Following on from last week's news that the DS has sold 7 million units in Europe, it now transpires that over 2 million of those have been purchased in Britain, which is unsurprising as we Brits are by far the biggest videogaming nation in Europe.

The figures, compiled Chart Track, also indicate that the dual-screen sensation is outselling "handheld rivals" (could they mean the PSP?) by a ratio of 2.5 to 1, with the release of the sleek DS Lite and the Touch! Generations range of games keeping sales buoyant throughout the year.

A quick calculation with latest UK population estimates means that almost one in 30 people in Britain now own Nintendo's handheld console, which suggests it should be easier than ever to beat someone at Mario Kart on the bus.

David Yarnton, General Manager of Nintendo UK, commented on the news by saying, "The ability of Nintendo DS to appeal to both gamers and non-gamers alike through an exciting, fun and innovative portfolio of software has been instrumental in its success in the UK, with many more Touch! Generations games launching this year and 2007."