Pokemon US' launch more than doubles DS Wi-Fi activity

With over a million copies of Pokémons Diamond and Pearl unleashed into the North American market on April 22nd, it was always clear the two Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection-enabled games would have a massive impact on overall usage of the multiplayer matching service.

Sure enough, compared to figures from three weeks ago, which saw activity peaking at around 300,000 users, the Pokémon boost has already driven it over the 800,000 mark.

What's most interesting is the sheer enthusiasm of American and Canadian players to go online compared to their Japanese equivalents.

So far, over five millions copies of Pokémons Diamond and Pearl have been sold in Japan. But before the US launch, only around 64,000 (Japanese) players ever went online (still enough to make the games the third and fifth most popular on the service).

In contrast, the addition of one million US and Canadians players has boosted the total of online Pokémon masters to 430,000, suggesting that around a third of US players have taken their game online, and making the games by far and away the most popular on the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Elsewhere in our regular roundup for the top 10 NWC games, another interesting Pokémon title has sneaked into the line-up. Surprisingly though, Pokémon Battle Revolution is actually a Wii game, albeit the first Wii title that connects to the NWC, so Pokémon Diamond or Pearl players can take their favourite DS creatures in the 3D Wii world.

1. Pokémon Diamond (255,046 players, Japan/US only)
2. Pokémon Pearl (172,472, Japan/US only)
3. Animal Crossing: Wild World (74,496)
4. Mario Kart DS (59,019)
5. Metroid: Prime Hunters (39,814)
6. Tetris DS (23,962)
7. Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker (23,273, Japan only)
8. Jump! Ultimate Stars (23,215, Japan only)
9. Pokémon Battle Revolution (11,452, Japan only)
10. Clubhouse Games (aka 42 All-Time Classics) (9,398)

(Figures sourced using the WFCstatus tool.)