Smash

Nintendo has shared lists of the best-selling eShop games of 2018 in Japan, providing us with a good look at which games were the most popular in the gaming giant's homeland.

Each of the two lists below shows the top 30 most-downloaded games from the eShop during the year 2018. The first list shows exclusively download-only software, while the second is made up of digital sales of games which were also released at retail. You can also see the publisher and original Japanese release date for each game.

Download-Only Software - Top 30

  1. Human: Fall Flat (Teyon Japan) [28.12.2017]
  2. Stardew Valley (Chucklefish) [11.1.2018]
  3. Puyo Puyo eSports (SEGA) [25.10.2018]
  4. Overcooked! Special Edition (Team17) [12.10.2017]
  5. Hollow Knight (Team Cherry) [13.6.2018]
  6. Futari de! Nyanko Dai Sensou (Ponos) [20.12.2018]
  7. Arcade Archives VS. Super Mario Bros. (Hamster) [22.12.2017]
  8. Dragon Quest X All-In-One Package (Square-Enix) [21.9.2017]
  9. Minna de Kuuki Yomi (G-Mode) [30.8.2018]
  10. Wizard of Legend (Humble Bundle) [15.5.2018]
  11. Dead Cells (Motion Twin) [07.8.2018]
  12. ICEY (X.D. Network) [31.5.2018]
  13. Resident Evil Revelations 2 (Capcom) [30.11.2017]
  14. Snipperclips: Cut it out, together (Nintendo) [03.3.2017]
  15. Mom Hid My Game! (hap) [21.12.2017]
  16. Golf Story (Flyhigh Works) [09.3.2018]
  17. NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 3 Full Burst HD (Bandai-Namco) [26.4.2018]
  18. Detention (PLAYISM) [01.3.2018]
  19. Senran Kagura Reflexions (Marvelous) [24.11.2017]
  20. Gorogoa (Annapurna Interactive) [21.12.2017]
  21. Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (Inti Creates) [24.5.2018]
  22. Ultimate Chicken Horse (Clever Endeavour Games) [25.9.2018]
  23. Guns, Gore & Cannoli (Flyhigh Works) [01.2.2018]
  24. Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 (Capcom) [24.5.2018]
  25. Nine Parchments (Frozenbyte) [07.12.2017]
  26. EARTH WARS (oneoreight) [25.1.2018]
  27. Valkyria Chronicles (SEGA) [27.9.2018]
  28. The Escapists 2 (Team17) [09.8.2018]
  29. Ikaruga (Pikii) [30.5.2018]
  30. Voxel Shot (SAT-BOX) [19.4.2018]

Retail Releases - Digital Sales Top 30

  1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo) [07.12.2018]
  2. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo) [28.4.2017]
  3. Overcooked! 2 (Team17) [07.8.2018]
  4. Splatoon 2 (Nintendo) [21.7.2017]
  5. Super Mario Party (Nintendo) [05.10.2018]
  6. Octopath Traveler (Square-Enix) [13.7.2018]
  7. Kirby Star Allies (Nintendo) [16.3.2018]
  8. Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! (The Pokémon Company) [17.11.2018]
  9. Minecraft (Microsoft Japan) [21.6.2018]
  10. Mario Tennis Aces (Nintendo) [22.6.2018]
  11. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild [03.3.2017]
  12. Undertale (8-4) [15.9.2018]
  13. Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! (The Pokémon Company) [17.11.2018]
  14. Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum ‘n’ Fun! (Bandai-Namco) [19.7.2018]
  15. Super Mario Odyssey (Nintendo) [27.10.2017]
  16. FIFA 18 (Electronic Arts) [29.9.2017]
  17. 1-2-Switch (Nintendo) [03.3.2017]
  18. Bayonetta (Nintendo) [17.2.2018]
  19. Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 (Capcom) [26.7.2018]
  20. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Nintendo) [01.12.2017]
  21. Dragon Quest Builders 2 (Square-Enix) [20.12.2018]
  22. Dragon Quest Builders (Square-Enix) [01.3.2018]
  23. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Nintendo) [03.5.2018]
  24. Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate (Capcom) [25.8.2017]
  25. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Nintendo) [13.7.2018]
  26. Super Bomberman R (Konami) [03.3.2017]
  27. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (Nintendo) [18.1.2018]
  28. Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle (Capcom) [20.9.2018]
  29. DEEMO (Flyhigh Works) [21.9.2017]
  30. ARMS (Nintendo) [16.6.2017]

It was also recently revealed that Nintendo Switch exclusives made up the vast majority of Japan's best selling physical games.

Did any of the titles listed above surprise you? Anything missing that you thought might be featured? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

[source nintendo.co.jp]