UK charts: Harry Potter fends off Transformers
Book and film launches cement wizard's position as second place Transformers awaits film launch this week
Harry Potter's latest videogame outing continues to dominate the UK charts - no doubt thanks to the recent launch of the film to which it ties in and last Saturday's release of the final book in JK Rowling's witches and wizards series.
However, it will face stern competition this week from Transformers (number two All Formats, number one on PS2 and Xbox 360), with the live action film in that famous franchise set for general release this Friday.
Elsewhere in the top ten, Nintendo's brain training titles occupied three positions - More Brain Training for DS is at number three, with Wii title Big Brain Academy at four and the original DS Brain Training at eight.
Last week's number five, Mario Party 8, slips down to 30 as retail awaits delivery of new stock following a recall, and is replaced by Nintendo's own Wii Play - another consistent performer in recent months.
Meanwhile, the launch of the PS3 version of Take-Two's The Darkness helped the comic-based action game hop from eight to seven (topping the PS3 chart), just below Activision's Shrek the Third, while Cooking Mama stuck to the chart-pan at nine and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 rose to ten.
Outside the top ten there were re-entries for PS3 titles Resistance: Fall of Man (24) and MotorStorm (35), no doubt boosted by Sony's decision to offer PS3 bundles starting last week.
And while at a glance Potter is expected to duel Transformers for number one next week, both could be trumped by this Friday's release of Nintendo DS pair Pokîmon Diamond and Pokîmon Pearl, while Activision's Guitar Hero: Rock the 80s could capture the interest of PS2 owners.