Nintendo has reported record highs for both sales and operating profit in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009.

Net sales rose 9.9 percent to more than 1.83 trillion yen (£12.5 billion/$18.5 billion) as operating profit swelled 14 percent to over 555 billion yen (£3.7 billion/$5.6 billion).

Worldwide Wii sales hit almost 26 million units during the year, taking the system’s lifetime sales total to over 50 million, while over 31 million DS sales took life-to-date sales of the portable beyond the 100 million mark.

Software sales were up for both platforms, with 204 million Wii titles and 197 million DS games shifted.

For the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2010, Nintendo said it expects sales and profits to drop, to 1.8 trillion yen (£12.05 billion/$18.25 billion) and 490 billion yen (£3.3 billion/$5 billion).

In that period the company expects to sell a further 26 million Wii systems and 220 million software units, while Nintendo DS sales are projected at 30 million systems and 180 million pieces of software.