Japan - Even the red-hot Nintendo isn't immune to the belt-tightening fear of recession. Just weeks after what was is the biggest part of the year, console sales are down across the board to a shocking low.

Compared to this week last year, the Wii is selling barely 42% of its previous total (2008: 26.7k, 2007: 63.5k). However, Sony's PS3 and Microsoft's XBOX 360 are both up several thousand units comparatively, but the Wii's 68% market share means this is a significant contraction indeed.

In a striking reality check, Nintendo (the company with untold billions of cash on hand) saw it's stock drop 12% after it cut its earnings forecast.

Stay right here for the latest and we take a look at how handheld sales are effected.

(click to enlarge)

Actually, doing some further checking I don't think the numbers come from 2007, but neither do they look like you've got the same week from 2008 and 2009 being compared. I know our versions of where years/months start don't always match so some difference is to be expected, but trying to find the source of that 63.5K week for Wii, it looks like you've matched up the week starting January 19, 2009 with the week starting February 18, 2008, which is quite off.