Christmas 2009's most wanted video games

(Nintendo)

Amazon has released its lists of the most wished-for video games in the USA, United Kingdom, France and Germany as Christmas shopping begins in earnest. Among them, New Super Mario Bros Wii, Wii Fit Plus, Wii Sports Report, and Modern Warfare 2 featured in all territories' lists.

Top of the pile are Wii Fit Plus and Modern Warfare 2. Wii Fit Plus appears on each list in its "game only" format, and the version bundled with a balance board accessory (available since the release of the first Wii Fit) also charts in each country bar Germany.

The allure of Modern Warfare 2 tells a similar tale, charting at least once in all territories, and being most wanted on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in the UK, Germany, and the USA.

Other games doing well are Assassin's Creed II for 360 and PS3, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks and Professor Layton and Pandora's Box on Nintendo DS, and both Wii Sports Resort and Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games for Nintendo Wii.

In terms of hardware, the Nintendo Wii charted in both its black and white iterations in France and Germany, and with the original white version in the USA, whilst the PlayStation 3 also made a showing in Germany and the USA.

Presumably most people who want an Xbox 360 already have one - it was released a year before the PlayStation 3 and Wii, and has managed to remain lower priced than its two competitors for most of its life cycle, though the PlayStation 3 has enjoyed increased interest since a recent re-design and price cut, whilst Nintendo's Wii has also had hardware and design tweaks in the last few months.

France
Wii Fit Plus - Game Only (Wii)
New Super Mario Bros Wii (Wii)
Wii Sports Resort with Wii MotionPlus (Wii)
Wii Fit Plus with Wii Balance Board (Wii)
Professeur Layton et la Boite de Pandore ( Professor Layton and Pandora's Box) (DS)
Mario & Sonic aux J.O. d'hiver ( Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games) (Wii)
Nintendo Wii, Black
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (DS)
Nintendo Wii, White
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)

UK
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
New Super Mario Bros Wii (Wii)
Wii Fit Plus - Game Only (Wii)
Wii Sports Resort with Wii MotionPlus (Wii)
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)
Professor Layton and Pandora's Box (DS)
Assassin's Creed II (360)
Assassin's Creed II (PS3)
Wii Fit Plus with Wii Balance Board (Wii)

Germany
Wii Fit Plus - Game Only (Wii)
New Super Mario Bros Wii (Wii)
PlayStation 3 Slim, 120GB
Nintendo Wii, Black
Assassin's Creed 2 (360)
Nintendo Wii, White
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)
Wii Sports Resort with Wii MotionPlus (Wii)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PC)

USA
New Super Mario Bros (Wii)
Nintendo Wii, White
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (360)
Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board
PlayStation 3 Slim, 120GB
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)
Wii Sports Resort (Wii)
Wii Fit Plus (Wii)
Assassin's Creed II (360)