Annual Best-Sellers (Ohga Shrugs)

The following is a list of the best selling retail console and handheld games of recent years. Note that downloadable and PC titles are not included, nor are pre-installed games. In cases where a game is released for multiple platforms, they are combined.

2005

Pokemon Emerald

1. Pokemon Emerald - 3.6 million
2. Resident Evil 4 - 2.9 million
3. Spider-Man 2 - 2.8 million
4. LEGO Star Wars - 2.3 million
5. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon - 2.2 million
6. Pokemon XD - 2.0 million
7. Mario Party 7 - 1.9 million
8. Madden NFL 06 - 1.7 million
9. Mario Kart: Double Dash - 1.6 million
10. Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen - 1.5 million

2006

The relaunch of a genre.

1. New Super Mario Bros - 6.9 million
2. Nintendogs - 4.5 million
3. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl - 4.2 million
4. Animal Crossing: Wild World - 3.8 million
5. Final Fantasy 12 - 3.6 million
6. Mario Kart Nitro - 3.5 million
7. LEGO Star Wars 2 - 3.4 million
8. Brain Age 2 - 3.0 million
9. Super Mario 64 Deluxe - 3.0 million
10. Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 - 2.3 million

2007

2007 was dominated by the Nitro, which had mostly replaced the Game Boy Advance at the time. In particular, Nintendo dominated during this era, with all but one of the top ten games being Nintendo titles. The two non-Nitro games were the latest 3D Super Mario title and the multiplatform hit new series Assassin's Creed.

Pokemon continued its reign of high sales despite rising competition during the Game Boy Nitro era.

1. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl - 9.1 million
2. Brain Age 2 - 5.1 million
3. New Super Mario Bros - 5.0 million
4. Nintendogs - 4.9 million
5. Assassin's Creed - 4.5 million
6. Brain Age 2 - 4.0 million
7. Super Mario Galaxy - 3.5 million
8. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass - 3.2 million
9. Mario Kart Nitro - 2.8 million
10. Mario Party Nitro - 2.6 million

Revolution

Super Mario Galaxy

1. Super Mario Galaxy - 3.5 million
2. Assassin's Creed - 2.8 million
3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - 2.8 million
4. Mario Party 8 - 1.9 million
5. Super Paper Mario - 1.8 million

Pluto

Assassin's Creed was one of the great new franchises of the later noughties.

1. Assassin's Creed - 1.7 million
2. Sonic at the Olympic Games - 1.3 million
3. Sonic the Hedgehog - 1.3 million
4. Virtua Fighter 5 - 0.9 million
5. Virtua Tennis 3 - 0.7 million

Game Boy Nitro

1. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl - 9.1 million
2. Brain Age 2 - 5.1 million
3. New Super Mario Bros - 5.0 million
4. Nintendogs - 4.9 million
5. Brain Age 2 - 4.0 million

2008

2008 was an outstanding year for the Revolution, with the top three selling games all being exclusives. In particular, Revolution Fitness sold over 10 million copies within the year, despite being a 2007 release in Japan. The Pluto, however, has started to make a recovery, as shown by the presence of the exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4. The Force Unleashed was the big multiplatform game of the year, and the remainder of spots were taken by Game Boy Nitro long-sellers.

One of the best selling games of all time, with over 10 million sales on one console in one year.

1. Revolution Fitness - 11.5 million
2. Mario Kart X - 9.9 million
3. Super Smash Bros Brawl - 6.6 million
4. New Super Mario Bros - 5.1 million
5. Mario Kart Nitro - 4.9 million
6. Nintendogs - 4.1 million
7. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl - 3.7 million
8. Metal Gear Solid 4 - 3.6 million
9. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - 3.2 million
10. Brain Age 2 - 2.7 million

Revolution

1. Revolution Fitness - 11.5 million
2. Mario Kart X - 9.9 million
3. Super Smash Bros Brawl - 6.6 million
4. Super Mario Galaxy - 2.4 million
5. Mario Artist - 2.1 million

Pluto

Metal Gear Solid 4 was the first major Pluto exclusive.

1. Metal Gear Solid 4 - 3.6 million
2. Sega Superstars Smackdown: The Skirmish - 2.1 million
3. Sega Superstars Tennis - 1.7 million
4. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - 1.4 million
5. LEGO Indiana Jones - 1.1 million

Game Boy Nitro

1. New Super Mario Bros - 5.1 million
2. Mario Kart Nitro - 4.9 million
3. Nintendogs - 4.1 million
4. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl - 3.7 million
5. Brain Age 2 - 2.7 million

2009

The Revolution continued to dominate this year, with the top four games once again being exclusives, two of which were released in 2009. Below that, third part games made more of a mark than in previous years, with Ubisoft, Enix, and Capcom all having 5-million sellers in 2009 alone. The remaining spots were filled with Nitro games, including the what were in various territories the latest iterations of the Pokemon series.

New Super Mario Bros Revolution

1. New Super Mario Bros Revolution - 8.6 million
2. Revolution Fitness - 7.7 million
3. Revolution Fitness Plus - 7.0 million
4. Mario Kart X - 5.6 million
5. Assassin's Creed 2 - 5.5 million
6. Dragon Quest 9 - 5.5 million
7. Resident Evil 5 - 5.2 million
8. Pokemon Platinum - 5.1 million
9. Mario Kart Nitro - 4.0 million
10. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver - 3.9 million

Revolution

1. New Super Mario Bros Revolution - 8.6 million
2. Revolution Fitness - 7.7 million
3. Revolution Fitness Plus - 7.0 million
4. Mario Kart X - 5.6 million
5. Assassin's Creed 2 - 3.2 million

Pluto

Resident Evil 5

1. Resident Evil 5 - 2.5 million
2. Assassin's Creed 2 - 2.3 million
3. Street Fighter 4 - 1.4 million
4. Uncharted 3 - 1.4 million
5. Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games - 1.3 million

Game Boy Nitro

Dragon Quest 9

1. Dragon Quest 9 - 5.5 million
2. Pokemon Platinum - 5.1 million
3. Mario Kart Nitro - 4.0 million
4. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver - 3.9 million
5. Professor Layton and the Curious Village - 3.0 million

2010

Despite being a 2009 release, New Super Mario Bros Revolution actually sold better in 2010. Second place went to Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver, which was a 2009 release in Japan. Other spots were filled by returning Nintendo exclusives, while newcomers included the latest 3D Super Mario game and the surprise hit Revolution Party, as well as the multiplatform Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. The fifth generation of Pokemon did fairly well considering it was a Japanese exclusive until 2011.

1. New Super Mario Bros Revolution - 9.3 million
2. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver - 7.4 million
3. Revolution Fitness Plus - 6.5 million
4. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood - 5.7 million
5. Pokemon Black/White - 5.5 million
6. Super Mario Galaxy 2 - 5.0 million
7. Revolution Party - 4.7 million
8. New Super Mario Bros - 4.2 million
9. Mario Kart Nitro - 4.0 million
10. Mario Kart X - 3.9 million

Revolution

1. New Super Mario Bros Revolution - 9.3 million
2. Revolution Fitness Plus - 6.5 million
3. Super Mario Galaxy 2 - 5.0 million
4. Revolution Party - 4.7 million
5. Mario Kart X - 3.9 million

Pluto

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

1. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood - 2.7 million
2. Assassin's Creed 2 - 1.3 million
3. Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing - 1.2 million
4. Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 - 1.0 million
5. NBA 2K11 - 0.9 million

Game Boy Nitro

Pokemon HeartGold

1. Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver - 7.4 million
2. Pokemon Black/White - 5.5 million
3. New Super Mario Bros - 4.2 million
4. Mario Kart Nitro - 4.0 million
5. Super Smash Bros. Rumble - 1.8 million

2011

For the first time since 2007, a Pokemon game was #1 in 2011, thanks to the international release of Black/White However, this year was largely marked by lower sales for the best-sellers, as many companies were investing in the next generation of hardware, which began with the release of the Game Boy 3DS. In second place was Assassin's Creed: Revelations, closely followed by its unofficial rival for the holiday season, Batman: Arkham City. No other games sold over 5 million copies, including the acclaimed Skyward Sword and Uncharted 3.

Pokemon Black

1. Pokemon Black/White - 9.6 million
2. Assassin's Creed: Revelations - 5.8 million
3. Batman: Arkham City - 5.2 million
4. Uncharted 3 - 4.0 million
5. Mario Kart X - 3.9 million
6. New Super Mario Bros Revolution - 3.4 million
7. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - 3.2 million
8. Revolution Party - 2.4 million
9. New Super Mario Bros - 2.4 million
10. FIFA 12 - 2.3 million

Revolution

Mario Kart X

1. Mario Kart X - 3.9 million
2. New Super Mario Bros Revolution - 3.4 million
3. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - 3.2 million
4. Revolution Party - 2.4 million
5. Donkey Kong Country Returns - 1.5 million

Pluto

1. Assassin's Creed: Revelations - 2.8 million
2. Batman: Arkham City - 2.5 million
3. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood - 1.2 million
4. FIFA 12 - 1.2 million
5. NBA 2K12 - 1.1 million

Game Boy Nitro

1. Pokemon Black/White - 9.6 million
2. New Super Mario Bros - 2.4 million
3. Mario Kart Nitro - 1.6 million
4. Professor Layton and the Last Specter - 1.5 million
5. Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! - 1.2 million

2012

For the first time in many years, the best selling game of 2012 was a third party multiplatform title, Assassin's Creed 3. This marked a triumph on the part of publisher Ubisoft, which had been investing in the franchise since before the start of the seventh generation. The general theme of the year was "out with the old, in with the new." The last Pokemon for the Nitro sold well, but Nitro software sales finally began to collapse in 2012, replaced by the Game Boy 3DS, which had three titles chart in the top ten. Capcom's Resident Evil 6, despite selling over 3.5 million copies, was considered a disappointment by the company, and ended the generation on a sour note. In Japan, meanwhile, Dragon Quest 10 provided the Revolution with a fitting swansong, as did Mario Party 9 worldwide. Mortal Kombat successfully rebooted the franchise just in time for the generation to end.

Assassin's Creed 3

1. Assassin's Creed 3 - 8.5 million
2. Pokemon Black/White 2 - 5.6 million
3. Mario Kart 3D - 5.3 million
4. New Super Mario Bros 2 - 4.1 million
5. Resident Evil 6 - 3.7 million
6. Dragon Quest 10 - 3.2 million
7. FIFA Soccer 13 - 2.9 million
8. Mortal Kombat - 2.6 million
9. Uncharted 3 - 2.4 million
10. Mario Party 9 - 2.2 million
11. Animal Crossing: New Leaf - 2.1 million

Revolution

1. Assassin's Creed 3 - 4.4 million
2. Dragon Quest 10 - 3.2 million
3. Resident Evil 6 - 2.3 million
4. Mario Party 9 - 2.2 million
5. Mario Kart X - 1.6 million

Pluto

1. Assassin's Creed 3 - 3.9 million
2. NBA 2K13 - 1.9 million
3. Resident Evil 6 - 1.5 million
4. FIFA Soccer 13 - 1.4 million
5. Hitman: Absolution - 1.2 million

Game Boy Nitro

1. Pokemon Black/White 2 - 5.6 million
2. New Super Mario Bros - 1.2 million
3. Pokemon Black/White - 1.1 million
4. Pokemon Conquest - 0.9 million
5. Mario Kart Nitro - 0.8 million

Game Boy 3DS

Mario Kart 3D

1. Mario Kart 3D - 4.5 million
2. New Super Mario Bros 2 - 3.9 million
3. Animal Crossing: New Leaf - 2.1 million
4. Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance - 1.1 million
5. Paper Mario: Sticker Star - 1.1 million