Nintendo Switch Sales Dominate Japanese Holiday Charts with Super Mario Odyssey Leading the Pack

Nintendo once again proved its dominance in the Japanese gaming market this holiday season, as Media Create's most recent sales figures reveal a stellar performance for both Nintendo Switch hardware and its recent software releases.

Despite the busy holiday period, the numbers demonstrate that Nintendo’s presence in Japan’s gaming scene remains as strong as ever, thanks in large part to the popularity of its hybrid console and first-party game lineup. At the forefront of the sales surge is "Super Mario Odyssey," which achieved remarkable results during this period.

The popular Nintendo Switch title, bolstered by the inclusion of its hardware bundle, achieved weekly sales of 209,630 units, pushing its lifetime total in Japan to an impressive 1,292,281 units since its October 27, 2017 release.

This stellar showing placed it firmly at the top of the software charts, reflecting continued demand for Nintendo’s flagship mascot and family-friendly adventures. Following closely, "Yo-kai Watch Busters 2: Treasure Legend Banbaraya – Sword / Magnum" from Level-5, a 3DS exclusive released on December 16, 2017, moved 184,739 copies during the week, resulting in cumulative sales of 393,279 units.

Another staple of Nintendo’s 3DS lineup, “Pokémon Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon,” also performed well with 176,789 units sold, bringing its lifetime total in Japan to 1,345,962 units. The top nine positions in the Media Create sales charts were occupied entirely by Nintendo Switch and 3DS titles, underscoring Nintendo's strength during this crucial shopping period.

Major releases such as "Splatoon 2" (137,607 units sold this week, 1,668,466 lifetime), "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe" (100,205 sold, 1,045,438 lifetime), and "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" (35,565 sold, 738,026 lifetime) continued to drive strong engagement on the Nintendo Switch platform. Other notable performers include "Kirby: Battle Royale" for 3DS, "Pokken Tournament DX," "Arms," and evergreen Nintendo Switch titles like "1-2-Switch." Additionally, cross-platform and third-party offerings such as "The Idolmaster: Stella Stage" by Bandai Namco, and "Atelier Lydie & Suelle" by Gust, also found their respective places in the top 20. Hardware sales figures further reinforce Nintendo's impressive market standing.

The Nintendo Switch sold 269,684 units during the week, a significant increase over the previous week’s 221,210 units, easily surpassing a quarter of a million systems sold in just seven days.

Legacy hardware performed admirably as well, with the New 2DS LL moving 45,387 units and New 3DS LL selling 27,947, showing that demand for Nintendo's handheld line remains robust in Japan. By contrast, the PlayStation 4 registered 50,662 in sales, while its Pro model moved 16,595 units.

Other systems, including the PlayStation Vita and Xbox One, trailed further behind, highlighting the overwhelming popularity of Nintendo’s platforms during this period. These results clearly demonstrate the enduring strength of Nintendo and its software ecosystem within Japan, particularly during the lucrative holiday shopping season.

With flagship titles leading sales and hardware flying off shelves, Nintendo enters 2018 with significant momentum, a testament to the appeal of its consoles, top-tier franchises, and effective holiday strategies.

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