In a wild rollercoaster of pixels and excitement, the Nintendo Switch 2 has managed to jolt the Japanese home video game market like a shot of espresso on a Monday morning, pushing growth by a staggering 40% in 2025. This little console not only extended Nintendo’s legendary reign over Japan’s sales charts, but also had gamers shedding tears of joy—or perhaps it was from too many late-night gaming sessions.
Throughout the year, it was reported that the spectacular Switch 2 sold a jaw-dropping 3.78 million units. To put that into perspective, it quickly became Japan’s fastest-selling console ever, capturing over half of all home console sales in a single year, according to the numbers pumped out by the ever-reliable Famitsu. That’s right! While other consoles were throwing their best parties, the Switch 2 was the life of the bash.
The Sales Spectacle
As if that wasn’t enough to make rivals weep in their corners, Nintendo games also performed a stunning pirouette, taking the top spots in the physical games category for the 21st consecutive year. Yes, once again, Nintendo enthusiasts filled their carts with so much Joy-Con action, that it was practically raining consoles. Switch and Switch 2 games dominated the top ten, with rumors suggesting they might have been involved in a secret bet to fill 18 of the top 20 spots.
Leading the pack, of course, was the delightful Mario Kart World, which boasted an impressive 2.66 million physical copies sold. This triumph was only surpassed by previous giants like Pokémon Scarlet & Violet and Splatoon 3—released in a time when video game world domination was just a dream. Can anyone say, “Mario Party Jamboree,” with a sales figure of 954,261? Sounds like a party to crash!
In a twist that could only be described as a “Nintendo fairy tale,” the booming domestic games market in Japan soared from a cozy 301.32 billion yen in 2024 to a whopping 418.13 billion yen in 2025. Wondering where most of this money went? Spoiler alert: it was mainly vanishing into hardware sales, leaping from 189.4 billion yen to 282.6 billion yen like a Toadstool through a warp pipe!
Hardware Showdown: The Big Numbers
When it comes to the ultimate showdown of consoles, Nintendo Switch 2 took the crown with 3,784,067 sales. Following closely behind was the original Switch, selling a mere 1,520,384 units, followed by the PlayStation 5, which managed to scrape by with 879,204 sales. Xbox Series X|S and an obsolete PlayStation 4 puttered in with a combined performance that could only be described as “sad.”
This marks the 20th year where Nintendo dominated the game hardware market, with the exception of that one awkward year where the PSP threw a triumph party. Even now, while Nintendo is sailing smoothly, the PlayStation 5 has been crumbling a bit, showing a depressing 60% decline in sales for two years straight. Despite launching a shiny new, cheaper model, it seems folks aren’t exactly lining up to own a PS5 these days.
Japan’s Best Selling Games of 2025
(Only the most dedicated gamers shall receive these coveted titles / Physical copies only / Source: Famitsu)
- Mario Kart World (Switch 2) – 2,668,381
- Pokémon Legends Z-A (Switch) – 1,529,823
- Pokémon Legends Z-A (Switch 2) – 1,004,154
- Monster Hunter Wilds (PS5) – 838,319
- Super Mario Party Jamboree (Switch) – 498,397
- Donkey Kong Bananza (Switch 2) – 435,206
- Kirby Air Riders (Switch 2) – 424,837
- Minecraft (Switch) – 346,606
- Mario Kart 7 Deluxe (Switch) – 342,866
- Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake (Switch) – 316,439
If this list could shake hands, it would probably do so while waving goodbye to PS5’s attempts at sales glory.
For those curious about the secret sauce behind the top charts, Famitsu didn’t give away everything. But thanks to the Game Data Library’s weekly sales archive, a few additional placements were snuck into the light—though the exact figures might warrant a dramatic reading of suspense. Sales marked with ~ are estimated but could easily pass for a magician’s act.
- Animal Crossing New Horizons (Switch) – 288,683
- Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (Switch) – 277,204
- Momotaro Dentetsu 2 (Switch) ~233,000
- Tamagotchi Plaza (Switch) – ~222,931
- Ghost of Yotei (PS5) – 199,870
- Momotaro Dentetsu 2 (Switch 2) – ~190,000
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (Switch) – ~179,237
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment (Switch 2) – ~147,000
- Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake (Switch 2) – ~135,000
- Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Switch) – ~134,000
And there you have it: a joyful snapshot of Nintendo’s continued dominance in the gaming arena. With laughter, sales, and a touch of playful rivalry thrown in, Japan’s gaming future has never looked so bright—or perhaps just a tad more colorful and Nintendo-shaped.
