The Sims 2 party at number one

Official ELSPA Entertainment Top 20 Software Chart (all prices) - week ending 18 September

1 (NE) The Sims 2
(PC)
2 (1) Burnout 3: Takedown
(PS2, Xbox)
3 (2) Conflict Vietnam
(PS2, Xbox, PC)
4 (NE) Resident Evil Outbreak
(PS2)
5 (3) ShellShock: Nam '67
(PS2, Xbox, PC)
6 (6) The Simpsons: Hit and Run
(PS2, Xbox, Cube, PC)
7 (5) Spider-Man 2
(PS2, Xbox, Cube, GBA)
8 (9) FIFA 2004
(PS2, Xbox, Cube, PC, GBA, PSone, N-Gage)
9 (8) Need for Speed Underground
(PS2, Xbox, Cube, PC, GBA)
10 (NE) WWE Day of Reckoning
(Gamecube)
11 (NE) Silent Hill 4: The Room
(PS2, Xbox)
12 (7) Driv3r
(PS2, Xbox)
13 (4) Second Sight
(PS2, Xbox, Cube)
14 (15) Athens 2004
(PS2)
15 (10) Shrek 2
(PS2, Xbox, Cube, GBA)
16 (16) The Sims: Bustin' Out
(PS2, Xbox, Cube, GBA, N-Gage)
17 (11) Doom 3
(PC)
18 (NE) Madden NFL 2005
(PS2, Xbox, Gamecube)
19 (12) Medal of Honor: Rising Sun
(PS2, Xbox, Cube)
20 (NE) Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004
(PS2, Xbox, PC, GBA)

Seeing as the first game in the series is the best selling PC videogame of all time, it's hardly surprising that The Sims 2 goes straight to number one and it's the second fastest selling PC game on record (first honours remain with Champ Man 4).

Meanwhile, survival-horror goes head-to-head this week, with Capcom's Resident Evil Outbreak proving the more appealing as it comes in at four, while Konami's Silent Hill 4: The Room puts in a good showing by landing at 11. Capcom have to be pleased that Outbreak has done so well seeing as its main selling point - online gameplay - was axed from the UK version.

Between the two is WWE Day of Reckoning, which makes an impressive debut showing at number 10. The fact that a Gamecube-exclusive wrestler has performed so well, even though the pseudo-sport doesn't enjoy the popularity it had a couple of years ago, bodes well for the new SmackDown! coming out in November on PS2.

The other new entries are Madden NFL 2005, still flying the flag for American football, and Tiger Woods' 2004 incarnation, which come in at 18 and 20 respectively. Just outside the top 20 is Square Enix's PC-only Final Fantasy XI Online, a MMORPG version of the classic RPG series, which is a new entry at 25.

Leisure software charts compiled by ChartTrack
(C) 2004 (UK) Ltd