Wii U Yakuza Fails while 3DS Games Keep Printing Money in Japan According to Major Retailer’s Sales Charts

Giuseppe Nelva August 12, 2013 12:30 PM EST

Tsutaya is one of the biggest retailers and rental chains in Japan, and every week their sales charts give us a glimpse on what the more precise Media Create sales charts might look like on Wednesday. Considering that Tsutaya has a very high number of stores spread across the country, their charts tend to be quite spot-on most of the times.

This week we get another interesting top ten for the week starting on August the 5th and ending on August 11th:

Disney Magic Castle: My Happy Life – 3DS Mario & Luigi: Dream Team – 3DS One Piece: Romance Dawn – 3DS Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies – 3DS Dragon’s Crown – PS3 Youkai Watch – 3DS Tomodachi Collection: New Life – 3DS Dragon’s Crown – PS Vita The Witch and the Hundred Knights – PS3 Earth Defense Force 4 – PS3

First of all, let’s get the obvious out of the way: 3DS games keep printing money, occupying the first four places and a total of six places in the top ten, including the only new release this week to make the top ten, One Piece: Romance Dawn. Ace Attorney 5 holds fast, losing only two positions since last week.

Interestingly enough the PS3 version of Dragon’s Crown gains five positions, indicating that Atlus managed to restock the retailer, while the PS Vita version holds in eighth. We’re three weeks from the game’s release now, and the fact that such a niche game keeps appearing in the charts is very promising.

The “failure of the week” trophy belongs to Yakuza 1 & 2 HD for Wii U, that was released on August the 8th, and not only failed to make the top 10, but it doesn’t even appear in the top 20.

Some hoped it would help move Wii U units, but if this result were to prove accurate in the Media Create charts on Wednesday, that’s very unlikely. After all the Yakuza series isn’t exactly in line with the average Wii U target userbase, and it’s a remake of two PS2 games that already appeared on PS3. It’s safe to assume that most of those that wanted to play it already have, without needing to buy a new version just for GamePad support.

A confirmation of this result on Wednesday would make Yakuza 1 & 2 HD for Wii U the first Yakuza game failing to sell well in Japan (or at least to make the weekly charts) of the history of the franchise. That would be a pity, because it had the most awesome Wii U trailer ever…