Best-Selling Video Games of All Time

Video games have come a long way from being considered little more than kids’ toys. Now classified as a proper art form, video games have outsold many other forms of entertainment media. After all, who doesn’t love a good video game? With that in mind, today we’re looking at the ten best-selling video games of all time. The one at the top may surprise you!

Best-Selling Video Games of All Time

10. New Super Mario Bros

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Originally released for the Nintendo DS in 2006, New Super Mario Bros was a return to 2D platforming for everyone’s favorite plumber. This game went on to sell 30 million units! In large part, that number was bolstered by the huge install base of the Nintendo DS. It also helped that Mario’s adventures tend to attract a large audience, and the game was heavily promoted by Nintendo. It didn’t hurt that the original entry in this series is higher on this list, either!

9. Pokemon Red and Blue

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Originally released in 1996 on the Game Boy, Pokemon became an international phenomenon. Spurred on by the success of its anime and card game adaptations, “Pokemania” swept the nation in the late 90’s. Nintendo really reaped the rewards on this one, with the game selling 31 million units. If you say you haven’t heard of Pikachu, you’re lying. More than 20 years later, this series is still going strong. Also, if you’re noticing a Nintendo theme developing, get used to it: these guys have sold a ton of video games.

8.  Wii Sports Resort

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The 2009 Wii Sports Resort was released as a follow-up to Wii Sports. It sold a solid 33 million units! Not quite as impressive as its predecessor, but still quite the performance. It just goes to show how much people love waggling their motion-controllers at the TV screen.

7. Mario Kart Wii

Photo Credit: Nintendo Soup

Did we mention the Wii sold a ton of units? Well, the Wii sold a ton of units. Mario Kart Wii, which released in 2008, went on to sell 37 million units itself! It was largely bolstered by the massive install base of the Wii and the promise of motion-controlled steering. Motion controls were really all the rage back in the late 2000’s. It was a weird era, kids.

6. Super Mario Bros

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While this game was originally released in 1985, you’ve definitely heard of it. Chances are good you’ve played it. This mega-popular smash-hit made Nintendo a household name and redefined video games. Super Mario Bros, released on the Nintendo Entertainment System, sold 40 million copies and introduced American audiences to Nintendo. It’s hard to believe that’s been 30 years ago, now!

5. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

Photo Credit: Microsoft

The youngest game in the Top Ten, by far, is PlayerUnkown’s Battlegrounds, or PUBG. Originally released for the PC in 2017, the game is actually a mod of a game called Arma. The unpolished, buggy mess that is PUBG has somehow managed to sell 50 million units, which really goes to show that concept beats execution. PUBG’s chief competition, Fortnite, would likely make this list if it wasn’t free-to-play. However, as the game is free, it’s impossible to chart sales numbers.

4. Wii Sports

Photo Credit: Nintendo

Packed-in with the Wii, Wii Sports released alongside the console in 2006. This entry represents the first huge jump: while PUBG has sold 50 million copies, Wii Sports sold 83 million. To put that into perspective, it sold more than double what the original Super Mario Bros sold. That’s crazy! Like we said, people really love waggling their motion-controllers at the TV screen!

3. GTA V

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A relative newcomer to the top ten, Grand Theft Auto V was released in 2013 for a multitude of platforms. It broke several records for fastest-selling entertainment media within 24 hours of its release. This massive, sprawling and ambitious title rode high on the successes of the previous entries in the franchise. After the juggernaut that was GTA IV, it only made sense that the fifth entry would blow everyone away. Get this: the game sold 95 million units across all platforms. That’s more copies sold than units of the Wii. Talk about a mega-hit!

2. Minecraft

Photo Credit: Minecraft

Oh, come on, you knew this game was going to be near the top. In fact, we’re betting you expected it to be the very top. However, this game has sold an absolutely absurd number of units across its various releases. Since its release in 2011, the game has sold 144 million units. From its numerous releases on nearly every system imaginable, the game has been a huge hit. Turns out, we’re all just big kids who want to play with Legos.

The Best-Selling Game of All Time: Tetris

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Yup, Tetris is still the highest-selling video game ever. By a tremendous margin. It’s telling that the highest-selling game on the list is also the oldest in the top ten. Released in 1984, the game has sold over 170 million units. The main factors behind the game’s enduring success include its huge release window, having been introduced in 1984 but popularized by a 1989 Game Boy release. The game also saw releases on various home computers and systems and remains a best-seller even today.

Versions of the ever-popular game are still for sale on phones and game consoles today. Is it lonely at the top, Tetris?