Ten Best-Selling Video Games of All Time
January 6, 2011
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Plenty of people could tell you that the highest-grossing movie of all time was Titanic; however, there are few who would name "Wii Sports" as the top-selling video game ever. A study of the 10 best-selling video games of all time reveals some interesting results.
For example, all 10 are Nintendo titles. This is partly due to the fact that the list only tallies units sold per console. Because Nintendo games are only released on one console, they do much better on this list than games like Guitar Hero or Madden Football that are released on several consoles at once. However, the dominance of Nintendo also reveals the popularity and quality of these titles.
Learn more about the top 10 best-selling games of all time, as reported by VGCharts, a website that compiles data about game sales.
- Wii Sports (released in 2006) 47 million copies sold
At the beginning of 2009, Wii Sports passed the original Super Mario Bros. as the best-selling game of all time. Much of its success can be attributed to the fact that it came bundled with the Wii gaming console; however, it also received rave reviews from families who played tennis with each other in their own living rooms and senior citizens who could take up bowling again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqapfazs1k8
- Super Mario Bros. (1985) 40 million copies sold
Bundled with Nintendo Entertainment System, this was the game that put Nintendo on the map. Since Mario hopped onto the scene, he has appeared in more than 110 games. His titles have sold more than 200 million copies combined, making Mario the highest-selling franchise ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXar_5soj94
- Pokémon Red/Green/Blue (1998) 31 million copies sold
The first Pokémon series became highest-selling video games not bundled with a gaming system. It took advantage of the Game Boy's link cable to let players trade creatures and "catch 'em all." The game spawned a Pokémon craze that sold billions of dollars in merchandise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdHB00x1lBo
- Tetris (1989) 30 million copies sold
Tetris took the world completely by surprise after it was invented by Russian programmer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984. While it was produced multiple times for computer and game consoles in the 1980s, its greatest success was on the Nintendo Game Boy in 1989. It has since won the world record for Most Ported Game Ever from the Guinness Book of World Records, as it has appeared on phones, iPods, handheld games and even calculators.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRrTA8NqPpQ
- Duck Hunt (1985) 28 million copies sold
Duck Hunt was seen as one of the first truly innovative games for the NES. A player would use a light gun, called an NES Zapper, to shoot ducks that flew faster and faster as the levels progressed. This game also benefitted from being sold as a Nintendo console bundle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVCvH-kaNYU
- Wii Play (2007) 24 million copies sold
While it wasn't bundled with an actual Wii console like Wii Sports, Wii Play sold millions of copies because it was sold with a Wii controller. Even though the game itself did not get overwhelmingly good reviews, Wii Play sold well because the game/controller bundle cost only slightly more than the controller sold by itself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsDDNfnxy4w
- Pokémon Gold/Silver (2000) 23 million copies sold
Pokémon Gold/Silver is one of only two sequels on the top 10 list, and it is the only sequel not bundled with a game console. Its popularity speaks to the place that Pokémon had in the world's culture from the mid-90s through the new millennium.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF_eMUeJvPU
- Nintendogs (2005) 23 million copies sold
Nintendogs for the Nintendo DS allowed users to interact with a virtual dog through the DS's touch screen and microphone. Players could pet or play with their pet through the touch screen and give commands like "roll over" or "sit" through the microphone. Its innovation was recognized with several awards in 2005.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUeAial22bE
- Wii Fit (2008) 21 million copies sold
The Wii Fit, bundled with the Wii Balance Board, became an instant hit. Throughout most of 2008, there was a shortage of Wii Fit games, creating a secondary market where Wii Fits were selling at over double their retail price on Amazon and eBay. People of all ages used their Wii Fits to play video games and trim down at the same time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SqI7SWx5Fg
- Super Mario World (1991) 21 million copies sold
Bundled with the Super Nintendo system, Super Mario World was Mario's first adventure in 16-bit. It wowed video game critics, and became one of the best-reviewed games of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ3clCcwHFc
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