UK Chart Analysis: Easter Sales Boost Games, But Nothing Stops EA FC 26 at the Top

This week’s UK boxed chart, courtesy of GfK Entertainment / NielsenIQ, for the week ending 4th April, shows a lively mix of stability at the top and dramatic movement further down, helped in no small part by the Easter weekend boost. EA Sports FC 26 holds No.1 for a second week, with PS5 leading at 38% and Switch formats combining for 35%. Resident Evil Requiem climbs to No.2, powered by a dominant 60% share on PC and strong PS5 support. Mario Kart World slips to No.3 but remains the strongest Switch 2 exclusive on shelves.

The biggest jump comes from LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, which rockets from No.32 to No.4 thanks to a 63% PS5 share. Hogwarts Legacy also rises sharply to No.7, with Switch 2 accounting for nearly a third of its sales. Nintendo’s mid‑table presence remains formidable: Super Mario Galaxy + Galaxy 2 climbs to No.12, Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Pokémon Legends: Z‑A continue to chart strongly across both Switch generations, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons refuses to fade.

Re‑entries are plentiful, with Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, Cars 3: Driven to Win, It Takes Two, LEGO Harry Potter Collection, Dragon’s Dogma II, LEGO City Undercover and Mortal Kombat X all returning to the Top 40 through retailer promotions and evergreen appeal.

Overall, the Entertainment Software Top 40 reflects a buoyant Easter trading period. Good Friday footfall lifted family titles, while the record‑breaking UK launch of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie clearly boosted interest in Mario games across both Switch platforms. Nintendo’s catalogue shows exceptional staying power, sports titles dominate the upper ranks, and Switch 2 continues to reshape multi‑platform sales patterns.

On the Switch 2 Top 20, Mario Kart World holds No.1, with Pokémon Pokopia steady at No.2. Donkey Kong Bananza climbs to No.3, ahead of Pokémon Legends: Z‑A at No.4 and EA Sports FC 26 at No.5. Hogwarts Legacy rises to No.6, while Super Mario Bros. Wonder slips to No.7 in its second week. Super Mario Party Jamboree jumps to No.8 and Mario Tennis Fever reaches No.9. Lower down, Star Wars Outlaws re‑enters at No.17, Hitman: World of Assassination at No.18, and Hades II at No.20, refreshing the bottom of the chart.

In terms of how the original Switch is still faring, EA Sports FC 26 holds No.1 on Switch, while Super Mario Galaxy + Galaxy 2 climbs to No.2 and Minecraft slips to No.3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Animal Crossing: New Horizons complete the Top 5. Super Mario Bros. Wonder rises to No.6, and Pokémon Legends: Z‑A stays steady at No.7. The week’s major re‑entries include It Takes Two returning at No.9, Hello Kitty Island Adventure at No.17, and Carnival Games at No.20. Classic Nintendo titles such as Super Mario Odyssey, Smash Bros. Ultimate and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury continue to anchor the mid‑table.

For those that appreciate it, the 3DS data keeps coming, as Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth holds onto No.1 for another week, continuing its strong late‑system momentum. Stella Glow makes a notable return, re‑entering at No.2 to shake up an otherwise quiet chart of two. Together they highlight how the 3DS still finds life through niche favourites and dedicated fans.

The full Entertainment Software Top 40 can be viewed below: