M64 Retrospective: Presenting the 49 Nintendo Games to Sell 1 Million Copies on Switch

Add another to the list.

When it comes to the Nintendo Switch, we all know that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the top dog. It has dominated first place amongst Nintendo’s Top Selling titles for the Nintendo Switch for a good few years now and it is holding onto the position with a very firm grip. Then of course there’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Splatoon 2, a variety of Mario and Pokémon games, helping to fill out the top 10, but they’re the easy games to remember.

The top 10 is an obvious list at this point, but what about the rest of the first- and third-party exclusives Nintendo have released? With a grand total of 49 Nintendo published games exceeding one million sales each, it’s nearly impossible to remember them all, or is it? We have been following Nintendo’s sales numbers religiously for years and have been compiling the most extensive list one could possibly put together, but before we share it with you, here are some interesting facts:

• Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics has recently knocked The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD out of 20th.
• Amongst the top 20 games, eight of them are games with “Mario” in the title.”
• New Pokémon Snap has yet to outsell ARMS, but it has now become very close.
• Of the 49 games on our list, 10 of them were released in 2021. Another 10, were released in 2019.
• Both developed by Camelot, 2021’s Mario Golf: Super Rush has yet to outperform 2018’s Mario Tennis Aces.

Now with the facts out of the way, on with the games:

Nintendo’s 49 Best Selling Games Released on the Nintendo Switch:

(All Numbers Based on Console availability between March 3, 2017 – March 31, 2022)

 

*Games released in 2017 – Red

*Games released in 2018 – Blue

*Games released in 2019 – Green

*Games released in 2020 – Purple

*Games released in 2021 – Orange

*Games released in 2022 – Brown

 

1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – 45.33 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between April 28, 2017 – March 31, 2022)
2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons – 38.64 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between March 20, 2020 – March 31, 2022)
3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – 28.17 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between December 7, 2018 – March 31, 2022)
4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – 26.55 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between March 3, 2017 – March 31, 2022)
5. Pokémon Sword & Pokémon Shield – 24.27 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between November 15, 2019 – March 31, 2022)
6. Super Mario Odyssey – 23.50 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between October 27, 2017 – March 31, 2022)
7. Super Mario Party – 17.78 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between October 5, 2018 – March 31, 2022)
8. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Pokémon Shining Pearl – 14.65 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between November 19, 2021 – March 31, 2022)
9. Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! & Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! – 14.53 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between November 16, 2018 – March 31, 2022)
10. Ring Fit Adventure – 14.09 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between October 18, 2019 – March 31, 2022)
11. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe – 13.31 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between January 11, 2019 – March 31, 2022)
12. Splatoon 2 – 13.30 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between July 21, 2017 – March 31, 2022)
13. Pokémon Legends: Arceus – 12.64 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between January 28, 2022 – March 31, 2022)
14. Luigi’s Mansion 3 – 11.43 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between October 31, 2019 – March 31, 2022)
15. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury – 9.43 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between February 12, 2021 – March 31, 2022)
16. Super Mario 3D All-Stars – 9.01 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between September 18, 2020 – March 31, 2021)
17. Super Mario Maker 2 – 7.15 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between June 28, 2019 – March 31, 2021)
18. Mario Party Superstars – 6.88 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between October 29, 2021 – March 31, 2022)
19. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – 5.49 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between September 20, 2019 – March 31, 2021)
20. Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics – 4.22 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between June 5, 2020 – March 31, 2022)
21. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD – 3.91 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between July 16, 2021 – March 31, 2022)
22. 1-2 Switch – 3.31 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between March 3, 2017 – June 30, 2020)
23. Mario Tennis Aces – 3.29 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between June 22, 2018 – June 30, 2020)
24. Kirby Star Allies – 3.15 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between March 16, 2018 – June 30, 2020)
25. Paper Mario: The Origami King – 3.12 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between July 17, 2020 – March 31, 2021)
26. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Outside of Japan) – 3.07 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between November 20, 2020 – March 31, 2021)
27. Fire Emblem: Three Houses – 3.02 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between July 26, 2019 – June 30, 2020
28. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze – 2.93 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between May 4, 2018 – June 30, 2020)
29. Metroid Dread – 2.90 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between October 8, 2021 – March 31, 2022)
30. Kirby and the Forgotten Land – 2.65 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between March 25, 2022 – March 31, 2022)
31. ARMS – 2.47 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between June 16, 2017 – June 30, 2020)
32. New Pokémon Snap – 2.40 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between April 30, 2021 – March 31, 2022)
33. Mario Golf: Super Rush – 2.35 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between June 25, 2021 – March 31, 2022)
34. Yoshi’s Crafted World – 2.09 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between March 29, 2019 – June 30, 2020)
35. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – 2.05 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between December 1, 2017 – June 30, 2020)
36. Pikmin 3 Deluxe – 2.04 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between October 30, 2020 – March 31, 2021)
37. Pokkén Tournament DX – 1.80 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between September 22, 2017 – June 30, 2020)
38. Octopath Traveler (Outside of Japan) – 1.68 million excluding Japanese sales (Sales numbers based on game availability between July 13, 2018 – March 31, 2022)
39. Miitopia – 1.68 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between May 21, 2021 – December 31, 2021)
40. Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain – 1.59 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between December 3, 2021 – March 31, 2022)
41. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker – 1.58 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between July 13, 2018 – June 30, 2020)
42. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition – 1.52 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between May 29, 2020 – March 31, 2021)
43. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX – 1.43 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between March 6, 2020 – June 30, 2020)
44. Nintendo Labo – Toy-Con 01: Variety Kit – 1.37 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between April 20, 2018 – June 30, 2020)
45. Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit – 1.27 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between October 16, 2020 – March 31, 2021)
46. WarioWare: Get it Together! – 1.27 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between September 10, 2021 – March 31, 2022)
47. ASTRAL CHAIN – 1.14 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between August 30, 2019 – June 30, 2020)
48. MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: The Black Order – 1.13 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between July 19, 2019 – June 30, 2020)
49. Game Builder Garage – 1.06 million (Sales numbers based on game availability between June 11, 2021 – March 31, 2022)

Are you surprised by which games made the cut? We sure were. How many do you have in your collection?