Video games have been around for a while. Today, I’m counting down the list of the top 10 bestselling video games of all time. From ancient arcade machines to modern consoles, this list covers a lot of ground. Buckle up, homestuck.
10) New Super Mario Bros. (Wii)
Released in 2009, the New Super Mario Bros. for Wii sold just under 28 million copies. It was one of the most popular Wii games ever made but is one of many Wii games that made this list. It featured a similar side-scrolling platform game style as the original Mario Bros. games, although it also added modern graphics and 80 new levels.
9) Wii Play (Wii)
Wii Play sold just over 28 million copies, putting it a hair ahead of New Super Mario Bros. for ninth spot on the list of bestselling video games of all time. Wii Play was particularly popular in Japan, where iit was released as Your First Step to Wii. It was a launch game for Wii consoles around the world and featured 9 different minigames designed to introduce people to the unique Wiimote controller.
8) New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo DS)
This is the only Nintendo DS entry on the list. New Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS was released in 2006 and featured the same side-scrolling action. Players traveled through 80 in an effort to defeat Bowser and save the princess. It sold a total of 30.38 million copies.
7) Wii Sports Resort (Wii)
Wii Sports games were ridiculously popular. This isn’t even the only Wii Sports game in the top 10 list of bestselling games of all time. Wii Sports Resort was the 2009 sequel to Wii Sports, which is one of the most popular games of all time. Wii Sports Resort added all sorts of new and exciting games, including wakeboarding, fencing, basketball, and archery, among many others.
6) Grand Theft Auto V (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
Ahh, finally a non-Nintendo game! Grand Theft Auto V released to a ridiculous amount of critical claim in 2013. It was one of the most hotly anticipated games of all time and its sales numbers reflected that. In 24 hours, Grand Theft Auto V became the highest-grossing entertainment product release of all time, showing that video games can and do beat out movies in terms of revenue.
Grand Theft Auto continued the action-packed mayhem of other GTA titles. Players control 3 characters instead of the usual 1. A PC release is expected in 2014, at which point GTA V might move further up the list. So far, it has sold 32.5 million copies.
5) Mario Kart Wii (Wii)
Back to Nintendo games! Mario Kart Wii was the Wii version of Mario Kart, as you probably guessed from the title. It introduced a new generation of gamers to a fantastic game and it introduced an old generation of gamers to a new console.
Mario Kart Wii made the innovative decision to let players control their karts using the Wiimote. Simply slot the Wiimote into a handheld steering wheel and get ready for one of the most frustrating control schemes ever made for video games. Seriously. I could never figure it out.
4) Super Mario Bros. (NES)
When you think of classic video games, Super Mario Bros. should be the first thing that comes to mind (the only other thing that comes close could be our first-ranking game on this list).
Super Mario Bros. didn’t just introduce a generation to Mario: it introduced a generation to video games and made gaming what it is today. People still play the game today (online, on emulators, and on old NES systems) and it has aged remarkably well.
3) Minecraft (PC, Mobile, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)
Minecraft is the newest entry in the top 5. After it exited its beta in 2011, Minecraft went really big and sold 41.7 million copies across four different platforms/consoles. Minecraft throws players into a world teeming with blocks and life. Players start with nothing and build…whatever they want. The open-world design and crazy graphics have inspired a new generation of gamers to be more creative than ever before.
2) Wii Sports (Wii)
Wii Sports is probably the best way to exercise while playing video games at the same time. It was the first major video game to get gamers off of their couches and still enjoys considerable play in households around the world – not to mention seniors’ homes.
Wii Sports helped gamers stay active and it came bundled with just about every Wii. That helped catapult Wii Sports to sales success.
1) Tetris (Basically every console)
Tetris has sold more copies over the past 30 years than the number 2 and 3 games combined. It’s sold 143 million copies on all different consoles and platforms. It’s also the oldest game on this list (it was released in 1984, one year before Super Mario Bros. for NES).
As you can see, there are a ridiculous number of Nintendo games on this list. There are a few good reasons for that: Mario Bros. and related titles are popular around the world. And second, there are a lot of people in Japan (over 125 million of them, in fact).
Combine this with Nintendo’s historical record of releasing great games and fun consoles and you’ve got a recipe for fantastic sales figures.
Notable games that didn’t crack the top ten:
-Pokemon Red, Blue, and Green: 16th place
-The Sims: 31st place
-Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: 11th place
-Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: 25th place
-Battlefield 3: 26th place
-Sonic the Hedgehog: 34th place
You can view the entire list at Wikipedia here.
