There is less and less left until the end of the year 2025So it’s time to answer the big question: What was the best-selling game of the year in Japan? Well… it’s still too early to know.
In 2024, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake and Super Mario Party Jamboree competed until the last day, a situation that is now repeated with Mario Kart World and Pokémon ZA Legends.
Whoever wins, Nintendo will triumphthis is clear. Data collected by Famitsu (and revealed to the West in Gematsu) shows that Mario Kart World is number 1 again in sales this week.
The Switch 2 driving game has sold a total of 2.25 million copies since June, but it has a tough rival hot on its heels: Pokémon Legends has sold 2.12 million in less than a month.
When it comes to hardware, Sony’s plan to release a region-locked (and cheaper in yen) PS5 Digital model is paying off, Well, only the Switch 2 is higher in sales.
Now we review theSales data for the week of November 24th to 30th, 2025 in Japanese stores.
Mario Kart World remains in the lead, but… Until when?
After a few weeks of failure, Mario Kart World is Japan’s best-selling game when adding almost 50,000 more copies to your private account. Of course, it’s been a smashing success in his home country.
Things revolve around racing, because the second best-selling game is Kirby Air Riders, which last week came in first place. This time sold over 46,000 copies on Switch 2.
Pokémon ZA Legends closes the podium for Nintendo Switch, with more than 35,000 games soldwhile the new generation version (Switch 2) occupies fifth position.
This week no new releases in the top 10and all games are from Switch or Switch 2, including hits like Momotaro Dentetsu 2, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Banishment or Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake.
These are the 10 best-selling games of the week in Japan:
- Mario Kart World – 49,586 units.
- Kirby Air Riders – 46,287 units.
- Pokémon Legends: ZA (Switch) – 35,225 units.
- Momotaro Dentetsu 2: Anata no Machi mo Kitto Aru – Higashi Nihon Hen + Nishi Nihon Hen (Switch) – 22,361 units.
- Pokémon Legends: ZA – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – 20,031 units.
- Momotaro Dentetsu 2: Anata no Machi mo Kitto Aru – Higashi Nihon Hen + Nishi Nihon Hen – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – 15,730 units.
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Banishment – 9,647 units.
- Minecraft (Switch) – 7,368 units.
- Dragon Quest I and II HD-2D Remake (Switch) – 7,262 units.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons – 7,245 units
In terms of hardware, the Nintendo Switch 2 repeats itself as the best-selling console. This week 97,677 units were sold, for a cumulative total of 2.97 million in Japan alone.
PS5 is in second position, with 35,876 consoles soldto be PS5 Digital with regional lock, its best-selling model (17,491 consoles), while the Nintendo Switch is third with 35,327 units. Xbox Series X|S records 172 consoles sold.
Will Mario Kart World last the next few weeks to be the best-selling game of 2025 in Japan? Or will it fall to a Pokémon ZA Legends that had a spectacular first month of release?