467 (512,467 units total)

5. Pocket Monsters X/Y (3DS): 416,864 (4,393,693 units total)

6. Puzzle and Dragons (3DS): 411,992 (1,417,689 units total)

7. Mario Party: Island Tour (3DS): 404,666 (404,666 units total)

8. Knack (PS4): 398,685 (398,685 units total)

9. Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme VS Full Boost (PS3) 367,354 (367,354 units total)

10. Dark Souls II (PS3) 335,226 (335,226 units total)