Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Tops Japanese Switch Charts as Nintendo Dominates Weekly Sales

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD has once again clinched the top spot on the Japanese Nintendo Switch sales chart, marking a strong resurgence for the remaster of Retro Studios’ acclaimed platformer.

Published by Forever Entertainment, this updated version of the classic Donkey Kong adventure signals Nintendo’s continued dominance in the Japanese gaming market during a comparatively quiet release window. According to data released by Famitsu for the week ending February 16, 2024, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD sold an additional 14,753 units, raising its total domestic sales to 195,449 copies.

The remastered title now stands just 4,551 units away from crossing the notable 200,000 sales milestone—a significant achievement, especially given its mixed critical reception at launch.

The momentum demonstrates the enduring appeal of the Donkey Kong franchise on Nintendo hardware. Trailing close behind in second place is Super Mario Party Jamboree, which moved 13,801 units for the week, taking its impressive cumulative total to 1,189,073 copies.

The top three is rounded out by Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, a perennial bestseller, with 10,737 units sold, reinforcing its dominance with a total of 6,248,684 units moved since release. Other notable entries on this week’s chart include Urban Myth Dissolution Center, debuting in fourth place, and the Switch edition of Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, which is the only platform version of the popular strategy title to break into the top ten.

Meanwhile, long-standing favorites like Minecraft (5,129 units) and Animal Crossing: New Horizons (5,050 units) continue to maintain their significant presence among the leading titles. Here’s the current top ten Nintendo Switch games in Japan, by weekly sales and cumulative totals: 1.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD — 14,753 (195,449 total) 2.

Super Mario Party Jamboree — 13,801 (1,189,073 total) 3.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe — 10,737 (6,248,684 total) 4.

Urban Myth Dissolution Center — 6,294 (NEW) 5.

Minecraft — 5,129 (3,811,294 total) 6.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons — 5,050 (8,073,378 total) 7.

Pokémon Scarlet / Pokémon Violet — 3,782 (5,523,073 total) 8.

Sid Meier’s Civilization VII — 3,370 (NEW) 9.

Super Smash Bros.

Ultimate — 3,287 (5,720,077 total) 10.

Super Mario Odyssey — 3,214 (2,550,165 total) Nintendo’s hardware sales also remained robust, albeit with signs of a gradual slowdown typical for this period of the year.

The Switch OLED leads all models with 26,561 units sold, increasing its lifetime sales to 8,770,445 in Japan.

The Switch Lite followed with 9,984 units, while the standard Nintendo Switch sold 3,458 units.

Collectively, the three Switch SKUs achieved total weekly sales of 40,003 units. By comparison, Sony’s PlayStation 5 and its various models posted total weekly sales of 16,049 units, while Xbox Series X and Series S together sold 2,826 units.

Despite a slowdown in momentum, Nintendo’s strong position in both software and hardware sales across all Switch models indicates a healthy market heading into the coming months. The continued success of established franchises like Donkey Kong, Mario Kart, and Pokémon, alongside strategic releases and remasters, reflects Nintendo’s consistent ability to engage its core audience on the Nintendo Switch platform.

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