Ni no Kuni, the new RPG from Namco Bandai developed by Level-5 and Studio Ghibli, has made it to the top of the UK charts. UKIE doesn't give numbers, so we can't know exactly how well Ni no Kuni has sold, but managing to outsell Call of Duty: Black Ops II (which while it has admittedly been out for a few months now also only had a drop in sales of 5% from last week) is surely a victory.
In fact, Black Ops II – last week's chart topper – has been pushed down to number three in the charts, with FIFA 13 staying resilient at number two. Far Cry 3 slips down to fourth, and in fifth position is the only new entry in the top ten, though it's not really new at all: Hitman: HD Trilogy.
While this time of year is still quiet, it's good to see a game like Ni no Kuni sell so well. After all, this is a title made in Japan with a very Japanese feel, though the localisation has been done very well. Perhaps it's a tribute to the way this game feels a little like an introduction to Japanese RPGs, or just a sign that the characteristic Studio Ghibli style will sell games as well as movies. Either way, the whole team deserves credit for creating something that managed to be a little different and still a success.