Mario Kart 8, if you include the sales for the original Wii U game, has become the highest-selling Mario Kart of all-time. The original game, which released on the Wii U, came out seven years ago in 2014. It was released as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Nintendo Switch in April of 2017, shortly after Nintendo released the Switch. It’s the highest-selling game on the Switch, selling 33.41 copies. The Wii U version sold 8.45 million copies. Though the game is the highest-selling game on the Switch, it will most likely soon be eclipsed by Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which has sold 31.18 million copies since its release last March. Previously, the highest-selling Mario Kart game was Mario Kart Wii, which sold 37.38 copies. This is very significant and could be an omen of what’s yet to come, as the Nintendo Switch may possibly surpass the Nintendo Wii in sales, depending on the console’s lifespan. The Switch was essentially do-or-die for Nintendo after the disastrous sales of the Nintendo Wii U. The Switch has surpassed all expectations though, selling approximately 80 million units in a little less than four years. Here are the sales for every entry in the Mario Kart franchise.
– Mario Kart: Super Circuit – 5.91 million
– Mario Kart: Double Dash! – 6.88 million
– Super Mario Kart – 8.76 million
– Mario Kart 64 – 9.87 million
– Mario Kart 7 – 18.92 million
– Mario Kart DS – 23.60 million
– Mario Kart Wii – 37.38 million
– Mario Kart 8 – 41.86 million (33.41 million + 8.45 million)
While there have been rumblings of a new Mario Kart for the Switch, considering the sales of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, there’s really no reason to do so, as it’s still selling so strong. Becoming the highest-selling Mario Kart wasn’t easy, but Mario Kart 8 has defied all expectations.