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It’s cliche’ to say that ‘records are made to be broken’. When they do get broken, there isn’t much more to say other than that though. Unless an asterisk should accompany the new record holder. Just like Barry Bonds’ home run title in baseball, I believe that an asterisk should be placed next to Wii Sports.
I should preface the rest of this story by stating that the statistics for the current best selling game ever record was compiled by VGChartz. They might not provide “official” numbers, but it’s hard to argue that Wii Sports wouldn’t be the best selling game at the moment. The reason for putting an asterisk next to Wii Sports’ title is that it’s a game that comes bundled with the Nintendo Wii.
People aren’t going out to pick up Wii Sports because it’s a ‘must have’ game. Super Mario Bros. was #1 on the list, which came bundled with the NES later in the console’s life. The game was a stand-alone product for sometime before the bundle though. In most of the major territories, Wii Sports hasn’t been available to purchase through retail.
Super Mario Bros. was easily sitting at its #1 spot, with 40.24 million units sold. Wii Sports has now sold 40.54 million. I think the most impressive game in the Top 5, is the Pokemon Red / Green / Blue sitting at #3. All the other games in the Top 5 were console launch titles, or bundled with hardware. The Pokemon titles weren’t released until later in the Gameboy’s life span, and during its heyday wasn’t bundled.
Here’s the full Top 10 according to VGChartz:
1. Wii Sports 40.52 (million units sold)
2. Super Mario Bros. 40.24
3. Pokemon Red/Blue/Green 31.38
4. Tetris 30.26
5. Duck Hunt 28.31
6. Pokemon Gold/Silver 23.11
7. Nintendogs 21.37
8. Super Mario World 20.61
9. Wii Play 19.68
10. Super Mario Land 18.14
Nintendo holds the entire Top 10 to themselves. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is the first game to appear on the list that isn’t a Nintendo game, which is at #11 with 17.61 million sold.
via: VGChartz
January 5th, 2009 at 11:13 am
I have to disagree: Wii Sports is absolutely a must-have game for the Wii in many (even most) households. Yes, it’s a bundled pack-in – glad it was and not Wii Play (which also made the list). Wii Sports is the only video game I know that my parents, kids, and I can all play and all enjoy (albeit on different levels).
Anyway, Super Mario Bros was also a bundled game (as were some of the other titles). That doesn’t discredit it from being on the list either. It just means Nintendo knows how to move consoles and games. Still, I can certainly understand and agree with wanting to see a list of top-sellers that does not include any bundled games (or at least major bundles created by the console maker).
January 5th, 2009 at 11:35 am
I believe that the NES was released in North America with Super Mario Bros. bundled; or at least there was a bundled version available at launch (or shortly thereafter). I would argue that the vast majority of Super Mario Bros. games were sold bundled with an NES and not purchased as a stand-alone game.
Duck Hunt was also sold (along with Super Mario Bros.) bundled with an NES and zapper combo that was very popular when NES sales really took off. Super Mario World was bundled with the SNES at launch.
Finally, in Japen (where Wii sales are very high as you can imagine) and Korea, Wii Sports is not bundled with the console.
So I would argue that either none of the games on this list get an asterisk, or at least three or four others need to as well.
http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/15influential/p6_01.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii_launch
January 5th, 2009 at 11:39 am
I agree that because the game was bundled with The Nintendo Wii, it is must have. There’s also no denying that the game reaches out to just about anyone who likes to have fun. I played Wii Sports a bit over the Christmas, and New Years break.
My point though, is that if Wii Sports had just been a launch title instead of a bundle the numbers would have been way different. With Super Mario Bros., unless I’m mistaken it was only bundled with the the North American release, as Japan had the Famicom two years prior to the US launch. Also, Super Mario Bros. was sold as a separate cartridge as well so you have to factor that in.
I thought the most amazing part of the list though, is that the entire Top 10 is dominated by Nintendo. I thought some of the PC games would have been sprinkled throughout. That just goes to show the mighty power of Nintendo.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:51 am
@Teddy
I already mentioned what I meant by “bundled” in my post. I probably should have elaborated on that further.
It is correct that Wii Sports isn’t bundled with the Nintendo Wii in Japan. If you look at VGChartz’s numbers though, Super Mario Bros. sales double that of Wii Sports. Actually Super Mario Bros. is still king for North America, and Japan. It’s the “Others” category where the Nintendo Wii has taken off. This is undoubtedly for the European territories, where the NES wasn’t nearly as available as the Nintendo Wii is.
These stats will definitely change toward the end of the Wii’s life cycle though. It will be very interesting to see if Wii Sports can pass Super Mario Bros. in Japan and NA when all is said and done.
January 6th, 2009 at 9:36 am
I definitely hope you post about it when/if that point comes (that Wii Sports surpasses SMB in Japan and NA). I guess it depends on what the next 3-4 years bring, but the Wii really has been a smash hit.
It would be hard for me to imagine that not happening, unless Nintendo pulls an Apple and obsoletes their best-selling product while it still appears to be at its prime. Does Nintendo have a history of doing that? Not that I know of…
January 6th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
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January 7th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
i love what this proves MOTION PLAY IS THE FUTURE if it isn’t then why the sales
its just more evidence against game rapists microsoft and sony to how out of touch they are and there fans
January 7th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
halo halo 2 not in there with all the hype and all the free included bundles those numbers really do drive home the x tard mentallity