UK Charts: No change at the top as new releases disappoint
Electronic Arts' UEFA Euro 2004 is the top selling game in the UK once again, with the chart largely unchanged from the previous week as Sony's Singstar and Microsoft's Rallisport Challenge 2 both failed to dent the top ten.
Electronic Arts' UEFA Euro 2004 is the top selling game in the UK once again, with the chart largely unchanged from the previous week as Sony's Singstar and Microsoft's Rallisport Challenge 2 both failed to dent the top ten.
In fact, the top three titles in the chart - Euro 2004, Pokemon Colosseum and Hitman Contracts - remained entirely static, while Xbox exclusive Ninja Gaiden dropped one place to number five (swapping its spot with Norton Internet Security 2004).
The only new entry into the top ten is Vivendi's movie tie-in Van Helsing, which rose five places to this week's number six after debuting just outside the top ten in the previous week.
Sony's Singstar was at number eleven in the full price chart (number six on PS2), which is a slightly disappointing debut but should hopefully be followed up with steady sales over the coming months thanks to strong word of mouth - much as last summer's Eye Toy: Play was.
The only other new release in the full price top 40 is Microsoft's critically acclaimed Xbox exclusive Rallisport Challenge 2, which is just behind Singstar at number 12 in the chart (number two on the Xbox ranking).
The real disappointment of the week, however, was Square Enix RPG Drakengard, published in this territory by Take Two, which failed to register in any of the charts despite being strongly promoted in key retail outlets.
Other missing in action games included Riding Spirits II and Way of the Samurai 2, neither of which are anywhere to be found in the charts, while Microsoft's Thrones And Patriots expansion pack for Rise of Nations debuted low, at number 14 on the PC chart.
This Friday will see Gran Turismo 4 Prologue appearing at budget price, and almost certainly performing well in the All Formats chart despite being restricted to pre-orders of GT4 only, while Rockstar will be hoping for a decent debut for Red Dead Revolver, Argonaut-developed Powerdrome is out on PS2 and Xbox, and Konami's answer to Singstar (which actually predates Singstar, but there you go), Karaoke Stage, appears on PS2.