Kirby Air Riders has soared to the top of the latest Japanese software sales chart, debuting with an impressive 195,594 copies sold in its launch week.
The new release from Nintendo marks a strong return for the beloved pink puffball and underscores the ongoing dominance of Nintendo platforms in the Japanese gaming market.
Famitsu, the trusted source for gaming industry data in Japan, reported that Kirby Air Riders’ launch week sales outpaced other major titles, solidifying its position as the week’s top performer.
Hot on its heels, Mario Kart World for Nintendo Switch 2 maintained remarkable momentum, adding 67,068 units this week and pushing its cumulative total to over 2.2 million copies sold since launch.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A continues its strong run on both the original Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, with the two editions selling 28,480 and 22,060 units respectively this week, and their cumulative sales now exceeding two million combined.
Other staples of the Japanese market, such as Momotaro Dentetsu 2 and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, also made notable showings—Momotaro Dentetsu 2 sold another 28,074 copies on Nintendo Switch, while its Nintendo Switch 2 edition contributed 20,751 units, reflecting strong cross-platform performance. Big franchise titles remain prevalent across the chart.
Minecraft, now a mainstay of Japanese software sales, added nearly 5,000 units to reach over 4 million sales on Nintendo Switch alone.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons continued its enduring popularity as well, selling just shy of 5,000 additional copies this week, bringing its lifetime sales in Japan to an impressive 8,258,611 units.
Other notable entries include Donkey Kong Bananza on Nintendo Switch 2, with cumulative sales now at 378,576, and Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake, which has been performing strongly across multiple platforms. Several new releases charted as well, with R-Type Delta: HD Boosted and Tetsudou Nippon Real Pro: Choukyori Unten Tokkyuu Hinotori Kinki Nippon Tetsudou Hen making their debuts on Nintendo Switch, and STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl appearing on PlayStation 5. The latest numbers, provided by Famitsu, highlight the ongoing strength of the Nintendo Switch and its successor, the Nintendo Switch 2, as preferred gaming platforms in Japan.
Nintendo’s continued release of high-profile and nostalgia-driven titles, backed by a robust lineup of third-party games, illustrates its powerful hold on the domestic market as the console lifecycle evolves.
With Kirby Air Riders’ standout debut and steady performances from perennial best-sellers like Mario Kart and Pokémon, the Japanese software market remains a vibrant showcase for Nintendo’s enduring popularity and the loyalty of its user base.
For comprehensive weekly sales breakdowns and historical comparisons, readers are encouraged to consult Famitsu’s extensive chart archives.
These results confirm Nintendo’s sustained market leadership and point to a promising outlook for both new releases and evergreen franchises in the months ahead.
The new release from Nintendo marks a strong return for the beloved pink puffball and underscores the ongoing dominance of Nintendo platforms in the Japanese gaming market.
Famitsu, the trusted source for gaming industry data in Japan, reported that Kirby Air Riders’ launch week sales outpaced other major titles, solidifying its position as the week’s top performer.
Hot on its heels, Mario Kart World for Nintendo Switch 2 maintained remarkable momentum, adding 67,068 units this week and pushing its cumulative total to over 2.2 million copies sold since launch.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A continues its strong run on both the original Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, with the two editions selling 28,480 and 22,060 units respectively this week, and their cumulative sales now exceeding two million combined.
Other staples of the Japanese market, such as Momotaro Dentetsu 2 and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, also made notable showings—Momotaro Dentetsu 2 sold another 28,074 copies on Nintendo Switch, while its Nintendo Switch 2 edition contributed 20,751 units, reflecting strong cross-platform performance. Big franchise titles remain prevalent across the chart.
Minecraft, now a mainstay of Japanese software sales, added nearly 5,000 units to reach over 4 million sales on Nintendo Switch alone.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons continued its enduring popularity as well, selling just shy of 5,000 additional copies this week, bringing its lifetime sales in Japan to an impressive 8,258,611 units.
Other notable entries include Donkey Kong Bananza on Nintendo Switch 2, with cumulative sales now at 378,576, and Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake, which has been performing strongly across multiple platforms. Several new releases charted as well, with R-Type Delta: HD Boosted and Tetsudou Nippon Real Pro: Choukyori Unten Tokkyuu Hinotori Kinki Nippon Tetsudou Hen making their debuts on Nintendo Switch, and STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl appearing on PlayStation 5. The latest numbers, provided by Famitsu, highlight the ongoing strength of the Nintendo Switch and its successor, the Nintendo Switch 2, as preferred gaming platforms in Japan.
Nintendo’s continued release of high-profile and nostalgia-driven titles, backed by a robust lineup of third-party games, illustrates its powerful hold on the domestic market as the console lifecycle evolves.
With Kirby Air Riders’ standout debut and steady performances from perennial best-sellers like Mario Kart and Pokémon, the Japanese software market remains a vibrant showcase for Nintendo’s enduring popularity and the loyalty of its user base.
For comprehensive weekly sales breakdowns and historical comparisons, readers are encouraged to consult Famitsu’s extensive chart archives.
These results confirm Nintendo’s sustained market leadership and point to a promising outlook for both new releases and evergreen franchises in the months ahead.
