This week, software sales in Japan revealed significant trends in the gaming market, showcasing the ongoing popularity of Nintendo titles. From December 29, 2025, to January 4, 2026, the top-selling game was Mario Kart World, which sold an impressive 73,579 units, bringing its total sales to 2,741,960. This performance underscores Nintendo’s continued dominance in the competitive gaming landscape, particularly with the impending release of the Nintendo Switch 2.
Following closely behind, Momotaro Dentetsu 2 maintained a strong showing with 50,560 units sold, now totaling 283,114. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the same title also performed well, with sales of 41,840, pushing its total to 230,375. The dual success of these titles highlights the effective marketing and appeal of both the classic and new iterations of popular games.
In fourth place, Kirby Air Riders demonstrated its staying power with 37,670 units sold, reaching a cumulative total of 462,507. The Pokemon Legends: Z-A series also continued to capture consumer interest, selling 35,489 units of its Nintendo Switch version, now totaling 1,565,312. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the game added another 33,554 units to its tally, reaching 1,037,708.
Other notable entries in the top ten included Donkey Kong Bananza, which sold 19,896 copies for a total of 455,102, and Super Mario Party Jamboree, with combined sales from its Switch 2 Edition and Jamboree TV variant totaling 18,900 units and 145,336 overall. Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Minecraft also featured prominently, with sales of 15,136 and 12,763 respectively, bringing their totals to 8,326,254 and 4,121,955.
As the new year began, the trend continued into the following week, from January 5 to January 11, 2026. Once again, Mario Kart World led the sales charts, albeit with a decrease to 19,290 units sold, pushing its total to 2,761,250. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Pokemon Legends: Z-A followed closely with 18,806 units sold, accumulating a total of 1,056,514. The original version of the game sold 12,351 units, raising its total to 1,577,663.
Sales for Momotaro Dentetsu 2 remained robust, with 11,028 units sold and a total of 294,142, while its Switch 2 Edition contributed an additional 11,008 units, totaling 241,383. The continuing success of Kirby Air Riders reflected in sales of 10,042, bringing its cumulative total to 472,549.
In the realm of long-standing favorites, Animal Crossing: New Horizons saw sales of 7,808, now totaling 8,334,062, while Minecraft moved 6,080 units, leading to 4,128,035 overall. Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe also contributed to the top ten, with 5,078 and 5,036 units sold, reaching total sales of 460,180 and 6,527,499 respectively.
The data from both weeks illustrates a healthy gaming market in Japan, with consumers clearly favoring established franchises. As companies gear up for new releases and the anticipated shift to next-generation consoles, the sales figures may offer insights into player preferences and spending behavior. As the gaming community looks ahead, it will be essential to monitor how these trends evolve with the upcoming titles and console innovations set to enter the market.
Credit to Famitsu for the latest Japanese sales data. Past charts can be found here.
