Video game retail sales jumped 34% in November 2006, according to NPD Group. Total sales reached $1.7 bln from $1.3 bln in November 2005. Total hardware sales soared 69% to $771 mln from in 2005’s $456 mln during the month. Sales of portable systems jumped 26% to $252 mln, and sales of non-handheld consoles more than doubled, to $519 mln from $255 mln a year ago.