Let the record show that Japanese gamers prefer historically based beat-'em-ups to anime-inspired J-pop rhythm games--but only by a slim margin. Capcom's Sengoku Basara 3 on the PlayStation 3 took top billing during the final week of July in Japan, selling 242,698 units, a figure that just outpaced the 241,467 copies sold by Sega's rhythm game, Hatsune Miku: Project Diva 2. Flaming pole…to the chest.

　　Additionally, Sengoku Basara's lead grows larger when combined with the 49,821 copies the game sold for the Wii--good enough for fifth place.

　　The week's third-place award went to Nintendo's Wii Party, which previously occupied the top spot. It moved 82,713 copies during the week. The Mario Party successor debuted in early July in Japan but isn’t scheduled for release in Western markets until this fall.

　　Other new releases cracking the Japanese top 10 included Namco's Kamen Rider Battle: Ganbaride Card Battle Taisen (fourth place with 64,268 sold), Metal Max 3 (sixth place with 46,954 sold), and Ys vs. Sora no Kiseki: Alternative Saga (eighth place with 30,047 sold).

　　Sony's PSP continued its stay atop the hardware charts moving 48,603 systems during the week. Just 3,000 units behind the portable was the system's big brother, the PS3. The high-definition console sold 45,234 units during the week, which was good for a spike of more than 25,000 units over the week prior thanks to new 160GB and 320GB models hitting the market. The DSi LL (known as the DSi XL in the West) retained the number three spot this week, notching another 23,120 units.

　　JAPAN GAME SALES WEEK OF JULY 26-AUGUST 1, 2010

　　Software:

　　Rank / Title / Publisher / Platform / Unit sales

　　1. Sengoku Basara 3 / Capcom / PS3 / 242,698

　　2. Hatsune Miku: Project Diva 2 / Sega / PSP / 241,467

　　3. Wii Party / Nintendo / Wii / 82,713

　　4. Kamen Rider Battle: Ganbaride Card Battle Taisen / Namco Bandai / DS / 64,268

　　5. Sengoku Basara 3 / Capcom / Wii / 49,821

　　6. Metal Max 3 / Kadokawa Shoten / DS / 46,954

　　7. Inazuma Eleven 3: World Challenge!! Spark - Bomber / Level 5 / DS / 34,049

　　8. Ys vs. Sora no Kiseki: Alternative Saga / Nihon Falcom / PSP / 30,047

　　9. Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball 2010 / Konami / PSP / 22,132

　　10. Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem - Hero of Light and Shadow / Nintendo / DS / 21,340

　　Hardware:

　　PSP - 48,603

　　PS3 - 45,224

　　DSi LL - 23,120

　　Wii - 20,038

　　DSi - 17,950

　　Xbox 360 - 6,929

　　DS Lite - 4,058

　　PS2 - 1,444

　　PSP Go - 777