10 Mario Kart Wii: 37.38 million copies

When the Wii was released in 2006, it was a huge success that took the world by storm. In fact, the Wii has become one of the best selling gaming consoles of all time. The biggest reason for its success was the motion controls, which helped turn games into a physical experience. Nintendo used these motion controls to revolutionize the  popular Mario Kart franchise  by turning your Wii remote into a router.

Best of all, a real steering wheel accessory has been released, allowing players to insert a Wii controller into a plastic steering wheel, giving players more control and a feeling of being in-game. Nintendo reports that  more than 37 million copies of  Mario Kart Wii have  been sold   .

9 Red Dead Redemption 2: 38 million copies

Rockstar Games have released some of the most exciting, immersive and bestselling games of all time, such as  Manhunt  and  Max Payne  . But one of the most popular (and bestselling) franchises is   Red Dead Redemption  .

The games allow players to embark on side missions and quests in a massive open world, all set in the Wild West. From train chases to shootings, it was the perfect gaming experience for anyone who dreams of being a cowboy. At the beginning of August, the sales figures for  Red Dead Redemption 2 were  released, revealing that sales have exceeded 38 million copies.

8 Super Mario Bros.: 40.24 million copies

Real sales figures and the number of players who played  Super Mario Bros.  Much higher than its official sales of more than 40 million units. It’s important to remember that the title came bundled with  Super Mario All-Stars  for SNES, which in turn sold millions of copies. In addition, it is currently free to play for anyone with a Nintendo Switch Online account.

Regardless, it’s pretty impressive that  Super Mario Bros.  Physical sales alone keep the game in the top ten list nearly 40 years after its initial release. Since then, it has spawned a whole series of games, a TV show, and an underrated movie adaptation, and billions of dollars in merchandise sales. It seems that while some gaming franchises are fading out, Mario is here to stay.

7 Mario Kart 8 / Deluxe: 45.53 million copies

Mario Kart 8 has become   the best-selling game for the Wii U console from Nintendo. However, the vast majority of the game’s sales come from the Deluxe edition released for the Switch. According to Nintendo, Deluxe has sold 37.08 million copies while Wii U has 8.45 million copies (for a total of 45.53 million copies sold).

Much of the additional content released in  Mario Kart 8 Deluxe  was DLC for the original Wii U game, meaning any player still using the Wii U can give their game a massive upgrade through Nintendo’s EShop. However, according to  The Gamer  , the Wii U online store will be closed in early 2022.

6 Pokémon (1st generation): 45-47 million copies

Nintendo has never explicitly listed sales numbers for the first generation of  Pokémon games  (red, blue, yellow, green). However, by accounts, the popular belief is that just over 45 million copies were sold. This number was even used by  Polygon  . However, with some first-generation games still nearly on sale for the 3DS, the numbers have climbed even higher, with  DigitalTrends estimating  sales figures at nearly 47 million units sold.

The launch of  Pokémon was  a defining moment in Nintendo’s history, proving that the company can still find inroads in an ever-changing market. To date, the franchise has become one of the best-selling series in history and is still popular to this day.

5 PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds: Over 70 Million Copies

Despite being released only four years ago in 2017,  PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has already sold  over 70 million copies. And because the game is still for sale, that number continues to slowly rise. The game is a shooting game in the form of a battle royale arena, in which many players online compete to be the last one standing. The game is said to be inspired by the Japanese movie  Battle Royale  , which is also claimed to be the inspiration for  The Hunger Games  .

On top of record sales figures for consoles and PCs, the mobile version of  Battlegrounds  has also been reported to have been downloaded over 1 billion times, becoming one of the most downloaded mobile games ever.

4 Wii Sports: 82.90 million copies

Wii Sports  is one of the most influential games of all time. Not only did it revolutionize what games could be and turn sports into a virtual experience, but it helped drive Wii sales, putting Nintendo back on top. After selling nearly 83 million copies,  Wii Sports Resorts  was also a huge success, selling over 33 million copies.

Anyone who owned a Wii in the mid-2000s surely remembers bowling, playing baseball, or even boxing against loved ones in their living room. The game was so popular that it made its way into movies and television, and was featured on shows like  The Big Bang Theory.  Wii Sports was  more than just a game, it was a cultural phenomenon.

3 Grand Theft Auto V: Over 150 million copies

For many players,  Grand Theft Auto  is  literally games. It is a perfect blend of action, combat, open world exploration, and story. It is the ultimate example of what a great game can be. This is proven in the epic franchise sales numbers. GTA III  ,  Vice City  , and  GTA IV have been highly praised  and  are among some of the best-selling games of all time.

But  GTA V  has sold out all of them and continues to sell copies of it to this day. In August, it was reported that the game has now sold over 150 million copies, safely cementing it as the third best-selling game of all time.

2 Minecraft: 238+ million copies

The concept of  Minecraft may seem  simple: it’s like playing with virtual Legos games. Players can take the blocks and then build them into whatever they want. But something much bigger happened within the game. The music was calm and inviting, the scenery was gorgeous, and the panoramic views of epic creations like castles, skyscrapers and a rollercoaster were absolutely stunning.

Minecraft  is very powerful because it can literally become what the player wants. The player’s imagination guides the gameplay. Social media and YouTube have also helped the game, allowing players to showcase their creativity to the world. Microsoft reports that over 238 million copies have been sold so far.

1 Tetris: 500+ million copies

 Tetris has been  around for decades, and has been released to almost every electronic device ever. It started as a PC game, then made its way to consoles like the NES and Genesis/Mega Drive. It even became an arcade game, was a huge hit on Nintendo’s Game Boy handheld and was later released on every major console and phone, as well as iPods. There are also browser versions on websites and Facebook.

Simply. Everyone has played  Tetris  and sold hundreds of millions of copies. Surprisingly, despite being almost 40 years old, it remains popular and relevant to this day. It’s a simple puzzle game that’s addictive, challenging, and super fun, so it’s easy to see why it continues to be loved by so many players.