Every Nintendo Console Ranked by Global Sales: A History of Hits and Misses

Discover the full history of Nintendo consoles by sales. From NES to Switch, explore what made each console succeed—or fail—with fun insights and analysis.
Entertainment

Nintendo has been shaping the gaming industry for over four decades.
But not every console they released was a smash hit — some rewrote history, others barely made a dent.

 

Let’s take a walk down memory lane, guided by cold hard numbers: global console sales.
What made some consoles legendary? What caused others to flop?
Here’s the ultimate breakdown of Nintendo’s console history — from iconic triumphs to beautiful disasters.

📼 The Classic Era: When Nintendo Took Over the World

NES / Famicom (1983)

🟢 61.91 million units sold
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), known as the Famicom in Japan, wasn’t just a console — it was a revolution.
It resurrected a dying video game industry in North America after the 1983 crash and introduced millions to gaming for the first time.
Why it worked:

  • Affordable hardware with impressive performance for the time.
  • First-party titles like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Metroid became instant classics.
  • Nintendo’s strict quality control (the “Seal of Quality”) set a new standard.

🧠 Takeaway: Sometimes, all it takes is fun, family-friendly gameplay — and a little Italian plumber.

SNES / Super Famicom (1990)

🟢 49.10 million units sold
Nintendo’s 16-bit successor took everything the NES did well and turned it up a notch. Released in a fierce rivalry with the Sega Genesis, the SNES emerged as the console for gamers who loved story-driven, visually beautiful games.
Why it worked:

  • Rich, vibrant graphics and a legendary sound chip (shoutout to composer Koji Kondo).
  • The golden era of RPGs: Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, EarthBound, Secret of Mana.
  • Introduced shoulder buttons, later a standard in controllers.

💬 One-liner: “The SNES wasn't just a console — it was a library of legends.”

🎮 The 3D Leap — and Some Growing Pains

Nintendo 64 (1996)

🟡 32.93 million units sold
Nintendo’s bold jump to 3D changed gaming forever — but it came with trade-offs. The N64 gave us analog sticks, Super Mario 64, and Ocarina of Time… but it also gave Sony a wide opening.
Why it struggled:

  • Nintendo stuck with cartridges for faster loading and anti-piracy — but this limited storage, driving away developers.
  • The controller was innovative but divisive (three handles? Really?).

⚔️ Redemption:

  • GoldenEye 007 revolutionized console FPS.
  • Mario Kart 64, Smash Bros., and Zelda titles gave the N64 cult status.

GameCube (2001)

🟡 21.74 million units sold
Cute, purple, and packing a punch — the GameCube was quirky but powerful. Despite great hardware, it couldn't compete with Sony’s PS2 juggernaut.
Why it struggled:

  • Mini-discs limited storage and looked non-standard to devs.
  • Marketing skewed too “childish,” missing the broader teen/adult market.

What it did right:

  • Had one of the best first-party lineups ever: Metroid Prime, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Resident Evil 4, Luigi’s Mansion.
  • Excellent controller design — so good it’s still used for Smash today.

💎 Hidden gem of a console — ahead of its time, but misaligned with market expectations.

Wii (2006)

🟢 101.63 million units sold
The Wii wasn’t just a console — it was a cultural moment. By focusing on motion controls and inclusive gameplay, Nintendo stepped away from the power-hungry console war and reached entirely new audiences
Why it exploded:

  • Introduced motion-controlled gaming with the Wii Remote — a hit with families, seniors, and non-gamers.
  • Casual games like Wii Sports, Wii Fit, and Just Dance became global phenomena.
  • Strong branding: "Wii would like to play" ads were unforgettable.

What it lacked:

  • Weak third-party support for hardcore gamers.
  • Limited HD capability compared to PS3 and Xbox 360.

💡 Despite its technical limitations, the Wii was lightning in a bottle.
It showed the world that fun, not fidelity, is what matters most.

💣 The Darkest Timeline

Wii U (2012)

🔴 13.56 million units sold
Wii U was Nintendo's most confusing console — and arguably, its biggest failure. Many thought it was just an accessory for the Wii, not a new console.
Why it failed:

  • Terrible marketing. The name “Wii U” made people think it was a Wii upgrade.
  • Lack of third-party support.
  • GamePad was underutilized and underpowered.

🧩 But here's the twist: many ideas from Wii U laid the groundwork for the Nintendo Switch.
So in a way, the Wii U walked so the Switch could run.

🕹️ The Portable Powerhouses

Nintendo DS (2004)

🟢 154.02 million units sold
The DS was an absolute beast. Nintendo took a risk with dual screens and touch controls — and it paid off spectacularly.
Why it succeeded:

  • It appealed to everyone: kids, parents, casual gamers.
  • Brain training, pet sims, Picross — plus Pokémon, Mario Kart, Phoenix Wright.
  • Affordable and endlessly playable.

🚀 It remains the best-selling Nintendo system of all time.

Nintendo 3DS (2011)

🟢 75.94 million units sold
Built on the success of the DS, the 3DS added glasses-free 3D and a fresh design — though the 3D aspect didn’t quite land.
Strengths:

  • A killer game library: Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Pokémon X/Y.
  • Backward compatibility, StreetPass, and strong late-generation momentum.

🔍 Verdict: Started slow, but proved a long-distance runner.

🔥 Redemption Arc: The Reign of Switch

Nintendo Switch (2017)

🟢 150.86 million units sold (and counting)
This is the comeback story of the decade. After Wii U's failure, expectations were low — but Nintendo shocked the world with a hybrid console that could actually work as both handheld and docked.
Why it worked:

  • The concept: one device to play anywhere.
  • The games: Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Odyssey, and more.
  • Better third-party support, regular updates, and indie boom.

🎯 Lesson: When innovation meets clear value and strong software, magic happens.

 

🏁 Final Rankings: Winners and Losers

 

🏆 Top Performers

  • Nintendo DS – 154.02 million
  • Nintendo Switch – 150.86 million (ongoing)
  • Wii – 101.63 million
  • NES – 61.91 million

❌ Struggles & Flops

  • Wii U – 13.56 million
  • GameCube – 21.74 million
  • Virtual Boy – (Let’s pretend it never happened…)

💭 Closing Thoughts

Nintendo has had its share of blunders — but each one taught them something.
Sometimes innovation flops (Virtual Boy, Wii U). Other times, it changes the world (Switch, DS, Wii).

 

What separates Nintendo is their willingness to take risks — to redefine what a game console can be.
And that’s why, even in failure, they’re still one of gaming’s most beloved brands.