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The following is a list of the best selling retail console and handheld games of recent years. Note that downloadable and PC titles are not included, nor are pre-installed games. In cases where a game is released for multiple platforms, they are combined.

2005[]

Pokemon Emerald

Pokemon Emerald

  1. Pokemon Emerald - 3.6 million
  2. Resident Evil 4 - 2.9 million
  3. Spider-Man 2 - 2.8 million
  4. LEGO Star Wars - 2.3 million
  5. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon - 2.2 million
  6. Pokemon XD - 2.0 million
  7. Mario Party 7 - 1.9 million
  8. Madden NFL 06 - 1.7 million
  9. Mario Kart: Double Dash - 1.6 million
  10. Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen - 1.5 million

2006[]

New Super Mario Bros

The relaunch of a genre.

  1. New Super Mario Bros - 6.9 million
  2. Nintendogs - 4.5 million
  3. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl - 4.2 million
  4. Animal Crossing: Wild World - 3.8 million
  5. Final Fantasy 12 - 3.6 million
  6. Mario Kart Nitro - 3.5 million
  7. LEGO Star Wars 2 - 3.4 million
  8. Brain Age 2 - 3.0 million
  9. Super Mario 64 Deluxe - 3.0 million
  10. Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 - 2.3 million

2007[]

2007 was dominated by the Nitro, which had mostly replaced the Game Boy Advance at the time. In particular, Nintendo dominated during this era, with all but one of the top ten games being Nintendo titles. The two non-Nitro games were the latest 3D Super Mario title and the multiplatform hit new series Assassin's Creed.

Pokemon Diamond

Pokemon continued its reign of high sales despite rising competition during the Game Boy Nitro era.

  1. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl - 9.1 million
  2. Brain Age 2 - 5.1 million
  3. New Super Mario Bros - 5.0 million
  4. Nintendogs - 4.9 million
  5. Assassin's Creed - 4.5 million
  6. Brain Age 2 - 4.0 million
  7. Super Mario Galaxy - 3.5 million
  8. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass - 3.2 million
  9. Mario Kart Nitro - 2.8 million
  10. Mario Party Nitro - 2.6 million

Revolution[]

Super Mario Galaxy

Super Mario Galaxy

  1. Super Mario Galaxy - 3.5 million
  2. Assassin's Creed - 2.8 million
  3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - 2.8 million
  4. Mario Party 8 - 1.9 million
  5. Super Paper Mario - 1.8 million

Pluto[]

Assassins Creed

Assassin's Creed was one of the great new franchises of the later noughties.

  1. Assassin's Creed - 1.7 million
  2. Sonic at the Olympic Games - 1.3 million
  3. Sonic the Hedgehog - 1.3 million
  4. Virtua Fighter 5 - 0.9 million
  5. Virtua Tennis 3 - 0.7 million

Game Boy Nitro[]

  1. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl - 9.1 million
  2. Brain Age 2 - 5.1 million
  3. New Super Mario Bros - 5.0 million
  4. Nintendogs - 4.9 million
  5. Brain Age 2 - 4.0 million

2008[]

2008 was an outstanding year for the Revolution, with the top three selling games all being exclusives. In particular, Revolution Fitness sold over 10 million copies within the year, despite being a 2007 release in Japan. The Pluto, however, has started to make a recovery, as shown by the presence of the exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4. The Force Unleashed was the big multiplatform game of the year, and the remainder of spots were taken by Game Boy Nitro long-sellers.

Revolution Fitness

One of the best selling games of all time, with over 10 million sales on one console in one year.

  1. Revolution Fitness - 11.5 million
  2. Mario Kart X - 9.9 million
  3. Super Smash Bros Brawl - 6.6 million
  4. New Super Mario Bros - 5.1 million
  5. Mario Kart Nitro - 4.9 million
  6. Nintendogs - 4.1 million
  7. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl - 3.7 million
  8. Metal Gear Solid 4 - 3.6 million
  9. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - 3.2 million
  10. Brain Age 2 - 2.7 million

Revolution[]

  1. Revolution Fitness - 11.5 million
  2. Mario Kart X - 9.9 million
  3. Super Smash Bros Brawl - 6.6 million
  4. Super Mario Galaxy - 2.4 million
  5. Mario Artist - 2.1 million

Pluto[]

Metal Gear Solid 4

Metal Gear Solid 4 was the first major Pluto exclusive.

  1. Metal Gear Solid 4 - 3.6 million
  2. Sega Superstars Smackdown: The Skirmish - 2.1 million
  3. Sega Superstars Tennis - 1.7 million
  4. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - 1.4 million
  5. LEGO Indiana Jones - 1.1 million

Game Boy Nitro[]

  1. New Super Mario Bros - 5.1 million
  2. Mario Kart Nitro - 4.9 million
  3. Nintendogs - 4.1 million
  4. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl - 3.7 million
  5. Brain Age 2 - 2.7 million

2009[]

The Revolution continued to dominate this year, with the top four games once again being exclusives, two of which were released in 2009. Below that, third part games made more of a mark than in previous years, with Ubisoft, Enix, and Capcom all having 5-million sellers in 2009 alone. The remaining spots were filled with Nitro games, including the what were in various territories the latest iterations of the Pokemon series.

New Super Mario Bros Revolution

New Super Mario Bros Revolution

  1. New Super Mario Bros Revolution - 8.6 million
  2. Revolution Fitness - 7.7 million
  3. Revolution Fitness Plus - 7.0 million
  4. Mario Kart X - 5.6 million
  5. Assassin's Creed 2 - 5.5 million
  6. Dragon Quest 9 - 5.5 million
  7. Resident Evil 5 - 5.2 million
  8. Pokemon Platinum - 5.1 million
  9. Mario Kart Nitro - 4.0 million
  10. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver - 3.9 million

Revolution[]

  1. New Super Mario Bros Revolution - 8.6 million
  2. Revolution Fitness - 7.7 million
  3. Revolution Fitness Plus - 7.0 million
  4. Mario Kart X - 5.6 million
  5. Assassin's Creed 2 - 3.2 million

Pluto[]

Resident Evil 5

Resident Evil 5

  1. Resident Evil 5 - 2.5 million
  2. Assassin's Creed 2 - 2.3 million
  3. Street Fighter 4 - 1.4 million
  4. Uncharted 3 - 1.4 million
  5. Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games - 1.3 million

Game Boy Nitro[]

Dragon Quest 9

Dragon Quest 9

  1. Dragon Quest 9 - 5.5 million
  2. Pokemon Platinum - 5.1 million
  3. Mario Kart Nitro - 4.0 million
  4. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver - 3.9 million
  5. Professor Layton and the Curious Village - 3.0 million

2010[]

Despite being a 2009 release, New Super Mario Bros Revolution actually sold better in 2010. Second place went to Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver, which was a 2009 release in Japan. Other spots were filled by returning Nintendo exclusives, while newcomers included the latest 3D Super Mario game and the surprise hit Revolution Party, as well as the multiplatform Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. The fifth generation of Pokemon did fairly well considering it was a Japanese exclusive until 2011.

  1. New Super Mario Bros Revolution - 9.3 million
  2. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver - 7.4 million
  3. Revolution Fitness Plus - 6.5 million
  4. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood - 5.7 million
  5. Pokemon Black/White - 5.5 million
  6. Super Mario Galaxy 2 - 5.0 million
  7. Revolution Party - 4.7 million
  8. New Super Mario Bros - 4.2 million
  9. Mario Kart Nitro - 4.0 million
  10. Mario Kart X - 3.9 million

Revolution[]

  1. New Super Mario Bros Revolution - 9.3 million
  2. Revolution Fitness Plus - 6.5 million
  3. Super Mario Galaxy 2 - 5.0 million
  4. Revolution Party - 4.7 million
  5. Mario Kart X - 3.9 million

Pluto[]

Assassins Creed Brotherhood

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

  1. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood - 2.7 million
  2. Assassin's Creed 2 - 1.3 million
  3. Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing - 1.2 million
  4. Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 - 1.0 million
  5. NBA 2K11 - 0.9 million

Game Boy Nitro[]

Pokemon HeartGold

Pokemon HeartGold

  1. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver - 7.4 million
  2. Pokemon Black/White - 5.5 million
  3. New Super Mario Bros - 4.2 million
  4. Mario Kart Nitro - 4.0 million
  5. Super Smash Bros. Rumble - 1.8 million

2011[]

For the first time since 2007, a Pokemon game was #1 in 2011, thanks to the international release of Black/White However, this year was largely marked by lower sales for the best-sellers, as many companies were investing in the next generation of hardware, which began with the release of the Game Boy 3DS. In second place was Assassin's Creed: Revelations, closely followed by its unofficial rival for the holiday season, Batman: Arkham City. No other games sold over 5 million copies, including the acclaimed Skyward Sword and Uncharted 3.

Pokemon Black

Pokemon Black

  1. Pokemon Black/White - 9.6 million
  2. Assassin's Creed: Revelations - 5.8 million
  3. Batman: Arkham City - 5.2 million
  4. Uncharted 3 - 4.0 million
  5. Mario Kart X - 3.9 million
  6. New Super Mario Bros Revolution - 3.4 million
  7. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - 3.2 million
  8. Revolution Party - 2.4 million
  9. New Super Mario Bros - 2.4 million
  10. FIFA 12 - 2.3 million

Revolution[]

Mario Kart X

Mario Kart X

  1. Mario Kart X - 3.9 million
  2. New Super Mario Bros Revolution - 3.4 million
  3. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - 3.2 million
  4. Revolution Party - 2.4 million
  5. Donkey Kong Country Returns - 1.5 million

Pluto[]

  1. Assassin's Creed: Revelations - 2.8 million
  2. Batman: Arkham City - 2.5 million
  3. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood - 1.2 million
  4. FIFA 12 - 1.2 million
  5. NBA 2K12 - 1.1 million

Game Boy Nitro[]

  1. Pokemon Black/White - 9.6 million
  2. New Super Mario Bros - 2.4 million
  3. Mario Kart Nitro - 1.6 million
  4. Professor Layton and the Last Specter - 1.5 million
  5. Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! - 1.2 million

2012[]

For the first time in many years, the best selling game of 2012 was a third party multiplatform title, Assassin's Creed 3. This marked a triumph on the part of publisher Ubisoft, which had been investing in the franchise since before the start of the seventh generation. The general theme of the year was "out with the old, in with the new." The last Pokemon for the Nitro sold well, but Nitro software sales finally began to collapse in 2012, replaced by the Game Boy 3DS, which had three titles chart in the top ten. Capcom's Resident Evil 6, despite selling over 3.5 million copies, was considered a disappointment by the company, and ended the generation on a sour note. In Japan, meanwhile, Dragon Quest 10 provided the Revolution with a fitting swansong, as did Mario Party 9 worldwide. Mortal Kombat successfully rebooted the franchise just in time for the generation to end.

Assassins Creed 3

Assassin's Creed 3

  1. Assassin's Creed 3 - 8.5 million
  2. Pokemon Black/White 2 - 5.6 million
  3. Mario Kart 3D - 5.3 million
  4. New Super Mario Bros 2 - 4.1 million
  5. Resident Evil 6 - 3.7 million
  6. Dragon Quest 10 - 3.2 million
  7. FIFA Soccer 13 - 2.9 million
  8. Mortal Kombat - 2.6 million
  9. Uncharted 3 - 2.4 million
  10. Mario Party 9 - 2.2 million
  11. Animal Crossing: New Leaf - 2.1 million

Revolution[]

  1. Assassin's Creed 3 - 4.4 million
  2. Dragon Quest 10 - 3.2 million
  3. Resident Evil 6 - 2.3 million
  4. Mario Party 9 - 2.2 million
  5. Mario Kart X - 1.6 million

Pluto[]

  1. Assassin's Creed 3 - 3.9 million
  2. NBA 2K13 - 1.9 million
  3. Resident Evil 6 - 1.5 million
  4. FIFA Soccer 13 - 1.4 million
  5. Hitman: Absolution - 1.2 million

Game Boy Nitro[]

  1. Pokemon Black/White 2 - 5.6 million
  2. New Super Mario Bros - 1.2 million
  3. Pokemon Black/White - 1.1 million
  4. Pokemon Conquest - 0.9 million
  5. Mario Kart Nitro - 0.8 million

Game Boy 3DS[]

Mario Kart 3D

Mario Kart 3D

  1. Mario Kart 3D - 4.5 million
  2. New Super Mario Bros 2 - 3.9 million
  3. Animal Crossing: New Leaf - 2.1 million
  4. Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance - 1.1 million
  5. Paper Mario: Sticker Star - 1.1 million

2013[]

Despite being a new generation, many old names highlighted this year. Pokemon came back with a vengeance in 2013, dominating the Game Boy 3DS platform. In general, it was a great year for the young handheld, with other major hits including the Western release of Animal Crossing: New Leaf, the Japanese release of Monster Hunter 4, and returning titles like New Super Mario Bros 2 and Mario Kart 3D. Multiple other games, including a new Zelda title, also sold over a million, but failed to become among the best-selling games of the year.

Assassin's Creed saw a decline year over year, in part due to increased competition from other similar series compared to 2012. These included Grand Teft Auto 5, the first major success on consoles in series history, and the latest Batman: Arkham title. Meanwhile, traditionally PC-oriented series like Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty left a great impact on consoles than ever before.

In terms of console exclusives, the year belonged to Nintendo rather than Sega. The Stream launch title New Super Mario World showed more impressive 2013 sales than both launch Sega crossover games combined, and Nintendo exclusives like Stream Party and Super Mario 3D Bros outsold any Eclipse titles released in 2013. The latest Sonic game, for example, was maligned by critics and had unremarkable sales. Despite this, Sega had a fart better 2013 than 2007, with the Stream barely outselling their console, thanks to a strong launch and less successful exclusives such as Metal Gear Rising.

The biggest surprise of 2013 was the success of The Last of Us, the best-selling new series of the year. Other new successful series included Disney infinity and Puzzles & Dragons.

  1. Pokemon X/Y - 9.4 million
  2. Assassin's Creed: Black Flag - 6.5 million
  3. Grand Theft Auto 5 - 4.5 million
  4. Animal Crossing: New Leaf - 4.1 million
  5. FIFA 14 - 3.5 million
  6. Tomb Raider - 3.4 million
  7. New Super Mario World - 3.3 million
  8. Monster Hunter 4 - 3.2 million
  9. Call of Duty: Ghosts - 3.0 million
  10. The Last of Us - 2.7 million

Revolution[]

  1. Assassin's Creed: Black Flag - 2.1 million
  2. Skylanders: Swap Force - 1.4 million
  3. Tomb Raider - 1.4 million
  4. Batman: Arkham Origins - 1.0 million
  5. FIFA 14 - 0.9 million

Stream[]

  1. New Super Mario World - 3.3 million
  2. Grand Theft Auto 5 - 2.2 million
  3. Super Mario 3D Bros - 1.9 million
  4. The Last of Us - 1.4 million
  5. Stream Party - 1.4 million

Pluto[]

  1. Assassin's Creed: Black Flag - 1.8 million
  2. Tomb Raider - 1.2 million
  3. Batman: Arkham Origins - 0.8 million
  4. NBA 2K14 - 0.7 million
  5. Skylanders: Swap Force - 0.7 million

Eclipse[]

  1. Grand Theft Auto 5 - 2.3 million
  2. NBA 2K15 - 2.1 million
  3. Superstars Smackdown: Strife - 1.5 million
  4. Assassin's Creed: Black Flag - 1.3 million
  5. The Last of Us - 1.3 million
  6. Call of Duty: Ghosts - 1.1 million

Game Boy 3DS[]

  1. Pokemon X/Y - 9.4 million
  2. Animal Crossing: New Leaf - 4.0 million
  3. Monster Hunter 4 - 2.8 million
  4. New Super Mario Bros 2 - 2.1 million
  5. Mario Kart 3D - 1.9 million

2014[]

Software sales declined somewhat in 2014, but a few games and publishers stood out. Nintendo's first party titles such as Pokemon and Super Smash Bros impressed as usual, but so did Ubisoft titles such as Assassin's Creed Unity and the new intellectual property Watch Dogs. The sales of FIFA and Call of Duty also continued to rise this year, becoming some of the biggest series on both the Stream and Eclipse. Minecraft was also released for current and previous generation consoles this year, and was one of the best-selling games when combining platforms.

  1. Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire - 7.2 million
  2. Super Smash Bros. for Game Boy 3DS - 5.3 million
  3. Assassin's Creed Unity - 4.7 million
  4. FIFA 15 - 4.4 million
  5. Minecraft - 4.3 million
  6. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - 4.2 million

Stream[]

  1. Mario Kart Slipstream - 6.3 million
  2. Super Smash Bros. for Stream - 4.2 million
  3. FIFA 15 - 3.1 million
  4. Watch Dogs - 3.0 million
  5. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - 1.8 million

Eclipse[]

  1. Minecraft - 2.4 million
  2. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - 1.6 million
  3. FIFA 15 - 1.5 million
  4. Watch Dogs - 1.3 million
  5. Madden NFL 15 - 1.0 million

Game Boy 3DS[]

  1. Pokemmon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire - 7.2 million
  2. Super Smash Bros. for Game Boy 3DS - 5.3 million
  3. Yokai Watch 2 - 2.9 million
  4. Pokemon X/Y - 2.4 million
  5. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate - 2.3 million

2015[]

The biggest sales story of 2015 was the general decline of Game Boy software sales. For the prior decade, at least one Game Boy game would sell remarkable well every year, ranking among the year's biggest hits. However, this year's best-seller on Game Boy 3DS was the relatively modest Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer, with only 2.5 million sales. The falling sales of Game Boy 3DS games is sometimes associated with Nintendo's eventual decision to invest in the hybrid Fusion console the next generation.

On consoles, there was a continued mixture of old with new and exclusives with multiplatform games. Call of Duty continued its reign of popularity, along with FIFA

  1. Splatoon - 5.7 million
  2. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 - 5.1 million
  3. FIFA 16 - 5.0 million
  4. Star Wars Battlefront - 4.9 million
  5. Super Mario Maker - 3.9 million
  6. Sonic Adventure Saga - 3.6 million
  7. Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection - 3.6 million
  8. Assassin's Creed: Syndicate - 3.0 million

Stream[]

  1. Splatoon - 5.7 million
  2. Super Mario Maker - 3.9 million
  3. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 - 3.5 million
  4. Star Wars Battlefront - 3.1 million
  5. Mario Kart Slipstream - 3.0 million
  6. Batman: Arkham Knight - 2.8 million

Eclipse[]

  1. Sonic Adventure Saga - 3.6 million
  2. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 - 2.0 million
  3. Batman: Arkham Knight - 1.8 million
  4. FIFA 16 - 1.8 million
  5. NBA 2K16 - 1.8 million
  6. Star Wars Battlefront - 1.8 million

Game Boy 3DS[]

  1. Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer - 2.5 million
  2. Monster Hunter X - 2.4 million
  3. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D - 2.1 million
  4. Yokai Watch Busters - 2.0 million
  5. Super Smash Bros. for Game Boy 3DS - 1.6 million

2016[]

Pokemon Sun/Moon was the last hurrah for the Game Boy series, leading sales in an otherwise quiet year.

  1. Pokemon Sun/Moon - 12.0 million
  2. Uncharted 4 - 9.2 million
  3. FIFA 17 - 4.0 million

Stream[]

  1. Uncharted 4 - 6.0 million
  2. Final Fantasy XV - 3.9 million
  3. FIFA 17 - 2.6 million
  • Call of Duty: Infinite - 2.0 million
  1. Pokken Tournament - 1.9 million
  2. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD - 1.7 million

Eclipse[]

  1. Uncharted 4 - 3.2 million
  2. NBA 2K17 - 2.6 million
  3. FIFA 17 - 1.4 million
  • Call of Duty: Infinite - 1.3 million

Game Boy 3DS[]

  1. Pokemon Sun/Moon - 12.0 million
  2. Pokemon OmegaRuby/AlphaSapphire - 2.3 million
  3. Super Mario Maker for Game Boy 3DS - 1.8 million
  4. Pokemon X/Y - 1.7 million
  5. Mario Kart 3D - 1.6 million

FIFA, Watch Dogs 2, Far Cry Primal, R&C, Dark Souls 3

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