Wow. Here’s some very interesting reading from the land of the rising sun. The Nintendo 3DS has sold over 4 million units in the 10 months it’s been on sale in Japan, but perhaps most interestingly, over 500,000 of those were sold in the last week, The Verge reports.

Seeing as the brand new PS Vita sold over 300,000 in its first two days on sale in Japan, it seems the 3DS has some serious staying power.

In comparison, Nintendo sold over 5 million units of the original DS in its first 13 months, but that included two Christmases.

So, which games are selling? Well perhaps unsurprisingly, Mario is king. Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 have each sold more than a million copies, making them the first 3DS titles to do so. That’s all the more surprising considering Mario Kart 7 has been on sale less than a month, and has actually outsold Super Mario 3D Land (1.08 million as opposed to 1.04 million). The release of Mario Kart 7 may well help explain the surge in interest in the console, though no doubt Christmas did its part too.

The stats come from research company Enterbrain.

The PS Vita went on sale last weekend, and while it sold over 300,000 in its first two days, not all units were without problems: some froze, while others had stains on the screen. Sony issued a software update to fix the bugs. It also priced up all the first-party launch titles, though sadly us Brits won’t be getting a 32GB memory card when it touches down on 22 February. Doesn’t Sony trust us with them or something?

Does the PS Vita have enough to knock the 3DS off the top of the handheld podium? Let us know which you prefer in the comments below, or over on our Facebook page.

Slim-PS3 is updated regularly per day with the very latest Free Slim PS3 news and console reviews.

As another fantastic year on PlayStation draws to a close, industry experts tell eu.playstation.com their video game highlights of 2011.

“The unveiling of PlayStation Vita in January all the way through to the launch in Japan on 17 December 2011 has been great. On PlayStation 3, the launch of Killzone 3, LittleBigPlanet 2 and Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception stood out, along with the announcement of The Last of Us.” Shuhei Yoshida, president, SCE Worldwide Studios

“What a year it’s been: we started with three massive games in LittleBigPlanet 2, Killzone 3 and MotorStorm Apocalypse, and rounded it off with Resistance 3 and the incomparable Uncharted 3. Add to that some great new PS Move experiences like DanceStar Party, Start the Party! Save the World and Medieval Moves, and there was truly something for everyone in 2011.” Michael Denny, senior vice president, SCE Worldwide Studios, Europe

“There was a ton of great stuff in 2011, and if you were to twist my arm, I’d have to say Uncharted 3. The game just looks amazing and continues a great narrative in a way that few titles have been able to accomplish. No other game gets closer to film quality cutscenes.” Dayne McClurg, community manager, Gotham City Impostors

“Showing off WipEout 2048 and Little Deviants on PS Vita for the first time in public at E3 2011 was a big highlight for me. And playing Uncharted 3 in stereoscopic 3D with my youngest son – it’s just such an awesome game, great story, brilliant pacing, Hollywood style action and all in superb, quality 3D. Hats off to the ‘Dogs’ for another truly amazing game.” Mick Hocking, vice president, SCE Worldwide Studios

“It’s got to be Uncharted 3. I’m a huge fan of the series and it’s a stunning title to experience.” Nick Craig, vice president, Codemasters

“For me it’s been inFAMOUS 2. I loved the first game and I think the second one is just so much better. I’m playing it through for the second time as the villain right now.” Simon Bursey, art director, BigBig Studios

“Killzone 3 showed clearly how far you can push the rendering power of PS3 – great look and feel, and a very well executed game. Batman: Arkham City was a fine successor to the beautiful Arkham Asylum and it’s fantastic to see a small studio like Rocksteady create such a strong new Batman series.” Tore Blystad, game director, Hitman: Absolution

“Not strictly this year, but it has to be Gran Turismo 5. It hasn’t been taken out of my PlayStation 3 since 2010, and it has basically helped me become an actual racing driver.” Jann Mardenborough, GT Academy winner 2011

“It’s been a stupendous year for the discerning gamer, hasn’t it? Call me biased, but seeing EA SPORTS FIFA 12′s online stats go through the roof this year stood out. Also, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, Battlefield 3 and Batman: Arkham City – Deus Ex: Human Revolution too. That’s about three months of non-stop playing right there.” Matt Prior, associate producer, EA

“I always enjoy seeing how game series I used to work on go: Dead Space 2 and Need For Speed The Run are two of those, and both are great.” Glen Schofield, general manager, Sledgehammer Games

“I loved The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and I found Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Batman: Arkham City to be pretty epic.” Ara Demirjian, assistant producer, SCE Worldwide Studios

“Killzone 3 was a lot of fun. I’m about big guns: the bigger the shells the better, and that missile launcher in Killzone 3 [the WASP] was immense.” Randy Varnell, producer, Gearbox Software

Check out our video to view more PlayStation highlights from 2011, including the pick of the year as chosen by Jim Ryan, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

Slim-PS3 is updated regularly each day with the very latest Free PlayStation 3 news.

How many PlayStation classics from the White Knight Chronicles II developer have you played?

Dragon Quest games are among the most popular in Japan, with every new release almost guaranteed to sell more than a million copies there. When the series’ esteemed creator, Yuji Horii, partnered with Japanese development studio Level-5 to bring Dragon Quest: Journey of the Cursed King to PlayStation 2, the pressure could have told. But the results, Horii said in 2006, “blew me away”.

Rich visuals and absorbing stories in faraway worlds are the trademarks of Level-5, as White Knight Chronicles II on PlayStation 3 showcases in stunning fashion. This sprawling epic is far from a flash in the pan, as a look through the company’s glittering back catalogue proves.

Dark Cloud (PS2, 2001)Vibrancy, ambition and groundbreaking ideas. Sound familiar? Dark Cloud was the first effort from Level-5 for PS2, and though it flew under the radar for many people, those who did pick it up discovered a surreal world of role-playing fantasy fused with a do-it-yourself upgrade system.

Lots of the elements seen in the White Knight Chronicles saga were first built here, and a flair for throwing unexpected ingredients into the pot and ending up with a delicious, multi-flavoured treat meant you could happily try your hand at just about anything.

Building towns with the Georama system, designing your own equipment and tackling huge, imaginative enemies in an unforgettable world were just some of the inspired options open to you.

Dark Chronicle (PS2, 2003)Set 100 years after the events of Dark Cloud, we joined budding inventor Max and fiery princess Monica in their fight to stop the evil Emperor Griffin destroying their world. Yet in a typical Level-5 flourish, Griffin operated from his own time zone in Dark Chronicle – 100 years into the future.

Hopping between the thriving towns of the present and the barren plains of a dark tomorrow added dizzying chaos to the Dark Chronicle formula. Meanwhile, Max’s robot, Steve, could be transformed from a clanking rust bucket into a deadly tank in a sequel that managed to feel even more original than its predecessor.    

Dragon Quest: Journey of the Cursed King (PS2, 2006)Moving on from the steam-powered societies of Dark Cloud and Dark Chronicle, Level-5 turned its kaleidoscopic eye to the Dragon Quest series.

One of the most bewitching lands ever created on PS2 was the result, a fairytale world of cursed princesses, towns brimming with drama and caves inhabited by confused dragons.

Mini-games and side quests sucked you deeper into a world with no loading times – so if you saw a mysterious landmark in the distance, there was nothing to stop you setting off for it in earnest. What a journey it proved to be.

Rogue Galaxy (PS2, 2007)Playing as daydreaming space pirate Jaster Rogue in this helter-skelter tale, a voyage of interstellar discovery awaited you in Rogue Galaxy. Level-5 went full steampunk ahead, creating a world of desert mysticism, starry wonder and piston-driven adventure.

Embarking on the cosmic galleon Dorgenark, Jaster set off to explore six gargantuan worlds, each with unique civilisations, quests and threats. His ability to cope in new surroundings depended on the equipment you created from the spoils of completed missions.

Plenty of sea dog humour – including a grog-fuelled super attack – along with an epic soundtrack, witty dialogue and buccaneering battles meant Level-5 signed off the PS2 era in swashbuckling style.       

White Knight Chronicles (PS3, 2010)With the launch of PS3 in 2007, Level-5 set about creating a game that was larger than life – many metres larger, in fact. White Knight Chronicles transforms Leonard, a determined young merchant, into a towering warrior able to peer over castle ramparts.

As the great White Knight, the quest to rescue the kidnapped Princess Cisna becomes less daunting, and the expansive Kingdom of Balandor becomes a splendid mix of exotic pastures and dank caverns, all yours to explore at will.

Massive enemies test your hulking alter ego’s skills, while the Georama system returns in an ambitious online mode that lets you team up with friends via PlayStation Network. A spectacular PS3 debut for Level-5, you can play it now, in full, on the same Blu-ray Disc as White Knight Chronicles II.

Walk the path from hidden treasure to shining masterpiece yourself, by picking up these classics in-store now. Then immerse yourself in the latest Level-5 epic – White Knight Chronicles II, only on PS3.

Our site is updated several times each day with the latest Free Slim PS3 news and reviews.

[fivefilters.org: unable to retrieve full-text content]
This morning, a press conference took place in Tokyo, Japan and the following press release is now being distributed worldwide. We would also like to once again thank you for your patience. Slim-PS3 is updated several times per day with the very latest Free PS3 news and reviews.

Latest news:

The duo will be pole-vaulting onto Wii and 3DS, with new events and features for their successful multi-sport adventures.

Sega has announced Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, the latest in the hugely successful series of multi-sport tie-ins starring the two legendary gaming mascots. The first title in the series to name a specific Olympic location is being developed for the Wii and 3DS at Sega Japan and a release date is expected to be revealed later in the year.

On the Nintendo Wii, the London title is set to boast new sporting tasks such as football and equestrian events, as well as favourites like athletics and table tennis. The 3DS outing is apparently set to feature 50 ‘original Olympic-themed’ challenges, which makes it sound a little like a WarioWare title, which should be fun. Both versions will offer single- and multiplayer modes.

Mario and Sonic were bitter enemies during the 90s when the Super Mario Bros titles went moustache-to-spike against Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog series. However, the intense rivalry was put aside several years ago when the duo discovered a mutual love of Olympian sporting events. So far, their previous co-projects, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games and the fiendishly named Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, have sold over 19 million copies.

To celebrate the announcement, Sonic and Mario have spent the afternoon travelling around London on a double-decker bus, having their photos taken in front of various landmarks. I’m hoping they were also pictured having a snog outside the John Snow pub in Soho, although I fear this is unlikely.

Games

Wii

Nintendo

3DS

Keith Stuart

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Slim-PS3.com is updated frequently per day with all very latest gaming system news and gaming reviews.

PS3; £39.99; cert 18; Sega

There are plenty of very good games that slip under the radar before eventually being accorded cult-classic status, but Yakuza is the only franchise I can think of that has been awarded that dubious distinction. Perhaps Sega’s Japanese gangster series fell victim (at least outside Japan) to the company’s withdrawal from the console race, which in turn decimated a once-healthy fan-boy culture that revered no game more than the rambling, evocative Shenmue. The Yakuza games are uncannily Shenmue-like, which is unsurprising given they were developed by much of the Shenmue team.

If you’re one of the few who played Yakuza 3, you’ll find Yakuza 4 agreeably familiar. Again, it’s an action-RPG, set predominantly in an ache-inducingly evocative rendition of modern Tokyo through which you wander, performing often offbeat plot-forwarding missions and fighting random thugs. There’s a stupendously convoluted plot examining the minutiae of yakuza life and its codes of honour, which unfolds in the form of long cut scenes. So, yes, it doesn’t exactly represent the state of modern gaming art – but even those cut scenes are so lovingly crafted that you won’t resent watching them.

Yakuza 4 does improve on Yakuza 3 in some crucial areas. It puts you at the controls of four characters, at first separately, although they come together at the end and you can switch between them. The combat has been simplified slightly (it was a bit fiddly), and there’s a much more sensible means of upgrading your characters’ abilities. Each character has a different fighting style, which sucks you deeper into the ins and outs of the fighting system. The familiar environs of Kamurocho – certain to evoke a nostalgic yearning among those who have spent any time in Tokyo – have been opened up slightly, with rooftops and underground malls now accessible. There’s even more to do when you just bimble around, GTA-style: the bizarre phone-photography Revelations are back, and you can while away hours in games arcades or gambling dens.

There are a couple of dodgy aspects, though. Yakuza 4 prides itself on conforming to Japanese ways which just might be a tad out of step with political correctness in the 21st century.

For example, the first character you play, apparently philanthropic money-lender Shun Akiyama, owns a hostess bar, so you must negotiate a sub-plot in which you turn a girl into a money-spinning hostess. At least that has the decency to be the dullest part of the game.

Nevertheless, Yakuza 4′s production values are through the roof, its plot is gripping and quirky, it’s often very funny indeed, and it would undoubtedly sell in millions if it was published by Rockstar rather than Sega.

It’s a hidden gem which you won’t find advertised on TV or pushed at you via the medium of a giant marketing budget, and it might just cause those who once owned Dreamcasts or frequented the arcades to shed a tear or two.

Rating: 4/5

Games

PlayStation

Sony

Role playing games

Strategy games

Steve Boxer

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

This blog is updated several times every day with all very latest Free Slim PS3 news and games reviews.

Normally, I only write about PlayStation games here at About.com, but the recent earthquake and subsequent tsunami have caused folks all over the world to focus on the devastation in Japan.
…
Read Full Post
This blog is updated frequently each day with the very latest Slim PS3 news.

Because of the earthquake in Japan, power is in short supply. A friend of mine in Tokyo notified me that they will have six hour daily blackouts there until, or past, April.
…
Read Full Post
Slim PS3 is updated frequently every day with the latest Free Slim PS3 news and games reviews.

Gangland treachery, power struggles and alley brawls? It can only be the history of the Yakuza series on PlayStation.

Honour and obey  October 1995, and when police arrive at an apartment in Tokyo’s red light district they find Kazuma Kiryu standing over the dead body of the Dojima family patriarch. Yet this is not the tragic outcome of some domestic dispute or petty gangland squabble, it is the cut-throat world of Yakuza on PlayStation 2.

Doing the right thing runs a distant second to maintaining the honour of your blood brother – even if that means a ten-year prison sentence and a dramatic fall from grace. And so Kiryu’s stellar rise through the ranks of the Tokyo underworld is halted by his respect for the yakuza traditions by which he is bound.

Fast forward to December 2005, and Kiryu breathes in the cloying air of Tokyo for the first time as a free man. But freedom for a man like Kiryu brings its own pressures. His old Kamurocho stomping ground has changed beyond recognition, one of his oldest friends is missing and, worse still, his Tojo clan brothers in crime consider him a traitor for the murder he didn’t commit.   

Akira Nishikiyama, the man Kiryu gave ten years of his life to protect, is now the head of his own family and far from grateful for Kiryu’s sacrifice. Meanwhile, the entire Tokyo criminal fraternity is tearing the city apart in search of ten billion yen recently stolen, and Kiryu is in the firing line.

All this is set against a neon cityscape of hostess bars, game parlours and seedy clubs, where light-hearted conversation can quickly turn into a brutal knuckle fight with the slightest word uttered out of turn. Trust no one and watch the shadows and you might just survive the treacherous world of Yakuza.

Dragons clash

Kazuma Kiryu is determined to leave his dark past behind him once and for all in Yakuza 2 for PlayStation 2, but fate conspires against the man once known as the Dragon of Dojima.

One year on from the events of Yakuza, Kiryu is trying to settle into a tranquil existence. It isn’t long before his former life seeks him out, however, as a bitter typhoon of secrets and clan rivalry whips up to sweep Kiryu back into the seedy fray.

Kiryu’s Tojo clansmen face a storm on two fronts: from Japan’s south, the Omi clan; and from within, a terrible secret which has never been forgotten by a powerful Korean organisation. Revenge and a hunger for power swirl through Yakuza 2, as terrible forces clash and quickly cause Kiryu to regret ever having left his new found peace behind.

If it’s not the murder of a Korean mob boss by Kiryu’s foster father some 20 years previously, then it’s the ruthless ambition of the Dragon of Kansai, Ryuji Goda, desperate to ditch his Kansai connection and become the most feared yakuza in all of Japan.

Kiryu must use the dubious skills he thought himself finished with to fight, outwit and bury once and for all the threats to his old clan. Only then can this battle-scarred dragon claw his way back to a life of relative serenity.

Ghosts from the past

As Yakuza 3 for PlayStation 3 proves beyond a doubt, once you join the ranks of the Yakuza, you can never truly leave.

World-weary Kazuma Kiryu has finally established the sedate life he craved in the idyllic islands of Okinawa. Running a seaside orphanage with the daughter of his childhood sweetheart, his time as one of the most feared gangsters in Japan seems to belong to another life.  But when two suspicious men begin stalking Kiryu and loitering around the orphanage, a painfully familiar anxiety takes hold. Kiryu is forced to take action – and he soon discovers that much more is stake than his peace of mind.

An eviction order arrives, placing the orphanage under the threat of closure. Its beachside location is prime real estate, and a holiday resort developer has the land in its sights. All is not as it seems, however, and the fleeting glimpse of an old friend’s face in Okinawa confirms Kiryu’s growing trepidation: the Yakuza are somehow involved.

The menace of the Yakuza has even deeper roots in Japanese society than even Kiryu could have imagined. Working in murky unison with the Japanese government, it soon transpires that these gangsters are paving the way for a military base to be built.

With powerful clients to satisfy, the local yakuza clan will stop at nothing in getting rid of Kiryu, and he finds himself tangled in an all too recognisable web of tradition, deception and cold-blooded killing.

Kiryu is reluctantly thrust into a struggle for his home, his honour and his future that can only be won by confronting the shadows from his past. But the Yakuza’s grip on Kiryu’s life is vice-like, and even at the conclusion of Yakuza 3, he knows only too well his struggle to shake free is far from over. See how the saga continues with Yakuza 4 for PlayStation 3.

Slim-PS3 is updated regularly each day with the very latest Free PS3 news.

Begin your desperate escape from planet Helghan, whip up a Bulletstorm and design your own downloadable Eat Them! monster this weekend.

The theatre of war becomes even more intense

The hunt is on… and you’re the prey. A PlayStation 3 exclusive, Killzone 3 is a fearsome first person shooter where you and a ragged band of troops are on the run from the relentless Helghast. Getting off the planet Helghan alive is your objective, and with the deadly Helghast war machine on your tail it won’t be easy.

On your side is the ability to use the PlayStation Move motion controller and PlayStation Move sharp shooter for incredible precision – and with stereoscopic 3D compatibility you’ll feel like you’re truly in the trenches of a deadly fight for survival.

Hunt down Killzone 3 on Blu-ray Disc in-store this weekend.

Blob brilliance

Add a little colour to your life with de Blob 2, one of the funkiest family adventures on PS3. Paint your way around various environments with Blob in an effort to free the fair citizens of Prisma City.

Get down to the shops today and start a colourful revolution on PS3.

Bullet barrage

Fancy an action rampage? Then Epic Games’ tongue-in-cheek PS3 shooter, Bulletstorm, is just for you. The 26th century is a wild place, so you’re equipped with some of the most creative and destructive weaponry ever seen. It’s the perfect storm, so jump in feet first. And don’t forget to check out our Bulletstorm Play Like a Pro article to make sure you’re totally bulletproof in action.

Sowing the seeds of love

The UnderGarden is a delightful PS3 game which challenges you to solve puzzles and collect exotic artefacts across a stunning underground world. You’ve never seen anything like it, so make sure you dig around this innovative title and download it from PlayStation Store now.

Monstrous tactics

The legendary turn-based strategy series makes its PSP debut with TACTICS OGRE: Let Us Cling Together. Enchanting visuals, compelling battles and an enthralling tale of heroism await you in this portable epic. Buy it from your favourite retailer or download it from PlayStation Store today.

More from PlayStation Store

Downloadable fun comes in all shapes and sizes via PlayStation Store, as the Yakuza 4 demo on PlayStation 3 gives you a taste of Japan’s shadowy underworld. Need a little help? Then read our Demo Guide and master the art of fighting on the mean streets.

If you’re after something even more explosive, PS one Classic Twisted Metal has also crashed into PlayStation Store. Smashing vehicular combat can be yours to enjoy on both PS3 and PSP, so strap yourself in for a thrilling ride.

Start some winning ways

Make sure you don’t miss your chance to design your own monster in the Eat Them! competition, where the winning design will have the glory of becoming a downloadable game add-on at PlayStation Store in-game. And if that isn’t enough, our Tales from Space: About a Blob competition gives you the opportunity to win a voucher code for the game and a slick real life T-shirt to go with it. Head over to eu.playstation.com/competitions and flash a winning smile.

Keep an eye on PlayStation.Blog at blog.eu.playstation.com for the latest PlayStation news as it happens.

Be sure to opt in to receive PlayStation emails when you sign up for a PlayStation Network account. If you already have an account, sign in to your PlayStation Network account settings at eu.playstation.com/registration or via the XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) and opt in. That way, you can keep bang up to date and receive the latest PlayStation news direct to your inbox.

Slim PS3 is updated frequently every day with the very latest Slim PS3 news.