Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The greatest promoting Atari 2600 recreation: Pac-Man – 8 million
The greatest promoting NES recreation: Super Mario Bros. – 40 million*
The greatest promoting Sega Genesis recreation: Sonic the Hedgehog – 15 million*
The greatest promoting Game Boy recreation: Pokémon Red & Blue – 31 million
The greatest promoting SNES recreation: Super Mario World – 20.6 million*
The greatest promoting PS1 recreation: Gran Turismo – 10.85 million
The greatest promoting N64 recreation: Super Mario 64 – 11.91 million*
The greatest promoting Dreamcast recreation: Sonic Adventure – 2.5 million
The greatest promoting GBA recreation: Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire – 16.22 million
The greatest promoting PS2 recreation: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – 17.33
The greatest promoting Xbox recreation: Halo 2 – 8.46 million
The greatest promoting GameDice recreation: Super Smash Bros. Melee – 7.41 million
The greatest promoting DS recreation: New Super Mario Bros. – 30.80 million
The greatest promoting Xbox 360 recreation: Kinect Adventures! – 24 million
The greatest promoting PS3 recreation: GTA 5 – 29.52 million
The greatest promoting Wii recreation: Wii Sports – 82.90 million*
The greatest promoting Wii U recreation: Mario Kart 8 – 8.46 million*
The greatest promoting PS4 recreation: Marvel’s Spider-Man – 22.68 million
The greatest promoting Xbox One recreation: PUBG: Battlegrounds – 9 million
The greatest promoting Switch recreation: Mario Kart 8: Deluxe – 68.29 million
The greatest promoting Xbox Series X/S recreation: ????
The greatest promoting PS5 recreation: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: 11 million
Looking again on the complete online game console timeline lets us get a transparent image of how the trade has developed. It is enjoyable to rank the perfect consoles of all time and take a look at issues like the perfect Nintendo launch video games to recollect what we have been taking part in after we first bought our arms on these new methods. Those sorts of subjective lists are enjoyable, however there are some equally fascinating goal issues to discover as effectively. Game gross sales don’t essentially symbolize the perfect video games of all time, however do present what was hottest on the time for one cause or one other. There’s sometimes a disconnect between what sells the perfect 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 via all of the monetary experiences for way back to we may to seek out the perfect promoting video games on each online game console.
Note: We are solely protecting the main dwelling and handheld consoles and leaving out the extra area of interest methods that few folks owned or keep in mind. We are additionally solely capable of account for formally launched gross sales knowledge. It is feasible a few of these numbers have modified or are within the mistaken order, however as of 2025, it’s as up-to-date as doable primarily based on the newest official knowledge.
The greatest promoting Atari 2600 recreation: Pac-Man – 8 million
Giovanni Colantonio / Digital Trends
The early consoles have been primarily a strategy to play the perfect arcade video games at dwelling, so it is smart that Pac-Man could be the highest vendor for the Atari 2600. What is a bit of shocking, although, is simply what number of copies this recreation bought ultimately. Despite how area of interest video video games have been within the early 80s, Pac-Man on the Atari 2600 bought over 8 million copies. Space Invaders is available in at a distant second place with simply over 6 million with Donkey Kong rounding out the highest three with a bit of over 4 million.
The greatest promoting NES recreation: Super Mario Bros. – 40 million*
Nintendo
We should put a small asterisk on this entry as a result of, regardless of being the most effective Mario video games and definitely would’ve bought thousands and thousands by itself, Super Mario Bros. was a pack-in recreation with the NES. That recreation was in all probability 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. However, bundle or not, the gross sales determine of over 40 million copies is nothing to sneeze at. Even Duck Hunt and Super Mario Bros. 3, which have been additionally included in bundles, solely bought 28 million and 18 million copies, respectively. If you don’t rely bundles, the highest promoting NES recreation would then fall to Tetris with 8 million copies bought.
The greatest promoting Sega Genesis recreation: Sonic the Hedgehog – 15 million*
Sega
Just like Nintendo’s principal mascot topped the charts for the NES, Sega’s personal Sonic was simply the perfect promoting Genesis recreation with 15 million gross sales. However, we’ve 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 take 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 greatest promoting Game Boy recreation: Pokémon Red & Blue – 31 million
Adobe Stock / Digital Trends
What else may very well be the perfect promoting Game 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 nearly 10 years after it first recreation out. Some may suppose it’s a little unfair to bundle the sale of each video games collectively, however that’s how Nintendo has at all times carried out it. Besides, the second greatest promoting recreation is Tetris, however that was a pack-in recreation, and third place is Pokémon Gold and Silver with 23.7 million, so it’s important to go fairly far down the listing to not have any form of asterisk.
The greatest promoting SNES recreation: Super Mario World – 20.6 million*
Nintendo
Act shocked, however one other Mario recreation is on the high of the listing. Again, we’ve to place a disclaimer on this recreation’s enormous gross sales milestone for being a part of a bundle with the console. Just like with the NES, although, Super Mario World is likely one of the greatest SNES video games made and would probably have bought about as effectively regardless. If you need to discover the following greatest promoting recreation that isn’t a bundle, we’ve to go all the way in which to ninth place, the place we get Street Fighter II Turbo at 4.1 million copies bought.
The greatest promoting PS1 recreation: Gran Turismo – 10.85 million
Sony
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. Besides simply being an important recreation, Gran Turismo was, and nonetheless is, at all times a graphical showpiece for Sony consoles that pulls an enormous crowd simply to point out off what the system can do. Nipping at its heels in second place is Final Fantasy 7 at 10.02 million, adopted by Gran Turismo 2 at 9.37 million.
The greatest promoting N64 recreation: Super Mario 64 – 11.91 million*
Taylor Frint/Digital Trends Graphic / Nintendo
Stop us when you’ve heard this one earlier than, however a Mario recreation was the perfect promoting recreation on a Nintendo system. Shocking, we all know, however that is but once more a pack-in state of affairs. In reality, first via fourth place all have that asterisk connected, together with Mario Kart 64, GoldenEye 007, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Fifth place, nevertheless, is Super Smash Bros. with no asterisk at a good 5.55 million. While 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 greatest promoting Dreamcast recreation: Sonic Adventure – 2.5 million
Sega
It nearly isn’t value it to incorporate the Dreamcast on this listing, however we wished 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 greatest with >1.3 million, and Shenmue took third with 1.2 million.
The greatest promoting GBA recreation: Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire – 16.22 million
Evan Amos / Nintendo
Just like Mario will preserve exhibiting up on the high of dwelling console gross sales, Pokémon stays the king of the hand held market. Ruby and Sapphire make excellent sense, however second place belongs to Pokémon FireplaceRed and LeafGreen, remakes of the primary technology video games with 12 million copies bought.
The greatest promoting PS2 recreation: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – 17.33
Sony Interactive Entertainment
It’s a bit of shocking how few copies the perfect PS2 video games bought contemplating it itself is the perfect promoting console. Don’t get us mistaken, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas promoting over 17 million copies isn’t chump change, however a bit of underwhelming when you think about there are round 160 million PS2s on the market. Going down the listing, Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec will get the silver medal with 14.89 million, and GTA: Vice City holds bronze with 14.2 million.
The greatest promoting Xbox recreation: Halo 2 – 8.46 million
Micorosft
Microsoft’s first console try went method higher than anticipated, and that was largely on account of launching with a Halo recreation. The sequel, Halo 2, was one of the vital 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 greatest promoting GameDice recreation: Super Smash Bros. Melee – 7.41 million
Nintendo
Sadly, Nintendo’s grip on the console market continued to slide with the GameDice, however Super Smash Bros. Melee performed an enormous half in retaining the system related at events and in aggressive scenes. It can be the primary system the place Mario was shoved to 3rd place, although solely technically, since Mario Kart: Double Dash is second with 6.88 million, after which Mario Sunshine is available in with 5.91 million.
The greatest promoting DS recreation: New Super Mario Bros. – 30.80 million
Photo by Dids from Pexels / Nintendo
Meanwhile, the hand held facet of issues continues to print cash and, in a uncommon twist, sees Mario on high and Pokémon method down at quantity 5. 30.80 million are numbers Nintendo hand’t seen for the reason that authentic Game Boy, adopted by Nintendogs subsequent with 23.96 million and Mario Kart DS solely simply dropping out with 23.60 million.
The greatest promoting Xbox 360 recreation: Kinect Adventures! – 24 million
Xbox
Be sincere, did you see this one coming? You in all probability would have guessed Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, Skyrim, or one of many different frequent greatest Xbox 360 video games could be the perfect vendor, however no, 24 million folks bought Kinect Adventures! That sounds even crazier whenever you see that it bought greater than GTA V at 22.95 million and Minecraft at 22 million.
The greatest promoting PS3 recreation: GTA 5 – 29.52 million
Photo by Nikita Kostrykin on Unsplash
This in all probability seems extra like what you have been anticipating. GTA 5 completely crushes all different PS3 video games by way of 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. Despite its tough launch, the PS3 did finish the technology with loads of massive sellers, however nothing in comparison with GTA.
The greatest promoting Wii recreation: Wii Sports – 82.90 million*
Nintendo
Nintendo likes to bundle video games with its {hardware}, and no instance is extra well-known than the Wii and Wii Sports. 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 Resort at third with 33.14 million. The first non-bundled recreation is fifth place’s Wii Play at 28.02 million, which nonetheless blows away most different consoles’ greatest sellers.
The greatest promoting Wii U recreation: Mario Kart 8 – 8.46 million*
Nintendo
This could be a tricky one to speak about if Nintendo didn’t handle one of many biggest 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. In reality, the highest 9 Wii U video games have been all a part of a bundle at one time or one other. The first recreation you possibly can say bought probably the most with out an asterisk is Mario Party 10 at simply 2.27 million copies. Of course, many of those video games would find yourself promoting method higher when ported to a future system.
The greatest promoting PS4 recreation: Marvel’s Spider-Man – 22.68 million
Sony
This is the technology PlayStation actually blasted forward of the competitors. Marvel’s Spider-Man was the proper storm of a large IP and an ideal growth group to hit 22.68 million gross sales, however it wasn’t an entire blowout. God of War was nearly the winner with 21.02 million gross sales, and GTA 5 in some way managed to promote nearly as many copies on the PS4 as PS3 with 20 million.
The greatest promoting Xbox One recreation: PUBG: Battlegrounds – 9 million
Anthony/Pexels / Digital Trends
We don’t must remind anybody how dismal the Xbox One technology was, however seeing PUBG: Battlegrounds as the highest vendor says all of it. No offense to that recreation, however it 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 greatest promoting Switch recreation: Mario Kart 8: Deluxe – 68.29 million
Nintendo
If you didn’t suppose the platform may make an enormous distinction, right here’s your proof. Despite being an upgraded port of the Wii U recreation, Mario Kart 8: Deluxe bought extra copies on the Switch than the entire variety of Wii U consoles. And these numbers don’t get any much less loopy whenever you take a look at Animal Crossing: New Horizons promoting 47.82 million, or Super Smash Bros. Ultimate promoting 36.81 million. In reality, it’s important to go to the 22 greatest promoting recreation on the Switch earlier than gross sales drop beneath 10 million.
The greatest promoting Xbox Series X/S recreation: ????
Xbox Microsoft
Sadly, there isn’t a official knowledge obtainable for what the perfect promoting Xbox Series X/S recreation is. Microsoft has stopped reporting loads of its gross sales knowledge for {hardware} and software program items in favor of gamers and engagement, making it unattainable to know for certain what number of copies of video games have really bought.
The greatest promoting PS5 recreation: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: 11 million
Sony
We’re nonetheless within the midst of the PS5 technology, so these numbers are more likely to shift, however there’s little doubt that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is the clear recreation to beat with 11 million copies. Second place is a shock hit: Black Myth: Wukong promoting 5 million copies, after which an outdated acquainted franchise taking third place in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, promoting 3.97 million copies up to now. We’ll keep watch over this listing as issues evolve and extra gross sales knowledge comes out.