Pokemon Legends: Z-A Dominates Japan's Physical Game Sales as Nintendo Switch 2 Leads Hardware Charts

The Japanese physical video game software and hardware sales charts have once again been released by Famitsu, Japan’s leading video game publication.

Headlining the week is the blockbuster launch of ‘Pokemon Legends: Z-A’ from The Pokemon Company, which made an immediate impact by selling a combined total of 1.48 million physical units across the Nintendo Switch and the new Nintendo Switch 2 platforms.

This remarkable debut further cements Pokémon’s enduring popularity and The Pokemon Company’s influence on the Japanese gaming market. According to the official Famitsu data, ‘Pokemon Legends: Z-A’ secured the top two positions on the individual charts.

The Nintendo Switch version sold 872,552 copies, while the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition shifted an impressive 612,905 units, both debuting on October 16, 2025.

This performance places ‘Pokemon Legends: Z-A’ among the strongest launches in recent franchise history, reflecting the continued strength of Pokémon as a pillar of both Nintendo’s and Japan’s game industry sales. Following behind, ‘Mario Kart World’ for the Nintendo Switch 2 added another 55,996 copies to its lifetime sales, which now stand at 1,931,393.

Donkey Kong Bananza, a recent entry for the Switch 2 as well, remains strong with cumulative sales totaling 351,540 units.

Other titles making notable contributions this week include ‘Ghost of Yotei’ for PlayStation 5 at 18,930 (lifetime 165,902), and the double-feature ‘Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2’ on Nintendo Switch picking up 11,129 units (lifetime 79,477). On the hardware front, the Nintendo Switch 2 emerged as the week’s top seller, moving 201,684 units for a total of 2,402,587 since launch.

The Switch OLED Model and Switch Lite followed with 14,552 and 7,015 units respectively.

Combined, the entire Nintendo Switch family continues to demonstrate strong demand, even as the next generation system takes center stage.

Sony’s PlayStation 5 family posted 12,085 combined unit sales, while Xbox Series consoles saw a more modest performance, in line with their usual market share in Japan. A spokesperson familiar with the sales figures noted that "Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s launch has reinvigorated momentum for the Switch 2, positioning Nintendo at the forefront of both hardware and software sales this quarter," underscoring the circular impact of major software releases and hardware uptake. The week’s charts also highlight the sustained engagement with perennial favorites like 'Minecraft,' which continues to add to its lifetime tally on Switch, and the persistent performance of other major franchises across all platforms.

The data from Famitsu affirms Nintendo's dominant presence in the Japanese video game landscape, strengthened by the simultaneous success of innovative hardware and the evergreen appeal of its signature titles. As 2025 progresses, these robust sales benchmarks set a high standard for upcoming releases, with both Nintendo and third-party publishers aiming to capitalize on a highly engaged and ever-expanding market.

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