Key Takeaways
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe remains Nintendo Switch’s best-selling game, reaching 72 million copies sold worldwide.
- Mario Kart World continues to lead the Switch 2 sales chart with 16.48 million copies sold.
- Splatoon Raiders, Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, and Star Fox are the three new additions to Nintendo’s updated Switch 2 sales rankings.
- Nintendo Switch 2 hardware sales have reached 26.35 million units, while the original Switch has surpassed 157 million.
Nintendo has released its latest financial results, giving players another look at the games that have been dominating sales on the original Nintendo Switch and its successor. Unsurprisingly, Mario Kart is still running the show. Even with the Switch 2 now well into its second year, Nintendo’s racing franchise continues to hold the top spot on both platforms.
The updated figures cover worldwide sales through September 30, 2026, and show just how strong Nintendo’s older releases remain. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has now reached an impressive 72 million copies sold, while Mario Kart World has climbed to 16.48 million on Switch 2. Several newer releases are also making their presence felt, with three games joining Nintendo’s latest Switch 2 best-seller rankings.
The hardware figures are just as interesting. Nintendo Switch 2 has sold 26.35 million units worldwide, while the original Switch has reached 157.20 million. Nintendo also sold 6.49 million Switch 2 consoles during the first half of its current fiscal year, showing that the newer system is continuing to build its audience.
Players can find the complete figures in Nintendo’s official best-selling software rankings and its latest six-month financial report.
The Best-Selling Games on Nintendo Switch
The original Switch’s sales chart has not seen any major changes in its ranking, but the numbers continue to climb. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe remains comfortably ahead of the competition, with Animal Crossing: New Horizons holding second place at more than 50 million copies sold.
Here are Nintendo’s 10 best-selling Switch games according to its September 2026 update:
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: 72 million
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons: 50.63 million
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: 38.50 million
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: 34.28 million
- Super Mario Odyssey: 31.06 million
- Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: 28.66 million
- Pokémon Sword and Shield: 27.36 million
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom: 22.90 million
- Super Mario Party: 21.39 million
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe: 19.22 million
What makes these numbers particularly impressive is how well some of these games continue to perform years after their original releases. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is still sitting above the 50-million mark, while Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has climbed to 38.50 million.
The Pokémon games are also holding their ground. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have reached 28.66 million copies, keeping them ahead of Pokémon Sword and Shield at 27.36 million. Meanwhile, both major Switch entries in the The Legend of Zelda series remain among Nintendo’s biggest commercial successes.
Still, the biggest talking point is undoubtedly Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Despite Nintendo releasing an entirely new Mario Kart game for its latest console, the older title continues to attract buyers. Its 72-million sales milestone shows that the game has become one of the most successful releases in Nintendo’s history.
The Best-Selling Games on Nintendo Switch 2
The Switch 2 rankings are a little more interesting this time around. While Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza continue to hold the first two positions, three newer releases have entered the chart: Splatoon Raiders, Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, and Star Fox.
Here is the updated list of Nintendo’s best-selling Switch 2 games:
- Mario Kart World: 16.48 million
- Donkey Kong Bananza: 5.05 million
- Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition: 4.04 million (13.31 million combined with the original Switch version)
- Pokémon Pokopia: 4.04 million
- Splatoon Raiders: 2.42 million
- Kirby Air Riders: 1.94 million
- Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave: 1.34 million
- Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition: 1.28 million (12.01 million combined with the original Switch version)
- Star Fox: 1.17 million
There is one important detail regarding Pokémon Pokopia. Nintendo’s reported 4.04-million figure only covers sales outside Japan, where Nintendo is the game’s publisher. The Pokémon Company handles the game’s publishing in Japan, so those domestic sales are not included in this particular figure.
Meanwhile, Pokémon Legends: Z-A continues to perform well across both systems. Its Switch 2 Edition has sold 4.04 million copies, bringing the combined sales of the two versions to 13.31 million. Super Mario Party Jamboree is following a similar pattern, with its Switch 2 Edition contributing to 12.01 million combined sales across both platforms.
Mario Kart World Has a Huge Lead on Switch 2
The Mario Kart franchise’s dominance is not particularly surprising, but the difference between the top two Switch 2 games is worth highlighting. Mario Kart World has reached 16.48 million copies, more than three times the 5.05 million sales recorded by Donkey Kong Bananza.
Nintendo had a good reason to introduce Switch 2 with a new Mario Kart game. The franchise already had an enormous audience thanks to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and the latest entry has clearly benefited from that popularity. It has become the system’s biggest software success by a considerable margin.
There is still room for that number to grow. A substantial content update or expansion could potentially give Mario Kart World another sales boost, much like the Booster Course Pass helped extend the life of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. However, Nintendo has not officially announced a major DLC expansion for the newer game, so fans should treat that possibility as speculation for now.
Splatoon Raiders, Fire Emblem, and Star Fox Join the Rankings
The biggest changes to the Switch 2 chart come from its newer releases. Splatoon Raiders has already sold 2.42 million copies, making it the fifth-best-selling game on the platform according to Nintendo’s updated list. As the first spin-off in the Splatoon franchise, its early performance is a promising sign for the series.
It will be interesting to see what Nintendo does with the franchise next. A new mainline Splatoon entry could eventually arrive on Switch 2, although Nintendo has not officially announced Splatoon 4.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is another strong performer. Released in September, the tactical RPG has already reached 1.34 million sales. Considering how recently it arrived, that is a respectable start and gives Nintendo another successful release for its growing Switch 2 library.
Then there is Star Fox, which has reached 1.17 million copies sold. The June release brings Fox McCloud and the Star Fox team back into the spotlight with a refreshed take on the classic space-faring adventure. Fox’s appearance in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie also gave the character some additional exposure, although Nintendo has not directly attributed the game’s sales to the film.
Interestingly, Nintendo’s financial report also noted strong audience engagement with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which helped drive growth in the company’s IP-related business. It is another example of how Nintendo’s movie and gaming projects can support its wider entertainment business.
What Could Change Nintendo’s Best-Selling Games List Next?
Nintendo’s next financial update could bring some interesting changes, especially now that several major releases are arriving on Switch 2. One title that deserves particular attention is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, which launched on November 5, just after the reporting period covered by Nintendo’s latest sales figures.
That means its performance will not be reflected in the current rankings. Depending on how well it sells over the coming months, the remake could become another major contributor to Switch 2 software sales.
There is also plenty to look forward to in 2027. Metroid Ravenous is scheduled for January, while Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves are confirmed for a worldwide release during the year. The upcoming Pokémon games could be particularly important for Nintendo, given the continued popularity of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and Pokémon Sword and Shield.
For now, though, the picture is pretty clear. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe continues to rule the original Switch, while Mario Kart World is comfortably ahead of every other Switch 2 release. Nintendo has managed to carry one of its most successful franchises into a new console generation without losing the audience that made it so popular in the first place.
With more exclusives on the way and the Switch 2’s install base continuing to grow, Nintendo’s next sales update should make for an interesting read. The real question is whether any of its upcoming releases can eventually give Mario Kart a serious challenge.
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