Nintendo Switch Sales Data Revealed: CESA Publishes 2021 Game Sales Figures

The Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association (CESA) has published its annual review of Nintendo Switch software sales for the calendar year ending December 31, 2021, shining a light on specific game sales statistics that Nintendo itself rarely shares publicly.

This data not only documents last year's performance but also provides a unique look at several Nintendo first-party titles and their lifetime sales achievements. According to CESA's 2021 documentation, Super Mario 3D All-Stars, the celebrated compilation for the Nintendo Switch, continued to make waves in the industry despite the end of its limited release period in March 2021.

While Nintendo’s own fiscal report, as of March 31, 2021, had reported lifetime sales of 9.01 million units, CESA’s figures show the game moved an additional 60,000 copies, reaching a lifetime total of 9.07 million.

This means that Super Mario 3D All-Stars sold approximately 750,000 units throughout 2021.

The continued sales post-limited release highlight the ongoing demand for legacy Nintendo titles on the Switch platform. In an official statement released by CESA, the association emphasized the value in offering transparent sales data to deepen industry insight.

The report underscores how, even after the discontinuation of select products, Nintendo titles retain their enduring popularity. The sales leader among Nintendo Switch first-party games in 2021 was Super Mario Maker 2, which approached the one million sales mark by moving 980,000 copies.

This strong showing brought its lifetime sales total to 7.89 million units.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening also demonstrated impressive staying power, notching up 750,000 sales for the year, resulting in a lifetime total of 6.08 million units. Other notable performances include Mario Tennis Aces with 620,000 copies sold in 2021 and a lifetime total of 4.28 million, and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, amassing 700,000 units sold last year for a cumulative 4.12 million units.

Kirby Star Allies, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and Paper Mario: The Origami King also feature in the top tier, each maintaining robust demand years post-launch. Here are the top Nintendo Switch first-party game sales figures for 2021, along with their lifetime totals, as compiled by CESA: - Super Mario 3D All-Stars – 750,000 (9,070,000 lifetime) - Super Mario Maker 2 – 980,000 (7,890,000) - The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – 750,000 (6,080,000) - Mario Tennis Aces – 620,000 (4,280,000) - Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze – 700,000 (4,120,000) - Kirby Star Allies – 560,000 (3,980,000) - Fire Emblem: Three Houses – 420,000 (3,820,000) - 1-2-Switch – 180,000 (3,630,000) - Paper Mario: The Origami King – 290,000 (3,340,000) - Yoshi’s Crafted World – 450,000 (3,010,000) - ARMS – 100,000 (2,660,000) - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – 270,000 (2,440,000) - Pikmin 3 Deluxe – 290,000 (2,230,000) - Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker – 360,000 (2,130,000) - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX – 290,000 (1,890,000) - Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition – 200,000 (1,680,000) - Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit – 500,000 (1,580,000) - Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order – 190,000 (1,500,000) - Astral Chain – 70,000 (1,280,000) - Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training – 150,000 (1,200,000) - Bayonetta 2 – 70,000 (1,040,000) CESA’s transparent reporting offers Nintendo Switch developers, industry analysts, and players keen insight into the ongoing success of first-party Nintendo titles.

As the Switch continues to set sales records, data from organizations like CESA prove invaluable in understanding the software trends driving the platform’s ongoing popularity.

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