Top 5 Best Selling Nintendo Switch Games of 2018
5. Octopath Traveler
Editor’s note:Â All Switch sales figures are either from Nintendo’s official financial data page, last updated Sept. 30, 2018, or through official sales statements.
Selling 1 million units by Aug. 3, 2018, as well as surpassing 175,000 sales in Japan after its first week of release, JRPG throwback Octopath Traveller was a Switch library standout which featured a 16-bit, nostalgic aesthetic through “HD-2D” visuals and an impressive, nuanced combat system.
A tour-de-force of fantasy tropes, lying between familiar tales of a Knight’s honor and the sizzling, sordid story of a Dancer scorned, Octopath Traveler held a spotlight to each of the game’s eight protagonists as their tales tentatively wove into one.
Focusing on traditional, turn-based combat with a twist, Octopath’s combat plays like an evolved Bravely Default. Players can bank turns to power up for future rounds, before unleashing extremely powerful versions of selected moves, each battle demanding explicit strategy.
Each character drew from a pool of their own class skills, later able to equip additional classes to fabricate even more devious strategies.
Linking and synergizing skills, characters, and classes whilst banking and blowing boost points are what made Octopath’s toothsome battles memorable.
In our review, we praised Octopath Traveler for its unique visuals, compelling stories, and sweeping soundtrack, which is about to be remixed in a new, official album coming Feb. 20, 2019.
Top 5 Best Selling Nintendo Switch Games of 2018
4. Kirby Star Allies
As of Sept. 2018, the couch co-op friendly Kirby Star Allies had sold 2.10 million units worldwide. Playing as our favorite pink alpha predator, you waddle through levels befriending foes and forming a squad to tackle the perils ahead.
Designed with co-op in mind, Kirby and his new pals are compelled to solve puzzles together, whether that be through a CPU on a solo venture or by passing a joy-con to a friend.
Kirby can also blend abilities together with the help of an ally, infusing ice or electricity into a yo-yo or sword ability crafting new, nifty combinations.
Beyond befriending a foe through lobbing a love heart, free DLC characters were periodically added to the game featuring friends and foes from the series’ expansive, colorful past.
From series mainstays like Meta Knight and King Dedede to Kirby: Squeak Squad boss Daroach and adorable destroyer of worlds Marx, the Dream Friends on offer all came with unique ways to blitz a screen of the cute, cuddly and occasionally on fire.
Unable to stop there, the game’s final update gifted a new mode featuring ultra-hard bosses and levels that demanded absolute mastery of each Dream Friend’s skills. Never before have you sworn during a Kirby game.
Top 5 Best Selling Nintendo Switch Games of 2018
3. Mario Tennis Aces
Trick-shotting and slicing its way to victory, Mario Tennis Aces sold an impressive 2.16 million units plus last year. Featuring wacky court locations, new mechanics and a racket-wielding Chain Chomp chasing its dreams in the roster, Aces brought a lot to the table.
A new Zone Shot offered pin precision targeting on volleys, motion controls aiding your return as you send shots back with the force of a thousand Rafael Nadals.
A new KO mechanic, boosted by using defensive trick shots, was also in play in each character’s racket, able to be broken with a well-timed return.
Sending your rival hurtling and lurching across the turf is how you wage war on the court, each character’s playstyle influencing the kind of game you play.
From the reality-defying curves of Boo’s shots, to the impenetrable defense of Waluigi’s lanky frame, each held unique ways of making you rage online.
Competing in online tourneys earned players new character like beloved underling Koopa Troopa, with more added to the mix like Boom Boom and Pauline.
Other updates worked to remedy fan complaints, like removing that darn mast in the Savage Sea court and evening out online match-ups between players, with more to come.
Top 5 Best Selling Nintendo Switch Games of 2018
2. Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!
Lovingly predictable, it was only a matter of time before we saw the arrival of Pokemon’s new power couple on this list. Shifting a record-breaking 3 million units worldwide in its first week of launch, Pikachu and Eevee took the charts by storm.
A revamped Pokemon Red and Blue throwback, the Kantonian adventure has never looked this great, with motion controls aiding every player’s quest to catch them all.
Taking a lot of influence from Pokemon Go, the twin titles are able to sync up with an account and transfer collected Pokemon over, something we might be able to look forward to in a future installment.
Awash with cutesy moments, access to Alolan variants, the introduction of Master Trainers and a rather sizable collection of ridable Pokemon, Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! was a love note to fans old and new.
Whilst showered with praise and selling remarkably well, the duo saw a sharp drop in sales, scuppering their chances at the top spot. That, and well, a rather glaring omission…
Top 5 Best Selling Nintendo Switch Games of 2018
1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
It really couldn’t have been anything else. Only released Dec. 7, 2018, Nintendo’s final heavy hitter of last year was easily Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. which dominated the charts, obliterated records and only continues to do so.
Selling an unprecedented 1,220,535 copies in its first week in Japan and being the fastest selling Switch title in the UK of all time, dethroning Red Dead Redemption 2 from the top of the charts, Smash has sold over 3 million copies in the US 11 days after launch.
Whilst no official sales figures have been released to compare Smash’s success to the duo of Pokemon titles, it’s unfurling list of accolades only continues to grow.
Unanimously celebrated by critics including ourselves, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is an almighty celebration of gaming as a whole, with a staggering list of series present and accounted for.
We’ll have to wait until Nintendo releases its new sales figures to see how the standings officially fall in 2019, but I’m banking on Smash Ultimate claiming Mario Odyssey’s crown as top-selling Switch game at 12.17 million units any day now.
What do you think of these figures? Are you surprised by some of the placements? Which Switch games do you think will do well this year? Let us know in the comments below!
Published: Jan 15, 2019 01:30 pm