The NPD Group has released their hardware and software numbers for the month of March, representing sales for the United States for the five week period of March 1st to April 4th.

Notables this month:

• Resident Evil 5 debuts to impressive sales

Hardware numbers:
WII: 601.0k (120.2k per week)
NDS: 563.0k (112.6k per week)
360: 330.0k (66.0k per week)
PS3: 218.0k (43.6k per week)
PSP: 168.0k (33.6k per week)
PS2: 112.0k (22.4k per week)

2009 Year-to-Date in US:
WII: 2,033,200
NDS...

This week I give 368 out of 52 GameGreps multiplied by ∞ divided by P(R)!

PC gamers can get their hands on Empire: Total War and/or 2K Sports' latest game in the baseball field (as can just about everyone else for the latter), PS3 owners see Tom Clancy's HAWX, Xbox 360 welcomes Halo Wars, and Phantasy Star Portable arrives on Sony's handheld.

In a press release today, Nintendo has announced release dates for a number of first-party and third-party games headed for the Wii and DS in the second quarter of 2009 (although technically April to June, this includes March as well).

Nintendo itself noted these games as upcoming to the Wii, WiiWare, and Nintendo DS:

Wii:
Excitebots: Trick Racing - April 20
New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat - May 4
Punch-Out!! - May 18
WiiWare:
BIT.TRIP BEAT (Gaijin Games/Aksys Games)
Edu...