Non-Games Drive DS Sales to 10 Million
Europe embraces Touch! Generations with gusto.
You hear a lot about the success of the DS in the US and (especially) Japan but it's worth remembering that things are looking good for the system in Europe too. The DS rode a wave of a positive energy to an excellent Christmas that capped off a remarkable year for the DS.
The portable ended 2006 as the most popular system in the UK, and new figures from Nintendo put the DS above 10 million units sold in Europe alone - 1.7 million of those coming in December.
Traditional fare such as New Super Mario Bros is drawing in the regular crowd but it is Nintendo's games that eschew the usual format that are making it big.
Dr Kawashima's Brain Training was released during the traditionally quiet summer months and just never stopped selling, But the time the year was over more than 2 million people had picked up a copy. Add to that Nintendogs, which has now sold more than 5 million copies in Europe, and it's clear that Nintendo is on to something with its new strategy.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo
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