As the year 2024 draws to a close, sales data from Japan offers fascinating insights into the gaming market’s trends. Between December 16 and December 22, the Nintendo Switch dominated both console and game sales, with over 100,000 units sold in just one week.
Nintendo’s Unstoppable Momentum
According to data from Famitsu (via Gematsu), Nintendo continues to lead the Japanese gaming market. During the referenced week, the Switch far outperformed the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, cementing its status as the console of choice for Japanese gamers.
The top ten best-selling games for the week were all for the Switch, with eight of them being exclusives. The only exceptions were the multiplatform titles Dragon Quest III HD-2D and Minecraft.
Remarkably, the hybrid console’s sales momentum has carried it beyond 100,000 units in just seven days, reinforcing its dominance over the competition.
The Battle for the Best-Selling Game of the Year
While Dragon Quest III HD-2D remains the top-selling game in Japan for 2024, it faces fierce competition from Super Mario Party Jamboree, which continues to climb the charts. With 835,000 units sold in Japan alone, Super Mario Party Jamboree has narrowed the gap significantly.
In the week under review, Super Mario Party Jamboree added an impressive 133,542 copies to its total, keeping it firmly in the top spot for weekly sales. Meanwhile, Dragon Quest III HD-2D sold 38,088 units on the Switch, bringing its cumulative total to 894,671—only 60,000 units ahead of Super Mario Party Jamboree.
Square Enix has little room for complacency, as Super Mario Party Jamboree could potentially overtake Dragon Quest III HD-2D by the year’s end.
Animal Crossing and Other Highlights
In a milestone achievement, Animal Crossing: New Horizons surpassed eight million copies sold in Japan. This feat cements its position as the best-selling video game of all time in the country. Other major Nintendo titles also posted impressive lifetime sales figures:
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has sold 6.14 million units.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate stands at 5.66 million units.
- Nintendo Switch Sports recently crossed the 1.5 million mark.
These numbers underscore the enduring popularity of Nintendo’s evergreen franchises.
Weekly Top 10: December 16–22, 2024
- Super Mario Party Jamboree – 133,542 units
- Dragon Quest III HD-2D (Switch) – 38,088 units
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – 24,019 units
- Minecraft (Switch) – 23,131 units
- Mario & Luigi: Brotherhood Connection – 22,237 units
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – 18,178 units
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom – 18,145 units
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons – 15,536 units
- Pokémon Scarlet and Violet – 15,244 units
- Nintendo Switch Sports – 13,309 units
A Heated Year-End Showdown
With only days remaining in 2024, the Japanese gaming market is witnessing an intense competition for the title of the year’s best-selling game. Super Mario Party Jamboree and Dragon Quest III HD-2D are neck and neck, while evergreen classics like Animal Crossing and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe continue to shatter records.
Nintendo’s stronghold in Japan remains unchallenged, reaffirming the Switch’s legacy as a cultural and commercial phenomenon.