
Nintendo has released its final financial report for the fiscal year ending March 2023, giving us an updated look at the best-selling games on Switch.
With the last report back in February, we were impressed to see Pokémon Scarlet and Violet bursting into the top-ten list despite only one month of data being available for the game, and this time we can see that Game Freak's latest is holding the exact same spot with a total of 22.10 million units to its name (as of March 2023).
In fact, almost the entire list is the same as last quarter, with the exception of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! & Let's Go, Eevee!, which slides off the top 10 thanks to the appearance of New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe which jumps into 9th place with a cool 15.41 units sold, pushing Ring Fit Adventure into 10th.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe remains unbeaten at the top of the list, improving from the last report's 52 million units to reach an eye-watering 53.79 million copies sold — will it ever slow down?
Top Ten Best-Selling Nintendo Switch Games (As Of March 2023):
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - 53.79 million (up from 52.00 million)
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons - 42.21 million (up from 41.59 million)
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - 31.09 million (up from 30.44 million)
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - 29.81 million (up from 29.00 million)
- Pokémon Sword and Shield - 25.82 million (up from 25.68 million)
- Super Mario Odyssey - 25.76 million (up from 25.12 million)
- Pokémon Scarlet & Violet - 22.10 million (up from 20.61 million)
- Super Mario Party - 19.14 million (up from 18.79 million)
- New Super Mario Bros. Deluxe - 15.41 million
- Ring Fit Adventure - 15.38 million (up from 15.22 million)
The numbers above are worldwide sales, combining retail, digital, and copies bundled with hardware.
How many of the top ten do you own this time around? Impressed by Scarlet and Violet's numbers? Thought it might have caught up with Sword and Shielf by now? Let us know in the comments.
[source nintendo.co.jp]
Comments 57
Thanks for the visit Ring Fit, but your time in the top 10 best-selling switch titles is nearly done.
It's DEFINITELY time for a new 2d mario if a barebones port of one can break into the top 10 (and outmatch odyssey in quarterly sales).
I definitely want to see Tears of the Kingdom up there once the next report drops in about 3 months
Those Ring Fit sales are craaazy considering that it's essentially only available as a physical product.
I would also love to see the Wii Fit series make a comeback. I loved the use of the Balance Board and the really neat pedometer accessory that came with the sadly overlooked Wii Fit U back in the day.
I'm also disappointed to see that Scarlet/Violet have sold that well when Legends Arceus was the best main(ish) entry since Gen V and S/V are likely to at least double its sales in spite of what a joyless, broken mess they've been. The fact that Sword/Shield look and play better than their sequel is frankly a little pathetic.
Super Mario Party's sales are also a little surprising considering that they aren't playable on Lite models (at least not without separate Joy Con). I enjoyed my time with it for the most part, but I find the pacing to be just a little too sluggish when playing solo. A fast-forward option for CPU players would have been greatly appreciated. I haven't played Superstars to any real length yet to compare the two, but I generally favour motion controls as I find them to be more fun when it comes to these sorts of experiences, but it's nevertheless nice to have a "buttons only" alternative for Lite owners and perhaps those with mobility issues.
I own the entire top 10 and have more or less completed them all too (minus Ring Fit, as I'm such a lazy bugger).
@chapuH : We already sort of got one through Super Mario Maker 2, but I would like to see Nintendo shake things up a little as the "New" series has long worn out its novelty.
I have these games:
1. Animal Crossing New Horizons
2. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
3. Super Mario Odyssey
4. Pokemon Sword
5. Pokemon Violet
Peoples should give more love for ARMS.
I was hoping to see a bigger number for actual Switch sales as Youtubers and analysts predicted it would overtake the PS2 to be the highest selling console ever.
But 20m more now seems far too much for it.
Will also add these relatively new games from the report, for those interested:
Pokemon Legends: Arceus – 14.83 million
Splatoon 3 – 10.67 million
Kirby and the Forgotten Land – 6.46 million
Fire Emblem Engage – 1.61 million
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe – 1.46 million
Metroid Prime Remastered – 1.09 million
Bayonetta 3 – 1.07 million
@Jalex__64 You forgot Fire Emblem Engage which is at 1.61 million.
Mario 3D world definately deserves to be in the Top 5, more so than NSMBDU actually.
I also wish Captain Toad had done better so we could have a sequel...
@Joker1234 Thanks, have added this now 👍
Don't forget total software sales have breached 1 billion units. This is the first time ever a Nintendo console has shifted over 1 billion units on a single platform.
@Jalex__64 I expected more from Prime Remastered to be honest.
@arabiansanchez Yep, it's pretty disappointing considering the hype at launch with the shadow drop etc, but I guess this is the reason we've not seen a new game in the franchise for so long.
Nintendo were right, sadly but at least we are still guaranteed at least one more game in MP4, which is a lot more than can be said for some of their classic IPs, many of which have lain dormant for decades at this point.
Edit: Who knows, maybe if Metroid Prime 4 launches with the new console, it could get a boost in sales ala Breath of the Wild, thereby saving the franchise from extinction. Stranger things have happened..
I own only 6 of those games (never could get into Pokemon, parties or exercise) but seeing that bayonetta and metroid only sold 1 million makes me sad. Im afraid to see “Cereza and the lost demon” sales numbers
@Jalex__64 Well I still loved it. Probably still in my top 5 games ever. Hopefully MP4 Will manage something more in line with Dread.
Ring Fit could overtake NSMD and secure it's place in the top 10. It's still selling.
@Jalex__64 Thanks for this. I actually thought Splatoon 3 would hit 15 million but I guess it isn't as big as I thought it was. I still love it the most of any of the 1st party games.
@arabiansanchez Absolutely, the more gamers that Nintendo can reach with its diversity of IPs, the better IMHO.
@SoIDecidedTo Happy to help. It is a little surprising considering how popular 2 was in Japan, in particular.
@Jalex__64 Those numbers for Metroid Prime Remastered are disappointing, but to be fair, I feel like with the shadow drop and minimal marketing, it is not too bad.
I feel like Metroid never catches a break. I am just hoping it doesn't become the next F-Zero.
@Jalex__64 just imagine how much more diverse it would be if f-zero, metroid, and starfox actually sold
@Jalex__64 wow splatoon 3 sales dropped off a cliff after that massive opening. I guess it’s ea combination of everyone who wanted it already has it and updates not really drawing in new players.
@MS7000 all people care about is mario and his spinoffs, pokemon, and zelda. but i guess thats considered diverse.
Looks like the evergreen titles are showing down
@Jalex__64 a shadowdrop doesn’t deliver the same sales as when you’re building hype for months for a game. Nintendo should and probably will do that with metroid prime 4.
I am very curious for the Ring Fit Adventure successor.
Wonder if we'll get some updated sales numbers later for the likes of Metroid Prime remaster, Bayonetta 3, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Splatoon 3 etc. Could be interesting to see how well those have fared.
As for the top 10 itself Mario Kart is still doing really well. The rest not that well (but still decent I suppose). Things are starting to really slow down for the Switch in general (both in hardware and software)
When Nintendo will announce a successor I'm not sure, though I think it won't have a release date later than spring 2024 (and it could come out as early as the holidays 2023).
The fact that Nintendo haven't taken advantage of the Mario movie releasing, by actually releasing some new Mario games could point to a holiday 2023 release of the Switch successor.
There'd still be some buzz left from the movie and a new Mario game(s) for the Switch successor could help move a healthy number of new consoles early on.
@Jalex__64 Thank you! I'm much more interested in these figures as the top 10 hardly changed. How much did Xenoblade Chronicles 3 sell by any chance?
@Dizzymario I've played Splatoon 2 the most out of any game on my Switch. I did not buy Splatoon 3. My friends who also put in 300 or 400+ hours on 2 also did not buy 3. We all tried the Splat test or whatever the demo was called. Had numerous drops in connection and weird glitches. Put us off buying it. The recent direct announcing the dlc didn't interest us at all. Nintendo should have done more to continue the momentum that Splatoon 2 created.
those sales for Metroid Prime Remastered are quite disapointing, i was expecting at least 2 milions for the game to sold, given how amazing it was praised
@Giancarlothomaz Yeah, I remember it being in the top spot on the european eShop for weeks prior to the physical edition releasing, so that seems rather weak and under my expectations.
Also Bayonetta 3 only selling an additional ~30.000 copies in 3 month is quite bad imo.
A new 2D Mario is long overdue and I still want to hope one could show up soon, maybe even as Nintendo's big game for the end of the year.
No Pokemon Scarlet or violet backlash I see.
@Axecon Xenoblade Chronicles 3 currently sits at 1.86 million lifetime sales 👍
@Jalex__64 That's only ~50.000 copies sold in 3 month, that's not what I would call great "legs".
I'm starting to lean more and more towards Nintendo releasing their Switch successor this holiday already.
@shgamer Indeed. I'll be picking up the Switch again for TOTK, after largely abandoning it due to so many less than stellar 3rd party ports in recent years, and I know I'm not the only one in this boat.
Most of these titles I am fortunate enough to play on a high end PC these days but I strongly suspect a holiday release of a backwards compatible 'Switch 2' would be widely welcomed by most Switch owners, and I for one would snap it up in a heartbeat.
If Nintendo can win back some love from third party publishers with a PS4 - PS4 Pro equivalent console release this year, it would be fantastic, as the gap between Switch and PS5 is simply too wide to breech right now.
It's time.
I played some New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe with the son of a family friend over the weekend. He's 6 years old and loves it. 2D Mario is accessible for people of all ages and gaming experience.
Pokemon Violet/Scarlet will probably pass Sword/S at some point which kinda bums me out. People like to hate on S/S but to me it is objectively a better Pokemon.
While it's nice to updated sales for those games there's nothing particularly surprising in the top 10 (except for New Super Mario Bros. Deluxe and even then only relatively so since it's Mario) so thanks to @Jalex__64 and @Joker1234 for adding those other games from the report which are much more interesting to me and others as well!
@JimNorman There's a round bracket missing here: "Ring Fit Adventure - 15.38 million (up from 15.22 million". It's a minor typo, but still wanted to let you know if you feel like correcting it.
@shgamer they have also reported the sales of those games, Xeno 3 almost 2 million copies, Prime Remastered a bit further of a million, but more than Bayo 3. The successor will launch on 2025, and for the holidays this year, they will put out a Mario game, for sure.
Yeah, Jalex__64 (and Joker1234) provided the sales numbers of this and other games in posts #7, 8 and 33. I just compared the numbers from the januar-march quarter to the quarter prior to see how well they had done in those 3 month
Just for fun, I added up the Top 10 games sales - 280,510,000 sales. That's almost 1/3 alone of their software sales (1,000,000,000) and definitely over 1/4.
If they dropped the price on some of these permanently, those numbers would be even higher. But instead they made the resale value of these games more profitable for the used game market.
From this Top-10 I only like:
I don´t have fun playing the other 8..so i did not buy...
@Sisilly_G What you've said about Super Mario Maker 2 is justifiable, but if I wanted to make my own, say, Super Mario Bros 4, it would inevitably take significantly longer (being less skilled) and lower quality (having access to limited, already existing parts).
This is not to demean SMM2 at all (which is one of my most played games), just to say that I trust Nintendo a lot more than myself.
@chapuH : Oh, I wasn't referring to the fact that you could theoretically make a new Super Mario game with it, but to its included single player campaign.
I haven't even bothered trying making any new levels of my own as they'd most likely be rubbish. I was crazy for just about any game with a level editor when I was a kid, but that passion seems to have evaporated in my adult years.
Pokemon S and V was a joke. What a horrible game
I guess I shoudn't be surprised with Scarlet/Violet's sales - probably a lot of parents just buying the next game in the series for their kids. Those are also great numbers for Kirby.
@Sisilly_G Holy crap, completely forgot about the single player🙃
Still, even with experienced developers making the levels, theyre still restricted in terms of the tool available (e.g. enemies, gadgets, power up).
I wish Metroid would get numbers like that, even a quarter of 10th has done better than the best Metroid selling Metroid game.
@Sisilly_G What exactly do you want for 2D Mario? We haven't gotten an NSMB game in over a decade.
@epicgamner
I think they are already working on the next one. They come out with a new one every year. Or dlc. All they want is your cash and churn out as much as possible.
@Jalex__64 @arabiansanchez Its only been one month. Sales were for end of March and the remaster came out at the middle of February. That's actually pretty impressive for Metroid but yeah, by other IP remaster standards. Links Awakenings remake hit 3 mil in a fraction of that time.
@GinMiguel I mean it’s fine; I just expected more. I think whoever wanted it would’ve picked it up at the shadow drop or was itching (like me) waiting on the physical release. I could be wrong but I don’t suspect the sales would be much higher now.
Perhaps a fraction of the potential audience just didn’t feel the need to invest because the original versions are still a good experience. Metroid Prime 4 would almost certainly do better business.
@ThomasCasson It's pretty unlikely at this point. If you look at the tracking sales websites it's behind the DS as well at this point in its life. I could be wrong but, I'll say it won't DS or PS2 at the current state of things.
@Itakiteacher Its sad because I would of loved that! Records are meant to be be broken and I dont think Nintendo will have a better shot at it. Christmas 2022 was less then they expected. A quite big fall from the year before. Wonder what makes the DS so good in its 7th year and the Switch not? The DS didnt sell 1 Billion in software! Yet its slowing in hardware..
@Dev9417
We need a new 2d mario like we need another 4 years of Biden. It makes no sense and won't drive new console sales. They need quality over anything if they are looking to overtake Playstation as the top selling console. Great games drive console sales or they can even go with more features on the switch to lure customers in. Bring Netflix, prime video and or cable provider streaming(xfinity). If it had a real web browser that'd be a plus for them too. There's definitely ways to prolong the switch's life if nintendo wants to make the most out of their most successful console, they should take every chance to do so.
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