Last year was unusual for the video game industry in more ways than one. The COVID-19 pandemic led to many games being delayed, but other games received more attention than they would have otherwise. It has also led to certain platforms growing in popularity, and there’s perhaps no better example than in Japan. A recently released list of Japan’s top-selling 100 games for 2020 provides insight into one of the most interesting years for video games yet.
Embodying this list and the year of 2020 was the top-seller of the year in Japan: Animal Crossing: New Horizons for the Nintendo Switch. It sold nearly 6.4 million units in 2020, according to Famitsu, which is almost 5 million more than the runner-up. It’s a casual, relaxing game, perfectly suited for the stresses of the pandemic, and the Switch allows users to play on the go or from bed. Add in that Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched as the pandemic really began to spread and it’s easy to see why it succeeded.
Number two on the list is also appropriate as symbolic of the times, that being Ring Fit Adventure. It was under such high demand that Ring Fit Adventure was sold out for months toward the start of the pandemic. Many people were looking for an opportunity to exercise from home and Ring Fit Adventure delivered, but who can say whether Ring Fit Adventure would be as successful without the pandemic.
The remaining top 10 hosts a mix of experiences that reveal the diversity of the video game community. The titles include Momotaro Dentetsu: Showa, Heisei, Reiwa mo Teiban!, a casual railway sim, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Pokemon Sword and Shield, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Minecraft, Clubhouse Games, and Super Mario 3D All-Stars. Every game except for Final Fantasy 7 Remake is available on the Nintendo Switch.
Further down the list, there are few shifts away from the trends of the top 10. There are a lot of Nintendo Switch games, as well as PS4 games, and almost nothing else. One 3DS game did make the list, which was Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Most every game is a bigger release, but with a larger trend toward casual and all-ages games than in the west.
Even without the pandemic, the Japanese video game market has trended toward the style of games seen in 2020’s top-selling list, as well as Nintendo and Sony platforms. The pandemic, at the very least, led many of these games to larger overall support, with Animal Crossing: New Horizons especially standing out.
Here is the full list of the top-selling games in Japan for 2020, according to Famitsu:
1. [NSW] Animal Crossing: New Horizons – 6,378,103 / NEW2. [NSW] Ring Fit Adventure – 1,591,366 / 2,087,0053. [NSW] Momotaro Dentetsu: Showa, Heisei, Reiwa mo Teiban! – 1,233,023 / NEW4. [PS4] Final Fantasy VII Remake – 949,379 / NEW5. [NSW] Pokemon Sword/Shield – 892,456 / 3,880,5906. [NSW] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – 798,174 / 3,457,1837. [NSW] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – 560,122 / 4,013,1748. [NSW] Minecraft – 556,982 / 1,702,9219. [NSW] Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics – 519,649 / NEW10. [NSW] Super Mario 3D All-Stars – 492,620 / NEW11. [NSW] Super Mario Party – 466,086 / 1,729,79612. [NSW] Pikmin 3 Deluxe – 462,806 / NEW13. [NSW] Splatoon 2 – 435,629 / 3,688,38914. [PS4] Ghost of Tsushima – 427,071 / NEW15. [NSW] Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training for Nintendo Switch – 309,045 / 343,74116. [NSW] Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity – 304,963 / NEW17. [NSW] Paper Mario: The Origami King – 294,697 / NEW18. [NSW] Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX – 279,162 / NEW19. [NSW] eBaseball Powerful Pro Yakyuu 2020 – 269,648 / NEW20. [PS4] Resident Evil 3 – 269,187 / NEW21. [PS4] Yakuza: Like a Dragon – 263,255 / NEW22. [NSW] Zelda: Breath of the Wild – 246,888 / 1,728,03723. [NSW] New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe – 236,269 / 983,85824. [NSW] Super Mario Maker 2 – 234,377 / 1,034,88125. [PS4] The Last of Us Part II – 233,273 / NEW26. [NSW] Luigi’s Mansion 3 – 218,973 / 724,97127. [NSW] Fishing Spirits Nintendo Switch Version – 207,472 / 544,46728. [PS4] eBaseball Powerful Pro Yakyuu 2020 – 189,64929. [PS4] Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. Maxi Boost On – 168,710 / NEW30. [PS4] Nioh 2 – 167,599 / NEW31. [NSW] Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – 167,411 / 342,53932. [PS4] Persona 5 Strikers – 164,962 / NEW33. [PS4] Dragon Ball Z Kakarot – 163,029 / NEW34. [PS4] Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War – 150,96435. [NSW] Pokemon Sword/Shield + Expansion Pass – 148,298 / NEW36. [PS4] Trials of Mana – 142,979 / NEW37. [NSW] Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition – 142,710 / NEW38. [PS4] One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 – 142,670 / NEW39. [NSW] One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 – 137,513 / NEW40. [NSW] Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum ‘n’ Fun! – 133,978 / 554,56041. [NSW] Super Mario Odyssey – 128,499 / 2,176,04542. [PS4] Granblue Fantasy Versus – 127,566 / NEW43. [NSW] Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit – 126,750 / NEW44. [PS4] Cyberpunk 2077 – 115,813 / NEW45. [NSW] Trials of Mana – 112,277 / NEW46. [NSW] Derby Stallion – 108,570 / NEW47. [PS4] The Legend of Heroes: Hajimari no Kiseki – 104,067 / NEW48. [NSW] Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Mega Mix – 97,056 / NEW49. [NSW] Dragon Quest XI S – 95,802 / 559,50150. [PS4] Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris – 94,681 / NEW51. [NSW] Human: Fall FLat – 87,440 / NEW52. [NSW] Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin – 84,814 / NEW53. [PS4] Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Online Edition – 83,879 / 90,59654. [NSW] Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu / Eevee – 82,046 / 1,767,35255. [NSW] Kirby Star Allies – 80,048 / 863,92256. [NSW] Persona 5 Strikers – 79,250 / NEW57. [NSW] Minecraft Dungeons Hero Edition – 76,784 / NEW58. [NSW] Fitness Boxing – 76,696 / 141,88959. [PS4] Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Master Edition – 74,158 / 491,62060. [PS4] Marvel’s Avengers – 72,758 / NEW61. [NSW] Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster – 68,280 / NEW62. [PS4] The Last of Us Remastered (PlayStation Hits) – 67,718 / 120,85463. [NSW] Super Bomberman R: Smile Price Collection – 65,234 / 127,45664. [NSW] Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition – 64,687 / NEW65. [PS4] eFootball PES 2021 Season Update – 64,218 / NEW66. [PS4] Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster – 62,11 / NEW67. [NSW] Fortnite Last Laugh Bundle – 62,041 / NEW68. [PS4] Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – 61,345 / NEW69. [NSW] Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate Best Price – 61,184 / 116,40770. [PS4] Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin – 61,005 / NEW71. [NSW] Disney Tsum Tsum Festival – 60,492 / 185,99072. [PS4] FIFA 21 – 60,129 / NEW73. [PS4] Watch Dogs Legion – 56,656 / NEW74. [NSW] Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 – 56,406 / NEW75. [NSW] Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythmic Adventure Pack – 52,62176. [3DS] Animal Crossing: New Leaf – Welcome amiibo – 52,499 / 525,36177. [PS4] Atelier Ryza 2 – 51,861 / NEW78. [NSW] Puyo Puyo Tetris S (Special Price) – 51,472 / 76,95679. [NSW] Zelda: Link’s Awakening – 47,641 / 298,58880. [NSW] Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town – 46,862 / 164,94481. [PS4] Call of Duty: Modern Warfare – 46,701 / 255,78282. [PS4] Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV – 46,272 / NEW83. [PS4] Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales – 45,620 / NEW84. [NSW] Fire Emblem: Three Houses – 45,459 / 319,36485. [NSW] Ninjala – 45,391 / NEW86. [PS4] Dragon Quest XI S – 44,711 / NEW87. [PS4] Minecraft Starter Collection – 43,935 / NEW88. [NSW] Obakeidoro – 42,203 / 48,72889. [NSW] Yo-kai Watch Jam: Yo-kai Academy Y – Waiwai Gakuen Seikatsu – 42,077 / NEW90. [NSW] Jump Force Deluxe Edition – 41,411 / NEW91. [PS4] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim – 40,155 / 87,60192. [NSW] FIFA 21 Legacy Edition – 40,136 / NEW93. [NSW] Pro Yakyuu Famista 2020 – 39,793 / NEW94. [NSW] Atelier Ryza 2 – 39,532 / NEW95. [NSW] My Hero One’s Justice 2 – 39,969 / NEW96. [PS4] Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition – 38,200 / NEW97. [NSW] Kotoba no Puzzle: Moji Pittan Encore – 38,018 / NEW98. [NSW] Yoshi’s Crafted World – 37,458 / 223,52399. [PS4] NieR Automata Game of the YoRHa Edition – 37,120 / 96,968100. [PS4] Gran Turismo Sport (PlayStation Hits) – 36,507 / 49,245
Source: Famitsu (via Nintendo Everything)
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