Sony's latest game machine finally outsold its longtime rival Nintendo in Japan as strong November sales helped boost the electronics maker ahead.

Sony PlayStation 3 outsold Nintendo Wii game console in Japan first time since the machines were launched late last year, according to a game magazine.

Nintendo sold 159,193 units of the Wii in the four weeks to November 25, trailing sales of 183,217 units of the PS3, Enterbrain said on Friday.

Sony reported PS3 sales rose 298% in November in response to price cuts. The new slimmed-down PSP has breathed life into handheld sales, and the PS2 continues to outsell both. The firm's recent sales jump may not be enough to make up for ground lost in the past year, however.

Versus expectations a year ago, it is too late for the PS3 to be anything but a disappointment this holiday season, but the first games that really take advantage of the PS3's capabilities are coming out and they play well and are visually stunning, Kaufman Brothers analyst, Todd Mitchell said.

Overall Nintendo is maintaining its crown as it dominated the U.S. holiday shopping season. The company sold 350,000 Wii's between Nov. 18 and Nov. 25 alone, the best sales week ever for the company ever.

Comparatively, 366,000 units of Microsoft's Xbox 360's were sold in the entire month of October, while Sony sold 121,000 PS3's during the same period.

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