We're getting pretty used to sharing Switch success stories these days, but here's another for you: Nintendo's hybrid machine was the best-selling console of April in the US and remains the best-selling system of 2019 so far.
The news comes from US games industry analyst Mat Piscatella, who has shared a thread of new data on Twitter. He notes that Switch "was the best-selling hardware platform of both April as well as year-to-date across both unit and dollar sales", and that the Neon Red/Blue Switch bundle is the best-selling individual hardware item of 2019.
Mortal Kombat 11 was the best-selling game of April, with the highest performing Nintendo-published title being Super Smash Bros. Ultimate which took fifth place. Mortal Kombat 11's dominance came from every platform it released on, hitting number one across the board. Piscatella notes that this is the first time a third-party published game was the best-seller for any given month on Switch since Ubisoft released Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle at the end of August 2017.
The top ten sellers for both Switch and 3DS have also been shared:
Top 10 Nintendo Switch Games (US, April 2019)
- Includes physical and full game digital sales for publishers in the Digital Leader Panel
- Ranked on dollar sales
1) Mortal Kombat 11
2) Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
3) Yoshi's Crafted World
4) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
5) New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
6) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
7) Super Mario Party
8) Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster
9) Super Mario Odyssey
10) Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04 VR Kit
Top 10 Nintendo 3DS Games (US, April 2019)
- Includes physical and full game digital sales for publishers in the Digital Leader Panel
- Ranked on dollar sales
1) Pokémon Ultra Sun
2) Pokémon Ultra Moon
3) The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D
4) Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS
5) Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
6) Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn
7) Detective Pikachu
8) Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser's Jr's Journey
9) Mario Kart 7
10) Super Mario 3D Land
Do you think Switch will continue to be so successful throughout 2019? Did you buy any of these top-selling games last month? Let us know in the comments.
[source twitter.com]
Comments 35
God, I would love actual numbers.
It's nice to see that the Switch continues to do well this year despite a pretty quiet start to the year in terms of first party software. Look forward to seeing how things go once the likes of Mario Maker, Fire Emblem, Animal Crossing, Pokemon and Link's Awakening release.
I'm interested to see what the breakdown of sales is for MK11. I'd imagine that the game is more suited towards the PS4/XBox communities, but with the Switch having a high user base and less 'mature' fighting games available, I can see it still being sought after.
Good, I like to see strong third party sales on Nintendo platforms. It means developers will support us more. Good job to everyone who bought MK 11 on the switch
Watch out PS4, Switch is coming for your World Wide Lifetime sales to become the #1 selling Console of this Generation.
@BacklogBlues it already did, i think, atleast in japan
Yes @jockmahon it sure did in Japan.
@Caryslan Yes, good to see a third party at number 1, though that and Final Fantasy are the only ones across the two lists.
Also good to see Labo TC4 make the top ten.
The Switch is capitalizing on the PS4 and Xbone's final years. A good strategy.
But man, some of the games coming to Switch this year have me so pumped. In the same year we are getting Fire Emblem, Pokemon, Animal Crossing, Luigi's Mansion, and Mario Maker. It's incredible!
I own all Nintendo Switch Games, except Final Fantasy and the Labo VR Kit, in the top 10 list!!! I must say, they are all Masterpieces!!!!
All 10 top 3ds games are all made by Nintendo
8 of the 10 top Switch games are made by Nintendo.
Fantastic to see MK11 up there even after the awful marketing for it.
Publisher release something worth the price and gamer's time - it will sell. Invest, and there is money to be made.
Err, if not outselling the PS4 at this point it would be crazy. PS4 is about to catch up to the Wii - so already at the top end of what it can sell into the market.
It's amazing how great MK11 is doing, Switch users have proven they want the best games in the platform!
Surprised Final Fantasy 10 is so high. That's pretty good if you think about how rocky the relationship between Square and Nintendo was in the 90s.
@BenAV and Luigi's Mansion 3 also Astral Chain
See NetherRealm this is why y'all need to port MK9, MK XL, Shaolin Monks, and Injustice 2 to Switch. The Switch is your money making machine now and that Switch version of Mortal Kombat 11 though looks uglier on Switch was a ton of fun to play as the control is tight and gameplay were smooth. We need more of that.
April 2019 US hardware sales:
NSW: 227,000
PS4: 148,000
XBO: 106,000
The Switch sold 170,000 units in the US in April 2018, so sales grew 33%+ YoY. Not surprising, given sales from Jan - Mar 2019
@rhyeee3216 Yep, for sure. I don't necessarily expect Astral Chain to have massive sales numbers but the game does look really awesome, I'm excited for it.
Glad to see that MK11 did well on the platform. I enjoyed it regardless of the progression system.
Great to see a third party game at number one for the Switch. Well done MK11!!! We need much more of occurrences like this happening....
@BenAV usually early parts of the years starts quiet for games but starting next month to decembers there alot of games coming for switch including more unannounce ones at e3/treehouse event.
@RiasGremory I've only bought one first party title (Yoshi) in five months so it's felt abnormally quiet even for early in the year. Unlike the Wii U days though, there's still been tons of great third party/indie titles releasing on a regular basis though so there's never a shortage of games to play even when Nintendo's not releasing much themselves. Rest of the year is going to be crazy though, so many good games on the way.
Impressive! I think what surprises me the most is how well Super Mario 3D Land is selling after all this time. Though most games that have a certain plumber in them tend to do well....
I am happy that MK11 did so well (despite being my most loathed franchise) as I hope that more 3rd parties push for parity in releases. If it is optimized, people will buy it.
Pokémon is completely out of the top ten of the switch while it dominate the 3DS charts
The movie is pushing Detective Pikachu up the charts which is nice to see
Somewhat unrelated, but does anyone in the UK know if the Switch release there requires the same gargantuan download patch as it did when it launched in the US?
@Tyranexx
It helps that the game is fantastic too.
The neon variation is such an eyesore. Too bad they don't exploit the different joy con colors like Nintendo did in the 90s.
@BacklogBlues I think once the Switch gets around the $200 price point it will approach PS4 numbers, but I would be very surprised if it overtakes the PS4. Console gaming in Japan has been declining for years due to mobile.
Well, how about that? Release quality games, get sales in quantity! Impressive, considering MK11 came out late April. I'm sure there are others, like me, that haven't got around to buying it yet.
@Tantani
Ummm...
These are the April sales rankings. Detective Pikachu released in May.
And I'm fairly Let's Go is comfortably outselling Ultra Sun/Moon even if it isn't charting among the Top 10 best-selling Switch titles. Overall 3DS software sales have fallen to near non-existence.
@westman98 I know, but the hype around the movie pushed it up
And I am sure of that to, let’s go should be around 11 million by now probably....
I wonder how well Pokémon sword and shield will sell, and how well will Town sale
The switch is already selling like hot cakes, I wonder what will happened in the rest of the year
@Tantani
I don't think Detective Pikachu was big enough to push Switch or 3DS game sales a month before its release.
Sword/Shield should be a 15+ million seller (as usual for new mainline Pokemon games) unless it sucks i.e. it's Metacritic score is below 80 - less than that of Let's Go.
@MysticGengar I agree! It and Ocarina of Time 3D are what pushed me to get my first 3DS back in early 2012. I got the red unit bundled with the SM3DL game.
(I wanted the OoT bundle, but it was already out of stock by the time I could pony up the cash. I was a poor college student then)
@westman98 Better comment than Nintendo Life`s article. Well done.
It's actually quite awesome to see a gory, violent 3rd party fighting game as the top seller on the Switch. Something you would never have seen on the Wii U. Nintendo has definitely turned a leaf with the Switch. It is much like the glory days of the SNES again.
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