Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe Tops Japanese Sales Charts for Nintendo Switch

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe once again leads the Japanese software sales charts, according to the latest figures released by Famitsu and reported via Gematsu.

The Nintendo Switch remaster of the beloved platformer sold 21,014 copies in the week spanning March 27 to April 2, 2023.

While this number reflects a quieter sales period, it was sufficient for Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe to secure the top spot, further cementing Nintendo’s presence in the domestic market. Trailing behind was Capcom’s highly-anticipated Resident Evil 4 remake.

The PlayStation 5 version of Resident Evil 4, last week’s chart leader, saw a notable decrease in momentum, shifting 18,510 units—down significantly from its debut week’s figure of 89,662 copies.

The PlayStation 4 edition closely followed, placing third with 16,604 units sold during the same period. This week also saw the debut of Winning Post 10, Koei Tecmo’s long-standing horse racing simulation series, which launched to solid numbers.

The Nintendo Switch version sold 12,979 copies, indicating ongoing interest in niche simulation games in the region.

The title also appeared on PlayStation 5 with 7,144 sold units, showing cross-platform appeal for the series. Meanwhile, popular mainstays like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and Splatoon 3 continue to inch toward impressive milestones, nearing five million and four million copies sold respectively.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Minecraft also remain strong performers, underscoring the enduring popularity of legacy titles on the Nintendo Switch platform. Here is the top ten in Japanese software sales for the week: 1.

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe (Nintendo Switch) – 21,014 copies (Total: 357,157) 2.

Resident Evil 4 (PS5) – 18,510 (Total: 108,172) 3.

Resident Evil 4 (PS4) – 16,604 (Total: 101,975) 4.

Winning Post 10 (Nintendo Switch) – 12,979 (New) 5.

Pokémon Scarlet / Violet (Nintendo Switch) – 12,426 (Total: 4,972,063) 6.

Splatoon 3 (Nintendo Switch) – 10,762 (Total: 3,969,635) 7.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Switch) – 10,377 (Total: 5,224,493) 8.

Minecraft (Nintendo Switch) – 8,133 (Total: 3,091,142) 9.

Winning Post 10 (PS5) – 7,144 (New) 10.

Nintendo Switch Sports – 7,101 (Total: 1,045,270) Switch OLED Leads the Hardware Charts On the hardware front, the Nintendo Switch OLED Model maintains its lead in Japan.

For the same reporting period, the model sold 38,880 units, outpacing the PlayStation 5, which registered 28,654 sales.

The standard Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite followed with 10,359 and 7,304 units, respectively.

The combined Switch family continues to show strong demand, reinforcing Nintendo’s dominance in the Japanese console landscape.

Other hardware, such as the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S, trailed behind, reflecting the ongoing competitive momentum between the leading console manufacturers. As the Japanese market remains a critical indicator of gaming trends, these results highlight Nintendo’s stronghold with its diverse software library and resilient hardware performance.

With Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe shining at the top and Switch hardware sales continuing at a steady pace, the Nintendo Switch’s appeal shows no signs of slowing down in Japan.

Kirby Nintendo Switch Nintendo Japan Switch OLED Famitsu Switch Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe Nintendo Switch OLED