Nintendo Switch games completely dominated the weekly top 30 charts in Japan from August 2nd to August 8th, 2021.
As reported by Famitsu, the best selling title of the month was the Switch version of Minecraft with 14,912 copies, followed by the remastered Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword with 13,873.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II was the only new entry on the list, which was positioned at 24th place.
According to Game Data Library, a single platform dominating the chart is “unprecedented” and has not been achieved since the top 30 only covered Famicom games in 1988. As the charts became multi-platform, a single format has never taken all 30 spots, making the Nintendo Switch the first to do so.
“Unprecedented”
A reason for the achievement is that Nintendo only has one console available, something that hasn’t happened since the ’80s. Due to the dual functionality of the Switch, home console or handheld titles from the company have not appeared in the charts like in previous years.
The Nintendo Switch has continued to see robust sales in its home country, boosted by the shortage of PS5 consoles and Xbox’s ongoing struggle to gain a larger audience in the country.
All Top 30 best selling retail games in Japan last week were Nintendo Switch titles, first time a Top 30 is from a single console since at least November 1988, when the Top 30 was Famicom only. https://t.co/NgQx0p1EoO
— Game Data Library (@GameDataLibrary) August 13, 2021
The top 30 for the week can be seen below (lifetime sales in Japan are featured in brackets):
Minecraft – 14,912 (2,102,413)
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD – 13,873 (234,224)
Crayon Shin-chan: Ora to Hakase no Natsuyasumi – Owaranai Nanokakan no Tabi – 13,798 (156,274)
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – 13,615 (3,958,065)
Ring Fit Adventure – 12,282 (2,734,231)
Momotaro Dentetsu: Showa, Heisei, Reiwa mo Teiban – 10,927 (230,976)
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin – 10,135 (205,463)
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – 8,978 (4,367,573)
EBaseball Pro Baseball Spirits 2021: Grand Slam – 8,950 (159,492)
Game Builder Garage – 8,925 (200,100)
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury – 8,248 (836,565)
Super Mario Party – 6,780 (1,952,132)
Miitopia – 6,536 (217,957)
Animal Crossing: New Horizons – 6,529 (6,844,545)
Mario Golf: Super Rush – 6,057 (161,785)
Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics – 5,077 (762,996)
Pokémon Sword/Shield – 4,974 (4,099,325)
Monster Hunter Rise – 4,748 (2,303,192)
Mario & Sonic at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games – 4,639 (397,154)
Splatoon 2 (Switch) – 4,460 (3,915,901)
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – 4,210 (1,852,012)
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles – 3,737 (18,197)
NEO: The World Ends With You – 3,229 (22,028)
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II – 2,853 (New)
New Pokémon Snap – 2,756 (265,980)
Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum ‘n’ Fun – 2,620 (613,725)
Ace Angler: Nintendo Switch Version – 2,577 (604,827)
Human Fall Flat – 2,447 (168,897)
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age Definitive Edition – 2,274 (122,574)
Super Mario Maker 2 – 2,256 (1,116,046)
Nintendo’s most recent Indie World Showcase brought 19 indie games into the spotlight, including Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, Toem and Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon.
Sales of the Nintendo Switch console have reached almost 90 million but the company has suffered a revenue drop of 10 per cent in its latest financial results.
