List of best-selling Nintendo Entertainment System video games explained

The list of best-selling Nintendo Entertainment System video games totals 75 games with sales or shipments of at least one million copies. The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) video game console was first packaged as the Family Computer (Famicom) in Japan. Its best-selling game is Super Mario Bros., first released in Japan on September 13, 1985, with sales of more than 40million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling video game of all time. Two sequels are within the top five best-selling NES games: Super Mario Bros. 2 ranks fourth at 7.46million units, and Super Mario Bros. 3 ranks third at 18million units. The remaining top five are Duck Hunt with 28million units and The Legend of Zelda with 6.5million units.

Of these 75 games, 31 were developed by internal Nintendo development divisions, and 41 were published by Nintendo. Other developers with the most million-selling games include Capcom with seven games, and Konami, Hudson Soft, and Tose, with six games each. Other publishers include Capcom with seven games, Konami with six games, Bandai and Hudson Soft with five games each, and Enix and Namco with four games each. The most popular franchises on NES include Super Mario with 67.63million combined units, Dragon Quest with 11.475million combined units, and The Legend of Zelda with 10.89million combined units.

Games

Key
Pack-in games bundled with NES consoles
GameDeveloper(s)Publisher(s)Release dateSales
Super Mario Bros. Nintendo R&D4Nintendo40,240,000[1]
Duck Hunt Nintendo R&D1Nintendo28,310,000[2]
Super Mario Bros. 3 Nintendo R&D4Nintendo18,000,000[3]
TetrisNintendo R&D1Nintendo8,000,000[4]
Super Mario Bros. 2 (international version)Nintendo R&D4Nintendo7,460,000
The Legend of ZeldaNintendo R&D4Nintendo6,510,000[5]
Dr. MarioNintendo R&D1Nintendo4,850,000[6]
Nintendo R&D4Nintendo4,380,000
ExcitebikeNintendo R&D1Nintendo4,160,000
GolfNintendo R&D1Nintendo4,010,000
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Konami4,000,000[7]
Dragon Quest IIIChunsoftEnix3,895,000[8]
Kung FuNintendo R&D1Nintendo3,500,000
BaseballNintendo R&D1Nintendo3,200,000[9]
Dragon Quest IVChunsoftEnix3,180,000
World Class Track Meet TRY Co.Nintendo3,080,000
Punch-Out!!Nintendo R&D3Nintendo3,000,000[10]
MetroidNintendo R&D1Nintendo2,730,000
Super Mario Bros. 2 (Japanese version)Nintendo R&D4Nintendo2,650,000
Dragon Quest IIChunsoftEnix2,550,000
Ice HockeyNintendo R&D2Nintendo2,420,000[11]
Pro WrestlingNintendo R&D3Nintendo2,400,000
Mario Bros.Nintendo R&D1Nintendo2,280,000
TennisNintendo R&D1Nintendo2,170,000
VolleyballNintendo R&D3Nintendo2,150,000
MahjongNintendo R&D1Nintendo2,140,000
R.C. Pro-AmRareNintendo2,140,000
Pro Yakyū Family Stadium (R.B.I. Baseball)NamcoNamco2,050,000[12] [13]
Dragon QuestChunsoft2,000,000[14]
Top GunKonamiKonami2,000,000[15]
SoccerIntelligent SystemsNintendo1,960,000
Rad RacerSquare1,960,000
PinballNintendo R&D1Nintendo1,850,000
Kid IcarusNintendo1,760,000
YoshiGame FreakNintendo1,750,000
Kirby's AdventureHAL LaboratoryNintendo1,750,000
DuckTalesCapcomCapcom1,670,000[16]
Ghosts 'n GoblinsCapcom1,640,000[17]
Bases LoadedToseJaleco1,580,000[18]
Donkey Kong ClassicsNintendo R&D1Nintendo1,560,000
F-1 RaceHAL LaboratoryNintendo1,520,000
Mega Man 2CapcomCapcom1,510,000
Lode RunnerHudson Soft1,500,000[19]
XeviousNamco1,500,000[20]
Ice ClimberNintendo R&D1Nintendo1,500,000
Ninja Hattori-kunHudson SoftHudson Soft1,500,000
Mighty Bomb JackTecmoTecmo1,500,000[21]
Nintendo World CupTechnōs Japan1,480,000
4 Nin Uchi MahjongHudson SoftNintendo1,450,000
Final Fantasy IIISquareSquare1,400,000[22]
Gyromite Nintendo R&D1Nintendo1,320,000
Final FantasySquareSquare1,300,000[23]
Pro Yakyū Family Stadium '87NamcoNamco1,300,000
Hogan's AlleyNintendo R&D1Nintendo1,270,000
Ninja KidToseBandai1,250,000
Dragon PowerToseBandai1,250,000
TwinBeeKonamiKonami1,200,000
Ganbare Goemon! Karakuri DōchūKonamiKonami1,200,000
Chip 'n Dale Rescue RangersCapcomCapcom1,200,000
DoraemonHudson SoftHudson Soft1,150,000
CommandoCapcomCapcom1,140,000
Donkey KongNintendo R&D1Nintendo1,130,000
Yoshi's CookieToseNintendo1,120,000
Donkey Kong Jr.Nintendo R&D1Nintendo1,110,000
PopeyeNintendo R&D1Nintendo1,100,000
Pro Yakyū Family Stadium '88NamcoNamco1,080,000
Mega Man 3CapcomCapcom1,080,000
ToseBandai1,060,000
ToseBandai1,050,000
Adventure IslandHudson SoftHudson Soft1,050,000
Ninja JaJaMaru-kunJaleco1,000,000[24]
1942Capcom1,000,000[25]
BombermanHudson SoftHudson Soft1,000,000[26]
HydlideT&E Soft1,000,000[27]
GradiusKonamiKonami1,000,000
Tiger HeliMicronics1,000,000[28]
Metal GearKonami1,000,000[29]
NES Open Tournament GolfNintendo R&D2Nintendo1,000,000

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Super Mario Bros.: 25 Mario facts for the 25th anniversary . Stuart . Keith . . . September 13, 2010 . April 22, 2017 . August 9, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170809081435/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2010/sep/13/games-gameculture . live .
  2. Book: 2021CESAゲーム白書 (2021 CESA Games White Papers). Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association. 2021. 978-4-902346-43-5.
  3. Web site: 30 Best-Selling Super Mario Games of All Time on the Plumber's 30th Birthday . O'Malley . James . . . September 11, 2015 . April 22, 2017 . September 8, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200908004707/http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2015/09/30-best-selling-super-mario-games-of-all-time-on-the-plumbers-30th-birthday/ . live .
  4. Tetris: From Russia With Love . BBC Four . Director/Producer: Magnus Temple; Executive Producer: Nick Southgate . . . 2004 . 51:23 . The real winners were Nintendo. To date, Nintendo dealers across the world have sold 8 million Tetris cartridges on the Nintendo Entertainment system. . 2012-09-04 . 2016-01-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160101183339/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074pz0 . live .
  5. News: March 25, 2004 . The Magic Box . https://web.archive.org/web/20051126100623/http://www.the-magicbox.com/game032504.shtml . November 26, 2005 . April 22, 2017 .
  6. Book: Terry, Paul . October 5, 2015 . Top 10 of Everything 2016 . New York City, New York . . 123 . 978-1770856172 . April 22, 2017 . February 7, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230207162037/https://books.google.com/books?id=5ARMCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT123 . live .
  7. Book: Kent, Steven L. . Steven L. Kent

    . Steven L. Kent . June 16, 2010 . The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokémon and Beyond... The Story Behind the Craze That Touched Our Lives and Changed the World . New York City, New York . . 571 . 978-0761536437 . April 22, 2017 . February 7, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230207162043/https://books.google.com/books?id=PTrcTeAqeaEC&pg=PT571 . live .

  8. Web site: Dragon Quest History . Planet Nintendo . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927210927/http://www.planetnintendo.com/alefgard/dqhistory.asp . September 27, 2007 . April 22, 2017 .
  9. Book: November 6, 2014 . Guinness World Records 2015: Gamer's Edition . Vancouver, British Columbia . . 105 . 978-1908843654 .
  10. Web site: Nintendo has Singlehandedly has revived the video game industry. Albuquerque Journal. 13. October 16, 1989. September 22, 2021. Newspapers.com. February 7, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230207162030/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85752027/albuquerque-journal/. live.
  11. Book: September 8, 2016 . Guinness World Records 2017: Gamer's Edition . Vancouver, British Columbia . . 188 . 978-1910561393 . April 22, 2017 . May 11, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220511174329/https://books.google.com/books?id=MNEyDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA188 . live .
  12. Book: Tokyo Business Today . 1990 . . 35 . Since the new contract went into effect, Namco, whose hit "Family Stadium" has sold copies in Japan, has been limited in the number of new programs it can produce, and has suffered declining revenues. . 2021-09-24 . 2023-02-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230207162054/https://books.google.com/books?id=YfOzAAAAIAAJ . live .
  13. Web site: Japan Platinum Game Chart . The Magic Box . April 22, 2017 . August 1, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190801030711/http://www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-JPPlatinum.shtml . live .
  14. Web site: The New Dark Age of Dragon Quest. USgamer. August 21, 2013. March 13, 2021. Parish. Jeremy. December 28, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191228165200/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-new-dark-age-of-dragon-quest. live.
  15. Web site: The 100 Best Original Nintendo Games . . September 19, 2018 . October 17, 2018 . October 18, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181018010250/https://www.complex.com/life/the-100-best-old-school-nintendo-games/ . live .
  16. Web site: Platinum Titles . . https://web.archive.org/web/20080116224723/http://ir.capcom.co.jp/english/data/million.html . January 16, 2008 . April 22, 2017 .
  17. Web site: Platinum Titles . . April 22, 2017 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161201214236/http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/finance/million.html . December 1, 2016 .
  18. Web site: Domestic successive million shipment . Geimin.net . April 22, 2017 . January 31, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190131122553/http://geimin.net/da/db/m_domestic/index.php . live .
  19. Web site: Lock'n'Lode . . . February 17, 1999 . April 22, 2017 . May 11, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190511123027/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/02/18/locknlode . live .
  20. Book: Sheff . David . . 1994 . 1993 . . 978-0-307-80074-9 . Inside the Mother Brain . 72 . https://file1.largepdf.com/file/2020/04/08/Game_Over_-_David_Sheff.pdf#page=72 . Namco sold 1.5 million copies of a game called “Xevious.” A new Namco building was nicknamed the Xevious Building because the game had paid for its construction costs. . 2021-01-02 . 2021-01-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210102104823/https://file1.largepdf.com/file/2020/04/08/Game_Over_-_David_Sheff.pdf#page=72 . dead .
  21. Nintendo Software . . August 1987 . 6 . 5 . 12 . 2021-08-13 . 2019-11-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191123024827/http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_aug87.pdf#page=12 . live .
  22. Web site: February 2, 2004 - February 4, 2004 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130120084840/http://www.jp.square-enix.com/ir/e/explanatory/download/0404-200402090000-01.pdf. January 20, 2013. . February 9, 2004 . April 22, 2017 .
  23. Final Fantasy III. Electronic Gaming Monthly. 63. Ziff Davis. October 1994. 172.
  24. Overseas ReadersColumn: Jaleco Ships New Game For "VS. System". Game Machine. 282. Amusement Press, Inc.. 1 May 1986. 20. 13 April 2021. 9 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210209134802/https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19860501p.pdf#page=11. live.
  25. Book: Kent, Steven L. . . September 6, 2001 . . 978-0761536437 . New York City, New York . 351.
  26. News: Bomb Away With Bomberman On The N-GageTM Mobile Game Deck . . March 1, 2004 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130203094520/http://press.nokia.com/2004/03/01/bomb-away-with-bomberman-on-the-n-gagetm-mobile-game-deck/ . February 3, 2013 . April 22, 2017 . dead .
  27. Web site: History of Japanese Video Games . Szczepaniak . John . Kinephanos . 2015 . April 22, 2017 . October 3, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181003093755/http://www.kinephanos.ca/2015/history-of-japanese-video-games/ . live .
  28. Book: Kent, Steven L. . September 6, 2001 . The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokémon and Beyond... The Story Behind the Craze That Touched Our Lives and Changed the World . New York City, New York . . 310 . 978-0761536437 .
  29. Hideo Kojima (Interviewee) . March 14, 2006 . Metal Gear Saga, Vol. 1 . . Konami decided to develop a NES version of Metal Gear, but I had absolutely nothing to do with this game. The game launched worldwide and became a huge hit, selling one million copies in the U.S. .

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