Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console sold 430,000 units in the U.S. in March, up 28 percent from the same month a year ago, according to data released today by the NPD Group market research firm. That makes it the top-selling console in the U.S. for nine out of the past 10 months, according to NPD.

The Redmond company cited the numbers in a blog post, with Xbox chief of staff Aaron Greenberg noting that the result marked 15 straight months of growth for the Xbox 360 in the U.S. Microsoft has been benefiting from the popularity of its Kinect motion-sensor, which was expanded today to also serve as a controller for Netflix on Xbox Live.

Nintendo sold more than 290,000 units of its Wii console in the U.S. for the month, according to a news release from the company.

As noted earlier, the end of March also marked the launch of the Nintendo 3DS handheld, with almost 400,000 units selling during its first week on the market. That was short of the 2004 Nintendo DS launch week in unit sales, but the higher price resulted in more revenue.

No word yet from Sony on sales of the PlayStation 3 for the month. NPD reports broad market trends but no longer gives specific sales numbers for individual consoles. leaving that toeach company.

Overall sales of video game hardware were $440.6 million for the month in the U.S., up 12 percent, but sales of video games at physical retail stores fell 16 percent for the month, to $875.7 million. Here’s NPDs ranking of the top 10 games (including PC) in U.S. physical retail stores for the month.

Pokemon White Version (NDS)
Pokemon Black Version (NDS)
Homefront (360, PS3, PC)
Dragon Age II (360, PS3, PC)**
Call of Duty: Black Ops (360, PS3, NDS, Wii, PC)**
Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (Wii, 360, NDS, PS3, 3DS, PSP, PC)
Crysis 2 (360, PS3, PC)
NBA 2K11 (360, PS3, PS2, Wii, PSP, PC)
MLB 11: The Show (PS3, PSP, PS2)
Fight Night Champion (360, PS3)

**(includes CE, GOTY editions, bundles, etc. but not those bundled with hardware)



 

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