Nintendo's Masterpieces
Games sell consoles, and boy, has Nintendo proven that with the Switch! There are reasons why the hybrid console became a phenomenon. Some revitalized aging franchises, while others created brand-new experiences.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (67.35 Million Copies)
The blue shell of game sales has struck again. Initially released for the Wii U in 2014, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe zoomed onto the Switch in 2017 with all DLC included and new battle modes. It became the console's undisputed champion.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 3DS Rainbow Road Gameplay by Zoulutine
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Cont.)
After all, Nintendo's decision to enhance rather than remake proved genius as players loved the familiar yet refined racing experience. Well, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is also the best-selling Nintendo first-party game of all time. It has outsold every Mario, Zelda, and Pokemon title.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017 Trailer by Nintendo of America
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (47.44 Million Copies)
When the world shut down in March 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons opened its virtual doors. This life simulation game's perfectly timed release became a cultural phenomenon. It allowed players to build their dream island getaway while real-world travel became nearly impossible.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Switch Trailer - Nintendo E3 2019 by Nintendo of America
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Cont.)
Be it celebrities or grandparents, everyone found solace in debt-free homeownership and turnip price speculation. Island life, it seems, is the ultimate escapism—especially when Tom Nook handles the mortgage. The game operates in real-time, reflecting the actual time and seasons in the real world.
Exciting News JUST Announced For Animal Crossing Players! by Crossing Channel
Super Smash Bros Ultimate (35.88 Million Copies)
Every fighter, every stage, every possibility. Super Smash Bros Ultimate delivered on its ambitious "everyone is here" promise. Launched in 2018, this crossover fighting game united 86 combatants from gaming history in a celebration of interactive entertainment. The roster reads like gaming's Hall of Fame.
Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Cont.)
35.88 million copies sold makes it the third best-selling Switch title. It’s interesting that Director Masahiro Sakurai's five-year passion project included 11 downloadable fighter packs. These kept the community energized with speculation and tournaments. Players can also alter their fighters with different movesets.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild (32.62 Million Copies)
Breaking conventions is risky, but The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild did exactly that to spectacular effect. It was out for the audience alongside the Switch in 2017. The game is an open-world adventure that reimagines what a Zelda game could be.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild (Cont.)
Gone were the usual linear dungeons and item gates. These were replaced by a physics-based playground where creativity became the player's most potent weapon. This "open-air" gameplay philosophy has influenced countless games, including indie titles and AAA blockbusters.
Super Mario Odyssey (29.04 Million Copies)
The sales numbers for Super Mario Odyssey showcase Nintendo's ability to make its mascot relevant in every generation. Since October 2017, this 3D platformer has sent players globe-trotting through kingdoms as diverse as a metropolitan city, a food-based scenario, and a moon colony.
Super Mario Odyssey - Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017 Trailer by Nintendo of America
Super Mario Odyssey (Cont.)
Each world hid hundreds of Power Moons, encouraging exploration and experimentation. Cappy, Mario's sentient hat companion, transformed the franchise by allowing possession of enemies and objects. Critics awarded the game good scores, with many calling it the finest 3D platformer ever crafted.
COLLECTING POWER MOONS! Super Mario Odyssey - Part 10 by AbdallahKids
Pokemon Sword And Shield (26.60 Million Copies)
Despite the "Dexit" outrage over the incomplete National Pokedex, these titles sold a staggering 26.60 million copies. Set in the UK-inspired Galar region, the games introduced the Wild Area. This was a vast open zone where Pokemon roamed freely, visible in the overworld.
Pokemon Sword And Shield (Cont.)
Dynamaxing and Gigantamaxing became Sword and Shield's signature battle mechanics, temporarily supersizing Pokemon into towering titans with enhanced moves. The games also streamlined competitive play. This made building viable teams for online battles easier than ever.
Pokemon Sword and Shield Trailer - New Pokemon, Legendaries, Dynamax by IGN
Pokemon Scarlet And Violet (26.38 Million Copies)
Technical challenges couldn't stop these games from becoming commercial powerhouses. The games offer three distinct storylines: Victory Road (traditional Gym battles), Path of Legends (Titan Pokemon), and Starfall Street (Team Star). Here, players can freely explore the Paldea region.
VICTORY ROAD - Pokemon Scarlet Walkthrough by AbdallahKids
Pokemon Scarlet And Violet (Cont.)
That Terastal phenomenon, which crystallized Pokemon and potentially changed their types, added strategic depth to battles and collecting. Scarlet and Violet's academy setting introduced some of the series' most memorable characters and storylines, particularly the emotional "Path of Legends" quest.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: How To Complete The Path Of Legends Questline by TheGamer
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom (21.55 Million Copies)
Expanding upon greatness is no small task, yet this masterpiece managed to improve on its amazing predecessor in nearly every way. 2023’s sequel to Breath of the Wild has already amassed 21.55 million sales despite being one of the Switch's newer first-party titles.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Official Trailer #3 by Nintendo of America
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom (Cont.)
It added vertical exploration with sky islands and underground caverns, vastly increasing the massive world. Link's new Ultrahand, Fuse, Ascend, and Recall abilities changed gameplay, enabling unprecedented creativity. Players built working vehicles, complex machines, and ingenious weapons by combining objects throughout Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Official Trailer #3 by Nintendo of America
Super Mario Party (21.10 Million Copies)
Friendships are tested, while alliances are formed and broken. Super Mario Party revitalized Nintendo's multiplayer party series after several underwhelming entries. Released in 2018, this return to form abandoned the controversial car mechanic and restored individual movement on strategy-filled boards.
Super Mario Party - Launch Trailer (Nintendo Switch) by Nintendo UK
Super Mario Party (Cont.)
Super Mario Party uses Joy-Con motion controls in its 80+ minigames. Besides, River Survival mode introduced cooperative play to the traditionally competitive series, allowing friends to work together between competitive board games. People can experience various challenges that test their skills in different ways.
Super Mario Party - Launch Trailer (Nintendo Switch) by Nintendo UK
New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe (18.06 million copies)
Nintendo's strategy of porting Wii U games to the Switch paid dividends again with the New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe. This enhanced version of the 2012 Wii U launch title has sold about 18.06 million copies on Switch, which is nearly six times its original release.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe - Launch Trailer - Nintendo Switch by Nintendo of America
New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe (Cont.)
It was ideal for both nostalgic gamers and families because of its classic 2D platforming and easily accessible multiplayer for up to four players. Plus, the entrance of Toadette and her Peachette power-up provided a more accessible experience for younger or less experienced players.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe - Launch Trailer - Nintendo Switch by Nintendo of America
Nintendo Switch Sports (15.74 million copies)
Sixteen years after Wii Sports became a cultural phenomenon, this spiritual successor brought motion-controlled bowling, tennis, and chambara (swordplay) back to living rooms. It added volleyball, badminton, and soccer to the mix. The later addition of golf rounded out a package that emphasized accessibility over depth.
🏀 🏐 🏸 🎳 Nintendo Switch Sports ⚽ ⚔ 🎾 ⛳ – Full Overview Trailer by Nintendo UK
Nintendo Switch Sports (Cont.)
Individuals can join global leagues, earning points to advance through skill tiers in each sport. In spite of mixed critical reception, as some reviewers criticized the package as feeling somewhat sparse, numbers tell a different story. Nintendo Switch Sports includes six sports at launch.
🏀 🏐 🏸 🎳 Nintendo Switch Sports ⚽ ⚔ 🎾 ⛳ – Full Overview Trailer by Nintendo UK
Ring Fit Adventure (15.38 million copies)
A plastic ring and leg strap turned living rooms into gyms worldwide. Ring Fit Adventure's combination of RPG mechanics with genuine physical exercise proved prescient when gyms closed during the 2020 pandemic. Supplies became so scarce that the game sold for double its retail price on secondary markets.
Ring Fit Adventure Overview Trailer - Nintendo Switch by Nintendo of America
Ring Fit Adventure (Cont.)
Nintendo's history with fitness peripherals dates back to the Power Pad in 1988, but this game’s brilliance lies in its gameplay depth. Instead of simple minigames, players take on a lengthy adventure where exercise moves become attacks against enemies.
Ring Fit Adventure Overview Trailer - Nintendo Switch by Nintendo of America
Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu! And Let's Go, Eevee! (15.07 million copies)
Bridging the gap between Pokemon GO's mobile phenomenon and the mainline series was Game Freak's masterstroke with this beast. These remakes of 1998's Pokemon Yellow incorporated Pokemon GO's catching mechanics while retaining traditional battles. This created an entry point for millions of mobile gamers.
Pokemon Let's Go Eevee by videogamedunkey
Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu! And Let's Go, Eevee! (Cont.)
Depending on your version, the partner Pokemon system, Pikachu or Eevee, brought unprecedented bonding opportunities. Players could dress, pet, and interact with their companion, who rode perched on the trainer's shoulder throughout the adventure. Kanto region's familiar setting received a gorgeous visual overhaul.
Pokemon Let's Go Eevee by videogamedunkey
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl (15.06 million copies)
Outsourcing development proved fruitful when Nintendo handed 2006's Diamond and Pearl remakes to support studio ILCA instead of Game Freak. The resulting sales demonstrated players' appetite for faithful recreations of classic adventures. They preserved the pixel-perfect overworld proportions of the Nintendo DS originals.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Official Trailer by IGN
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl (Cont.)
Also, the Sinnoh region's return introduced a generation of younger players to one of the franchise's most ambitious mythologies. This was centered around legendary Pokemon that controls time (Dialga) and space (Palkia). The Grand Underground expanded from the original games, featuring larger caverns.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Official Trailer by IGN
Pokemon Legends: Arceus (14.83 Million Copies)
Set in the distant past of the Sinnoh region (then called Hisui), it reimagined core gameplay loops that had remained essentially unchanged since 1996. Players could be attacked directly by wild Pokemon, throw Poke Balls without initiating battles, and study creature behavior in something approaching a natural habitat.
Pokemon Legends Arceus - Official Trailer by IGN
Pokemon Legends: Arceus (Cont.)
Some individuals also joined the Galaxy Expedition Team in an era when humans feared Pokemon, and the concept of partnership between species was terrific. Most significantly, the game's Strong and Agile-style battle system introduced a turn-order manipulation mechanic that added strategic depth beyond type matchups.
Luigi's Mansion 3 (14.25 Million Copies)
Luigi's fearful personality shines through his exaggerated animations, crafting comedy through movement rather than dialogue. The game takes place in a luxurious but spooky hotel filled with themed floors, each having unique ghosts and challenges. You will find a medieval castle and a pirate ship.
Luigi’s Mansion 3 - Nintendo Switch Trailer - Nintendo E3 2019 by Nintendo of America
Luigi's Mansion 3 (Cont.)
The introduction of Gooigi—Luigi's gelatinous doppelganger—solved both gameplay and technical challenges. The ScareScraper and ScreamPark multiplayer modes extended replayability beyond the 15-hour campaign. Critics particularly praised the game's attention to interactive details, as nearly every object can be examined, vacuumed, or slammed.
Luigi’s Mansion 3 - Nintendo Switch Trailer - Nintendo E3 2019 by Nintendo of America
Splatoon 2 (13.60 Million Copies)
Within four months of the Switch launch, Nintendo delivered a sequel to its freshest new IP in decades. Splatoon 2's 13.60 million copies dramatically increased from its predecessor's 4.95 million on Wii U. This introduced the ink-based shooter to a much larger audience.
Splatoon 2 - Launch Trailer (Nintendo Switch) by Nintendo UK
Splatoon 2 (Cont.)
A family-friendly substitute for conventional shooters, the vibrant team-based gameplay prioritizes ink coverage over opponent elimination. Additionally, the Salmon Run cooperative mode became Splatoon 2's standout element, pitting teams of four against waves of increasingly difficult enemies and bosses.
Splatoon 2 - Launch Trailer (Nintendo Switch) by Nintendo UK
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (13.47 Million Copies)
Super Mario 3D World brought its isometric 3D platforming to Switch with increased movement speed and improved online multiplayer. However, the entrance of Bowser's Fury, a separate, open-world adventure, uplifted this port beyond simple remaster status. The feline theme developed cohesion between otherwise distinct experiences.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury - Overview Trailer - Nintendo Switch by Nintendo of America
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (Cont.)
Despite being short (three to six hours), Bowser's Fury's innovations influenced subsequent games. The adventure takes place in Lake Lapcat and displays a persistently angry Bowser who periodically emerges from the lake in kaiju form. Hence, the sunny environment turns into a stormy battlefield.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury - Overview Trailer - Nintendo Switch by Nintendo of America
Mario Party Superstars (12.89 Million Copies)
Fan feedback drove the development of Mario Party Superstars, with 12.89 million players loving its back-to-basics approach. After Super Mario Party abandoned online board gameplay, Superstars restored this feature and made it central to the experience. All five included boards were remastered classics from the Nintendo 64 era.
Mario Party Superstars – Launch Trailer (Nintendo Switch) by Nintendo UK
Mario Party Superstars (Cont.)
These were selected through careful analysis of fan-favorite polls and social media requests. Similarly, technical improvements addressed long-standing franchise issues. Full button control options allowed handheld play without relying on motion controls. Plus, the 100 included minigames span the entire franchise history, remastered with consistent control schemes.
Mario Party Superstars – Launch Trailer (Nintendo Switch) by Nintendo UK
Splatoon 3 (11.96 Million Copies)
The third entry sold 3.45 million copies in Japan during its first three days, the highest launch of any game in Japanese history. Splatoon 3 maintained the core ink-based shooting while also bringing in new features like the Tableturf Battle card game.
Splatoon 3 - Announcement Trailer - Nintendo Switch by Nintendo of America
Splatoon 3 (Cont.)
This deck-building, territory-control game translated the main game's ink-covering mechanics into a card game with 162 collectible cards. Meanwhile, the single-player "Return of the Mammalians" campaign had larger, more open levels and a story involving the return of mammals to the game's post-apocalyptic environment.
Splatoon 3 - Official Trailer by GameTrailers
Super Mario Bros Wonder (15.51 Million Copies)
Super Mario Bros Wonder arrived in October 2023 as the first all-new 2D Mario game in over a decade. The Wonder Flowers became this title's innovation, temporarily turning levels in unpredictable ways. For instance, pipes might come alive, gravity could reverse, or Mario might morph into a goomba.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder - Official Launch Trailer by IGN
Super Mario Bros Wonder (Cont.)
Those playable elephant transformations, standout performances from voice actor Kevin Afghani as both Mario and Luigi, and the addition of online multiplayer helped modernize the 2D formula. Director Takashi Tezuka worked on the original Super Mario Bros in 1985.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder - Official Launch Trailer by IGN
Super Mario 3D All-Stars (9.07 Million Copies)
Limited availability brought artificial scarcity when Nintendo released Super Mario 3D All-Stars as a six-month release to celebrate Mario's 35th anniversary. From September 2020 to March 2021, the Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy collection sold over 9 million copies.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars - Announcement Trailer - Nintendo Switch by Nintendo of America
Super Mario 3D All-Stars (Cont.)
It was then permanently removed from the eShop. Super Mario 64's release established a camera system and movement mechanics. Besides, Super Mario Sunshine's FLUDD water mechanic from 2002 provided its most divisive but ambitious adventure. Also, Super Mario Galaxy takes players on a cosmic adventure through various galaxies.
