The history of Nintendo, the “richest” company in Japan, is sweetened by a videogame line-up that has always thrilled millions of players over the generations. Thanks to the presence of mascots of the caliber of Mario, Link, Donkey Kong and many others, Grande N has created products of the highest caliber.
However, a question arises spontaneously: what are the ten best-selling Nintendo games across all consoles of the software house? Starting from the Famicom and arriving at the most recent Nintendo Switch, it's time to discover which are the most important titles in the portfolio of each platform of the Nintendo brand.
Famicom (NES)
Super Mario Bros, with 40.24 million units sold; Duck Hunt, with 28.31 million copies; Super Mario Bros 3, with 18 million copies; Tetris, with 8 million copies placed on the market; Super Mario Bros 2, with 7.46 million copies; The Legend of Zelda, with 6.51 million copies sold; Dr. Mario, with 4.85 million units; Zelda II, with 4.38 million copies; Excitebike, with 4.16 million units; Golf, with 4 million copies sold worldwide.
Game Boy / Game Boy Color
Pokémon Red, Green, Blue and Yellow with 46 million copies; Tetris, with 35 million units; Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal with 29.5 million units; Super Mario Land – 18.14 million; Super Mario Land 2 – 11.18 million; Dr. Mario – 5.34 million; Pokémon Pinball – 5.31 million units; Wario Land – 5.19 million copies; Kirby's Dream Land – 5.13 million copies sold worldwide; Super Mario Bros Deluxe – 5 million.
Super Famicom (SNES)
Super Mario World – 20.61 million units; Super Mario All Stars, with 10.55 million copies sold; Donkey Kong Country, with 9.3 million copies; Super Mario Kart, with 8.76 million copies; Street Fighter II World Warrior, with 6.3 million copies sold; Zelda A Link to the Past, with 4.61 million units; SMW2 Yoshi's Island – 4.12 million copies; Street Fighter II Turbo, with 4.1 million units; Star Fox, with 4 million copies.
Nintendo 64
Super Mario 64, with 11.91 million copies; Mario Kart 64 – 9.87 million units sold worldwide; GoldenEye 007, with 8 million copies sold; Zelda Ocarina of Time – 7.6 million; Super Smash Bros – 5.55 million copies; Pokémon Stadium – 5.46 million units; Donkey Kong 64, with 5.27 million units sold worldwide; Diddy Kong Racing, with 4.88 million units; Star Fox 64, with 4 million units; Banjo Kazooie, with 3.65 million copies.
GameCube
Super Smash Bros Melee – 7.41 million copies; Mario Kart Double Dash!! – 6.96 million units; Super Mario Sunshine, with 5.91 million copies sold worldwide; Zelda Wind Waker, with 4.43 million copies sold worldwide; Luigi's Mansion, with 3.33 million copies; Metroid Prime, with 2.84 million units; Animal Crossing – 2.71 million copies; Mario Party 4 – 2.46 million copies; Pokémon Colosseum – 2.41 million units; Mario Party 5 – 2.17 million copies.
Game Boy Advance
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire – 16.22 million; Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen – 12 million units; Pokémon Emerald – 7 million copies; Mario Kart Super Circuit, with 5.91 million copies; Super Mario Advance 2, with 5.69 million units; Super Mario Advance, with 5.57 million copies; Super Mario Advance 4, with 5.43 million copies sold; Namco Museum – 2.96 million; Pac Man Collection – 2.95 million; Super Mario Advance 3 – 2.83 million.
Nintendo DS
New Super Mario Bros – 30.8 million copies; Nintendogs – 23.96 million; Mario Kart DS – 23.6 million; Brain Age – 19 million; Pokémon Diamond and Pearl – 17.67 million copies; Pokémon Black and White – 15.64 million; Brain Age 2 – 14.88 million; Pokémon Heart Gold and Soul Silver – 12.72 million; Animal Crossing Wild World – 11.75 million copies; Super Mario 64 DS – 11 million.
Wii
Wii Sports – 82.9 million copies; Mario Kart Wii – 37.3 million; Wii Sports Resort, with 33.1 million units; New Super Mario Bros Wii, with 30.3 million copies sold worldwide; Wii Party – 28 million; Wii Fit – 22.7 million; Wii Fit Plus – 21.1 million copies; Super Smash Bros Browl – 13.3 million units; Super Mario Galaxy – 12.8 million; Just Dance 3 – 9.9 million copies.
Nintendo 3DS
Mario Kart 7 – 18.98 million; Pokémon X and Y – 16.72 million; Pokémon Sun and Moon – 16.32 million copies; Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, with 14.6 million units; New Super Mario Bros 2, with 13.42 million units; Animal Crossing New Leaf, with 13.05 million copies; Super Mario 3D Land, with 12.88 million copies; Super Smash Bros – 9.64 million; Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon – 9.19 million; YoKai Watch 2 – 7.3 million copies;
Wii U
Mario Kart 8 – 8.46 million; Super Mario 3D World – 5.89 million; New Super Mario bros U – 5.82 million copies; Super Smash Bros – 5.38 million units; Nintendo Land – 5.21 million; Splatoon – 4.95 million copies; Super Mario Maker, with 4.02 million copies; New Super Luigi U – 3.07 million; Zelda Wind Waker HD – 2.37 million; Mario Party 10 – 2.27 million.
Nintendo Switch
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, with 60.58 million copies; Animal Crossing New Horizons, with 44.79 million units; Super Smash Bros Ultimate – 33.67 million; Zelda Breath of the Wild – 31.61 million; Super Mario Odyssey – 27.65 million; Pokémon Sword and Shield – 26.16 million units sold; Pokémon Scarlet and Violet – 24.36 million; Super Mario party, with 20.34 million copies; Zelda Tears of the Kingdom – 20.28 million copies; New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe – 17.2 million.
What do you think of the ten best-selling games on all platforms in the Nintendo ecosystem, which has dominated the Japanese market for 19 years? We invite you to express your opinion below in the comments.