The Nintendo Switch is shaping up to be one of the best-selling consoles out there. It’s not hard to see why, with its hybrid design and massive third-party library drawing in hundreds of fans. But the Switch truly shines when boasting its selection of first-party titles. Almost all of these games have reached 1 million sales, with the top 10 selling no less than over 14 million copies each. Looking back on this selection of titles can provide great insight as to how the Switch is defined by its fans. As of November 2022, here are the 10 best Nintendo Switch games of all time based on their sales numbers!
All sales information was taken from VGSales.
The 10 Best Nintendo Switch Games of All Time Ranked by Copies Sold
- 10. Ring Fit Adventure
- 9. Pokémon: Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee!
- 8. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
- 7. Super Mario Party
- 6. Super Mario Odyssey
- 5. Pokémon Sword & Shield
- 4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- 3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- 2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- 1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
10. Ring Fit Adventure — 14.54 Million Copies Sold
Ring Fit Adventure is one of the more unique games on the Switch. It’s essentially a workout game in an RPG format, pitting players against weight-themed enemies as they attempt to save the world from the influence of a bodybuilder dragon. The game comes packaged with a ring accessory that allows one controller to be attached to it. This unique playstyle makes for an effective alternative to heading to the gym every day — as long as you can keep up with the workout!
9. Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! & Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! — 14.66 Million Copies Sold
Pokémon: Let’s Go can be considered as spinoffs from the main Pokémon franchise. In these games, the popular Pokémon Go style is mixed with an adventure reminiscent of the original Red and Blue games. Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! were the first Pokémon titles to be released on the Switch, surely drawing some attention from that fact alone. They were also the third remakes of the original Generation I games, so despite their lack of content, at least fans looking for nostalgia weren’t too displeased.
8. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl — 14.79 Million Copies Sold
The Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Pokémon games are remakes of the original Gen IV titles, giving fans a familiar taste of the Sinnoh region after a decade without it. These games feature quality-of-life improvements and new battles that are arguably as tough as fights against other players. Admittedly, there’s a distinct lack of new content with these remakes, especially when compared to older titles like HeartGold & SoulSilver or Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. Even so, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl still manage to offer a fun experience for new players while giving plenty of nostalgia for old fans.
7. Super Mario Party — 18.06 Million Copies Sold
While arguably not the best Mario Party game of all time, Super Mario Party brought the series back to its roots with classic board game battles. After a string of experimental titles with simultaneous movement and the ever-despised car mechanic, Super allows fans to return to simpler times of collecting stars and messing with opponents. Top that off with interesting alternate modes and a selection of great minigames, and it’s no wonder Super Mario Party is still part of the 10 best-selling Switch games out there.
6. Super Mario Odyssey — 23.93 Million Copies Sold
Having been built from the ground-up solely for the Switch, Super Mario Odyssey offers a gaming experience not found anywhere else. This massive title combines exploration and variety as players explore open environments to find mythical Power Moons. New movements allow platforming enthusiasts and speedrunners alike to experiment with the game’s systems, and the varied environments are fun to simply walk around in even for casual players. Super Mario Odyssey isn’t just one of the best selling Switch games; it’s also one of the best Mario games out there.
5. Pokémon Sword & Shield — 24.5 Million Copies Sold
Pokémon Sword & Shield are the games that launched the franchise into Generation VIII. Unfortunately, this leap did not come without issues. The removal of content and addition of Paid DLC led to a great deal of controversy surrounding these titles. Despite this, Sword & Shield offered greater connectivity with other players than ever thanks to the inclusion of raid battles and the refinement of features from previous titles. When it comes to playing Pokémon games with friends and family, there’s no better games than Sword & Shield.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — 27.14 Million Copies Sold
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the biggest Zelda game out there. Included as one of the launch titles for the Switch, there’s very few reasons to own the console and not own this game as well. The massive open world, improved combat, and incredible atmosphere are reasons enough to check this game out even if you aren’t a fan of the series. This might change with the imminent release of Breath of the Wild’s sequel, but it doesn’t change the fact that Breath of the Wild is one of the most influential games of all time.
3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate — 28.82 Million Copies Sold
Intended as the definitive Smash Bros. experience, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate brings back every fighter and most stages from previous titles. It combines them with a new story mode, expanded online capabilities, and more new characters in the forms of base-game additions and DLC. The only thing surprising about this game’s popularity is that it’s not even more popular than it already is.
2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons — 39.38 Million Copies Sold
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the casual gamer’s dream. In this title, players live a simple island life with fellow villagers as they perform day-to-day activities like tree-chopping and bug-catching. There are very few games designed with relaxation in mind, but New Horizons is one of the greatest examples of this. Combine that with the portable functions of the Switch, and it’s no wonder this game is the best-selling Switch title that isn’t an expanded port.
1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe — 46.82 Million Copies Sold
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the definitive Mario Kart experience. It brings in gimmicks and tracks from Mario Kart 8 while adding new features like a full battle mode and dual items. This port’s popularity is to be expected, especially since there’s no other Mario Kart release on the Switch, but it’s far from unwarranted. In fact, the game now features new DLC after its release 5 years ago, giving Mario Kart fans more content than they ever could have believed.
The Switch still has a long way to go, especially with the latest Pokémon games releasing this month and the ever-growing rumors of a Switch Pro coming soon. One can only wonder what new Switch games might find their way onto this list in the future — or if Nintendo will find even more success with their next console!