Nintendogs replicates overseas success with massive European sales

Puppy training simulator Nintendogs has racked up sales of over 160,000 units across Europe in its first weekend on sale, with the Nintendo DS title looking set to match its earlier successes in North America and Japan.

The highly unusual title - which allows players to interact directly with a puppy using the stylus and microphone on the Nintendo DS - launched last Friday in Europe, accompanied by new pink and blue editions of the DS console.

The enormous success of the game mirrors the situation in North America, where the title sold around 250,000 units in its first week on sale. So far 1.5 million units have been sold in North America and Japan alone.

"Nintendogs is clearly helping sell new Nintendo DS hardware," commented Nintendo's senior director of marketing Jim Merrick. "Nintendo DS sales are up between 400 - 700 per cent across Europe; this will further cement our position as leader in the portable market."

In Japan, Nintendogs sold strongly to female audiences and is fingered as a key title in helping to drive the DS console out beyond the traditional gaming demographic in that market, along with other software such as the Brain Training titles - which will appear in Europe in the coming months.