UK Chart Highlights | Nintendo Wii for Christmas No.1 Thanks to Mario & Sonic?

Last week saw the Sega-published Wii sports game, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, grab the elusive No.1 spot, staving off the threat of Need for Speed: ProStreet, everyone's favourite for the Christmas top spot. But how long can the iconic duo reign supreme in the UK? Well, it seems that it might be able to scrape ahead of the pack the way things are currently going, especially given how retailers are strenuously pushing it as Wii Sports 2 and bundling it with new Wii systems. But the gap at the top is closer than ever now, with only 2,500 sales between No.1 and No.3! So it is anyone's game and Call of Duty 4 could still be the one to break the trend of EA Christmas No.1s thanks to the strength of the Xbox 360 version...

Brain Training is certainly not one to give up the chase as it holds onto the No.6 spot for a second week, whilst its younger brother climbs two to No.9. Wii Play makes a return at No.17 after a long-awaited re-stock, Big Brain for Wii holds at No.19 and Sight Training drops hard, down eight to No.28, just ahead of Big Brain DS (up three to No.30). Finally Nintendo budget side of the the All Prices Top 40, 42 All-Time Classics sticks at No.39 and Deal or No Deal DS is down six to No.40.

The Full Price-only Top 40 has Mario & Sonic keeping No.1 for the second time as Need for Speed actually drops two to No.4, letting Call of Duty and FIFA 08 slip ahead as we come into the last bend. The Simpsons holds at No.5, bundling helps WWE to rise up two to No.6, Assassin's Creed is down a place to No.7 and PES 08 drops one to No.8. Mario & Sonic may have out-sold Super Mario Galaxy two-fold, but the adventure game moves up two to a much healthier No.9 and is reportedly low on stock in several places. The dire Golden Compass is bundled desperately by retailers, boosting it up two more to No.10, with the Wii version taking the lead, Guitar Hero (another game with low stock) drops just one to No.11, the Xbox 360 version helps Lego Star Wars back up five to No.12, whilst Mario Party 8 drops back down four to No.13. All the PS3 ads for Uncharted aid its climb from No.20 to No.16, Mario Bros. DS is down two to No.18, Halo sticks at No.19 and High School Musical DS is finally re-stocked, re-entering at No.20. The Wii version of Tomb Raider Anniversary helps the game back up from No.38 to No.23, Order of the Phoenix is back at No.24, Resi Evil 4 takes advantage of low Umbrella Chronicles supplies (it being down from No.23 to No.36 as a result), returning at No.27, Orange Box is in at No.29 thanks to the addition of the PS3 version (lower than expected, if truth be told), Pok