UK Sales Chart, Week Ending March 5th

Metal Gear Solid 3 has made a decidedly non-stealthy entrance into the top ten this week, as the series enjoys its customarily warm welcome in the UK. With a new entry at number three with Republic Commando LucasArts, published in the UK by Activision, can now celebrate three titles in the top ten, two of which are Star Wars-related. As ever, the games which have failed to make the top ten are just as interesting as those that have succeeded, with Ubisoft’s Playboy: The Mansion enjoying a modest debut at number twelve. The entry of Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath at number seventeen is far more disappointing, though, and with almost universal critical acclaim, the blame here must surely rest on Electronic Arts’ marketing, which has been extremely low-key for such an impressive title. This week sees not just the release of Gran Turismo 4 in the UK ,but also the launch of the Nintendo DS, with a noticeably more varied line-up than that afforded to the U.S. launch. How this will impact the weekly sales charts, though, remains to be seen.

Official UK Leisure Software Charts (c) ELSPA compiled by Chart-Track