Hyrule Warriors gave the Wii U a big boost in Japan

Hyrule Warriors has yet to release in Western markets, but it debuted exclusively on the Wii U in Japan just under a week ago and it's making a big splash over there, helping boost sales of hardware as much as software.

While there are no concrete numbers just yet, Dual Shockers translated some reports by Japanese retailers that suggest as many as four times the number of sales have been recorded year on year for this last week. Chances are this trend is also being seen at other retailers, which would suggest a big boost for Nintendo in country.

There may be other factors involved, such as the release's proximity to the Bon Festival, but Hyrule Warriors is showing up as third on multi-platform sales lists, despite being an exclusive, so it's clearly selling in large numbers and specifically so. People are buying Wii Us to play it.

The question is, whether the game will translate as well in other markets, where Dynasty Warriors is less of a beloved franchise. Zelda on the other hand is very much a fan favourite for Nintendo gamers, so there's a chance that the crossover will work well here too.

Hyrule Warriors is set for release on Wii U at the end of September.

What do you guys think?