While hardware results have slowed due to a certain level of critical mass, the 3DS remains a major success story in Japan, in particular. Along with the release of the New Nintendo 3DS — which is helping the portable maintain its dominance in the hardware charts for the country — there have been a host of major releases that have set the retail scene alight. Nintendo's recent run of first- and third-party exclusives on the system have also, it's been announced, set a new record.
Nintendo has stated that the 3DS is the first system to have four games sell over two million copies each over a space of just five months in Japan, an impressive achievement that demonstrates the strong run that the portable has enjoyed. You can probably guess the four games in question, but they're listed below nevertheless.
- Yokai Watch 2
- Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
- Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
- Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
That marks an impressive year for the 3DS, and takes it into second place (for recent platforms) in terms of the total number of double million sellers in Japan; it has time yet to claim top spot, of course, and the numbers are below.
Nintendo DS — 14
Nintendo 3DS — 10
Wii — 8
Game Boy Advance — 2
In the same press release Nintendo also announced that, with a bump from New Nintendo 3DS sales, the portable has now sold over 17 million units in Japan alone.
We're still waiting for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and any form of Yokai Watch in the West; both have the potential to perform well, with Capcom no doubt especially hopeful that the latest Monster Hunter title will provide a significant breakthrough outside of Japan.
[source nintendo.co.jp, via siliconera.com]
Comments 17
It's certainly impressive, and with another Yokai Watch game out this weekend I'm sure there will be another million seller this time next week. I don't think you can say 3DS sales have slowed down just because everyone already has one however. Until it's the top selling piece of hardware of all time, you can't really say there's nobody left to buy them.
What was GBA's 2?
@Peach64 My general feeling is that, with mobile booming in Japan, it's at that stage where it'll continue to lead in Japan but not go mad. Sales of New Nintendo 3DS are decent, for example, but not mind-blowing either. It's a world of lowered sales expectations, I think.
@baba_944 I'm guessing it was Pokemon RSE and Pokemon RFLG.
EDIT: Yup. And there were 3 if you count RS and Emerald separately.
It just shows you that even in today's market for video games, there can still be success, just not on the level of the DS and Wii era.
@SpookyMeths Thank you. I've actually thought it'd be two of the "Super Mario Advance" series.
@Peach64 There's a third? They need to slow down after this one.
Monster Hunter 4U belongs on the WiiU.
I was going to comment - but what about world sales? - then realized only 2 of the 4 have launched internationally. Which I cant blame on Nintendo b/c they aren't their games.
On the upside, new 3DS should be helped out next year when these do head west.
Funny thing, no 3DS games for my kids this holiday. None last year either. When they want 3DS games they are always Day 1 or nothing. Pokemon ASOR and SSB43DS were both Day 1 so the systems are still getting used daily. I don't think anything on the horizon interests them though. I think this kind of shows once again NINTENDO doesn't have enough workforce to support 2 consoles, 2015 is obviously all about Wii U, there are 5 or 6 games they want on that this year. 3DS will get Majora's Mask (a probably long in the making remake) and MH4U (which dspite having U at the end of it's name isn't coming out on Wii U). And STEAM. And probbaly a Pokemon game.
And I would guess a MAJOR 3DS game announcement for amiibo. Why build NFC support under the bortom screens of new 3DS w/o a major game announcement?
@rjejr
Two of the four, the two Nintendo games Smash 3D and ORAS.
And I still want either of the Yokai Watch games. It is taking forever and those could be huge in the West if marketed right.
@sinalefa - See, this is why I shouldn't post before I drink caffeine in the morning. What a drag it is getting old. Thanks for the correction, I'll go fix it now.
@rjejr
No problem. And this is off topic, but I caved in and ordered HW. A friend found it on Amazon for 48 bucks new and we both bit. Now I just need to get the season pass before the DDP is over.
@sinalefa - That's funny, I was just telling my son this moring we really should get back to playing HW since we spent $20 on the DLC and haven't been playing it much (he wants to spend $4 on Minecraft Skyrim pack). SSBU kept us occupied a bit, and we're playing Rayman Legends now. Rayman Legends is awesome 3 player, asynchronous gameplay can actually work.
It's always nice to see that the 3DS is doing so well. There's a reason I love mine so much.
Also, can't wait for Yokai Watch to come to the west. I've become so enamoured with Level 5 the last few years, but their games take unbelievably long to come to Europe. Besides Yokai, I'm still waiting for that second Inazuma Go game...
Great job
LOVE HW, Adventure mode is where its at, too bad it didn't sell as well as it should!
"over two million copies each over a space of just five months in Japan"
That sounds strangely specific. I mean I get that the games have sold really well but that seems overly qualified, like, "yeah this team scored more goals on overcast Tuesdays and Saturdays than any other team that had yellow socks and black shoes, in their age group."
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