Wanting again on the complete online game console timeline lets us get a transparent image of how the trade has advanced. It’s enjoyable to rank the most effective consoles of all time and have a look at issues like the most effective Nintendo launch video games to recollect what we had been enjoying once we first bought our fingers on these new methods. These sorts of subjective lists are enjoyable, however there are some equally attention-grabbing goal issues to discover as nicely. Sport gross sales don’t essentially symbolize the most effective video games of all time, however do present what was hottest on the time for one motive or one other. There’s sometimes a disconnect between what sells the most effective and what’s the highest rated, which is enjoyable to see. This isn’t the form of factor most individuals know off the highest of their head, so we dug by all of the monetary stories for way back to we may to seek out the most effective promoting video games on each online game console.
Notice: We’re solely masking the key residence and handheld consoles and leaving out the extra area of interest methods that few folks owned or keep in mind. We’re additionally solely capable of account for formally launched gross sales information. It’s doable a few of these numbers have modified or are within the improper order, however as of 2025, it’s as up-to-date as doable based mostly on the newest official information.
The very best promoting Atari 2600 recreation: Pac-Man – 8 million
The early consoles had been primarily a approach to play the most effective arcade video games at residence, so it is sensible that Pac-Man could be the highest vendor for the Atari 2600. What’s just a little stunning, although, is simply what number of copies this recreation bought in the long run. Regardless of how area of interest video video games had been within the early 80s, Pac-Man on the Atari 2600 bought over 8 million copies. Area Invaders is available in at a distant second place with simply over 6 million with Donkey Kong rounding out the highest three with just a little over 4 million.
The very best promoting NES recreation: Tremendous Mario Bros. – 40 million*
We’ve got to place a small asterisk on this entry as a result of, regardless of being among the best Mario video games and definitely would’ve bought hundreds of thousands by itself, Tremendous Mario Bros. was a pack-in recreation with the NES. That recreation was most likely why most individuals purchased the console, however we are going to by no means know for certain what number of copies the sport would have bought if it hadn’t been included with the system. Nevertheless, bundle or not, the gross sales determine of over 40 million copies is nothing to sneeze at. Even Duck Hunt and Tremendous Mario Bros. 3, which had been additionally included in bundles, solely bought 28 million and 18 million copies, respectively. In the event you don’t depend bundles, the highest promoting NES recreation would then fall to Tetris with 8 million copies bought.
The very best promoting Sega Genesis recreation: Sonic the Hedgehog – 15 million*
Identical to Nintendo’s principal mascot topped the charts for the NES, Sega’s personal Sonic was simply the most effective promoting Genesis recreation with 15 million gross sales. Nevertheless, we have now to place the identical asterisk on Sonic as we did with Mario as a result of it, too, was bundled with the console. If we have a look at second place, it’s none aside from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 with round 7.5 million copies. These are nice numbers, however actually goes to point out simply how dominant Nintendo was on the time over Sega.
The very best promoting Sport Boy recreation: Pokémon Pink & Blue – 31 million
What else may very well be the most effective promoting Sport Boy recreation than the franchise that took over the world and hasn’t let go? The monster-catching video games rocketed the franchise into the stratosphere and gave the hand-held a second life virtually 10 years after it first recreation out. Some would possibly suppose it’s a little unfair to bundle the sale of each video games collectively, however that’s how Nintendo has at all times completed it. In addition to, the second finest promoting recreation is Tetris, however that was a pack-in recreation, and third place is Pokémon Gold and Silver with 23.7 million, so you need to go fairly far down the record to not have any form of asterisk.
The very best promoting SNES recreation: Tremendous Mario World – 20.6 million*
Act shocked, however one other Mario recreation is on the high of the record. Once more, we have now to place a disclaimer on this recreation’s large gross sales milestone for being a part of a bundle with the console. Identical to with the NES, although, Tremendous Mario World is likely one of the finest SNES video games made and would seemingly have bought about as nicely regardless. If you wish to discover the following finest promoting recreation that isn’t a bundle, we have now to go all the best way to ninth place, the place we get Avenue Fighter II Turbo at 4.1 million copies bought.
The very best promoting PS1 recreation: Gran Turismo – 10.85 million
This was a really shut race between first, second, and third place, however the first entry in Sony’s personal racing recreation franchise squeaks out the win at 10.85 million copies. In addition to simply being an important recreation, Gran Turismo was, and nonetheless is, at all times a graphical showpiece for Sony consoles that attracts an enormous crowd simply to point out off what the system can do. Nipping at its heels in second place is Ultimate Fantasy 7 at 10.02 million, adopted by Gran Turismo 2 at 9.37 million.
The very best promoting N64 recreation: Tremendous Mario 64 – 11.91 million*
Cease us if you happen to’ve heard this one earlier than, however a Mario recreation was the most effective promoting recreation on a Nintendo system. Stunning, we all know, however that is but once more a pack-in state of affairs. Actually, first by fourth place all have that asterisk hooked up, together with Mario Kart 64, GoldenEye 007, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Fifth place, nevertheless, is Tremendous Smash Bros. with no asterisk at a decent 5.55 million. Whereas there have been tons of nice N64 video games, this console didn’t promote in addition to Nintendo’s others so these are nonetheless nice numbers contemplating the set up base.
The very best promoting Dreamcast recreation: Sonic Journey – 2.5 million
It virtually isn’t value it to incorporate the Dreamcast on this record, however we needed to acknowledge its loyal followers and that it did have some nice video games. Sadly, not even Sonic may save this technique and its premier 3D journey solely managed to promote 2.5 million copies. Soulcalibur was second finest with >1.3 million, and Shenmue took third with 1.2 million.
The very best promoting GBA recreation: Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire – 16.22 million
Identical to Mario will hold displaying up on the high of residence console gross sales, Pokémon stays the king of the hand-held market. Ruby and Sapphire make good sense, however second place belongs to Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, remakes of the primary era video games with 12 million copies bought.
The very best promoting PS2 recreation: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – 17.33
It’s just a little stunning how few copies the most effective PS2 video games bought contemplating it itself is the most effective promoting console. Don’t get us improper, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas promoting over 17 million copies isn’t chump change, however just a little underwhelming when you think about there are round 160 million PS2s on the market. Happening the record, Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec will get the silver medal with 14.89 million, and GTA: Vice Metropolis holds bronze with 14.2 million.
The very best promoting Xbox recreation: Halo 2 – 8.46 million
Microsoft’s first console try went means higher than anticipated, and that was largely on account of launching with a Halo recreation. The sequel, Halo 2, was probably the most closely marketed video games on the time and revolutionized on-line play, permitting it to place the unique Halo in second place at 6 million. The drop off to 3rd place is large, with Fable promoting a nonetheless spectacular 3 million copies.
The very best promoting GameCube recreation: Tremendous Smash Bros. Melee – 7.41 million
Sadly, Nintendo’s grip on the console market continued to slide with the GameCube, however Tremendous Smash Bros. Melee performed a giant half in retaining the system related at events and in aggressive scenes. Additionally it is the primary system the place Mario was shoved to 3rd place, although solely technically, since Mario Kart: Double Sprint is second with 6.88 million, after which Mario Sunshine is available in with 5.91 million.
The very best promoting DS recreation: New Tremendous Mario Bros. – 30.80 million
In the meantime, the hand-held facet of issues continues to print cash and, in a uncommon twist, sees Mario on high and Pokémon means down at quantity 5. 30.80 million are numbers Nintendo hand’t seen because the authentic Sport Boy, adopted by Nintendogs subsequent with 23.96 million and Mario Kart DS solely simply dropping out with 23.60 million.
The very best promoting Xbox 360 recreation: Kinect Adventures! – 24 million
Be trustworthy, did you see this one coming? You most likely would have guessed Halo 3, Name of Obligation 4, Skyrim, or one of many different frequent finest Xbox 360 video games could be the most effective vendor, however no, 24 million folks bought Kinect Adventures! That sounds even crazier if you see that it bought greater than GTA V at 22.95 million and Minecraft at 22 million.
The very best promoting PS3 recreation: GTA 5 – 29.52 million
This most likely appears extra like what you had been anticipating. GTA 5 completely crushes all different PS3 video games when it comes to gross sales by an enormous margin, as one would suppose. Even Gran Turismo 5 in second place solely bought 11.95 million copies, and Uncharted 3 in third at ~9 million. Regardless of its tough launch, the PS3 did finish the era with a whole lot of large sellers, however nothing in comparison with GTA.
The very best promoting Wii recreation: Wii Sports activities – 82.90 million*
Nintendo likes to bundle video games with its {hardware}, and no instance is extra well-known than the Wii and Wii Sports activities. This pack-in recreation was the one recreation an enormous variety of folks ever bought for the system, which explains its astronomical gross sales. Mario Kart Wii, which was additionally a bundle, is second at 37/38 million, and Wii Sports activities Resort at third with 33.14 million. The primary non-bundled recreation is fifth place’s Wii Play at 28.02 million, which nonetheless blows away most different consoles’ finest sellers.
The very best promoting Wii U recreation: Mario Kart 8 – 8.46 million*
This might be a troublesome one to speak about if Nintendo didn’t handle one of many best turnarounds in online game historical past proper after. 8.46 million copies for a Mario Kart recreation is abysmal, and this was additionally a bundle recreation. Actually, the highest 9 Wii U video games had been all a part of a bundle at one time or one other. The primary recreation you possibly can say bought probably the most with out an asterisk is Mario Get together 10 at simply 2.27 million copies. In fact, many of those video games would find yourself promoting means higher when ported to a future system.
The very best promoting PS4 recreation: Marvel’s Spider-Man – 22.68 million
That is the era PlayStation actually blasted forward of the competitors. Marvel’s Spider-Man was the right storm of a large IP and an ideal growth staff to hit 22.68 million gross sales, but it surely wasn’t a whole blowout. God of Struggle was virtually the winner with 21.02 million gross sales, and GTA 5 in some way managed to promote virtually as many copies on the PS4 as PS3 with 20 million.
The very best promoting Xbox One recreation: PUBG: Battlegrounds – 9 million
We don’t must remind anybody how dismal the Xbox One era was, however seeing PUBG: Battlegrounds as the highest vendor says all of it. No offense to that recreation, but it surely promoting greater than Black Ops III at 7.37 million copies and COD: WWII at 6.23 million reveals how small the viewers was on this technique.
The very best promoting Swap recreation: Mario Kart 8: Deluxe – 68.29 million
In the event you didn’t suppose the platform may make a giant distinction, right here’s your proof. Regardless of being an upgraded port of the Wii U recreation, Mario Kart 8: Deluxe bought extra copies on the Swap than the overall variety of Wii U consoles. And these numbers don’t get any much less loopy if you have a look at Animal Crossing: New Horizons promoting 47.82 million, or Tremendous Smash Bros. Final promoting 36.81 million. Actually, you need to go to the 22 finest promoting recreation on the Swap earlier than gross sales drop beneath 10 million.
The very best promoting Xbox Sequence X/S recreation: ????
Sadly, there isn’t any official information accessible for what the most effective promoting Xbox Sequence X/S recreation is. Microsoft has stopped reporting a whole lot of its gross sales information for {hardware} and software program models in favor of gamers and engagement, making it inconceivable to know for certain what number of copies of video games have really bought.
The very best promoting PS5 recreation: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: 11 million
We’re nonetheless within the midst of the PS5 era, so these numbers are more likely to shift, however there’s little question that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is the clear recreation to beat with 11 million copies. Second place is a shock hit: Black Fantasy: Wukong promoting 5 million copies, after which an outdated acquainted franchise taking third place in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Aside, promoting 3.97 million copies so far. We’ll regulate this record as issues evolve and extra gross sales information comes out.
