Top 100 best-selling video games in Japan in 2021

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The top 100 best-selling video games in Japan in 2021.

Famitsu magazine published some significant sales data from Japan this week, revealing Japan's top 100 best-selling games for 2021.

The number of sales is recorded from December 28, 2020, to December 26, 2021. The total number of copies sold for games released previous to 2021 is also included.

Each version of a multiplatform game is listed separately. Varying versions of games, such as Pokémon Sword and Shield with and without the expansion pass, and re-releases with different pricing, such as DRAGON QUEST XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age (New Price), are also mentioned separately from other versions. Download cards sold in stores are tracked, but digital sales are not.

Japan's top 100 best-selling video games list for 2021.

1. Monster Hunter Rise (Switch – 2,350,693 copies)
2. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (Switch – 2,313,115)
3. Momotaro Dentetsu: Showa Heisei Reiwa mo Teiban! (Switch – 1,266,477)
4. Super Mario 3D World + Fury World (Switch – 971,418)
5. Ring Fit Adventure (Switch – 904,685 in 2021, for a total of 2,991,690)
6. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch – 815,174 in 2021, for a total of 4,272,357)
7. Minecraft (Switch – 708,670 in 2021, for total of 2,411,591)
8. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch – 704,134 in 2021 for a total of 7,082,237)
9. Mario Party Superstars (Switch – 628,538)
10. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch – 610,964 in 2021 for a total of 4,624,138)
11. Pokémon Sword and Shield (Switch – 381,848 in 2021 for a total of 4,262,438)
12. Sekai no Asobi Taizen 51 (Switch – 352,133 in 2021 for a total of 871,782)
13. Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town (Switch – 318,331)
14. New Pokémon Snap (Switch – 312,931)
15. Super Mario Party (Switch – 306,590 in 2021 for a total of 2,036,386)
16. Splatoon 2 (Switch – 305,016 in 2021 for total of 3,993,405)
17. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD (Switch – 278,747)
18. Miitopia (Switch – 274,912)
19. Game Builder Garage (Switch – 274,221)
20. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin (Switch – 242,876)
21. eBASEBALL Pro Yakyuu Spirits 2021 Grand Slam (Switch – 223,833)
22. Tales of Arise (PS4 – 220,122)
23. Resident Evil: Village (PS4 – 206,312)
24. Crayon Shin-chan: Ora to Hakase no Natsuyasumi: Owaranai Nanokakan no Tabi (Switch – 199,646)
25. Mario Golf Super Rush (Switch – 198,426)
26. Shin Megami Tensei V (Switch – 192,518)
27. WarioWare: Get It Together! (Switch – 187,423)
28. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch – 181,037 in 2021 for a total of 1,909,074)
29. NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… (PS4 – 175,792)
30. Lost Judgment (PS4 – 163,607)
31. Yawaraka Atama-juku: Isshi ni Atama no Stretch (Switch – 155,023)
32. Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles (PS4 – 150,056)
33. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (Switch – 145,861 in 2021 for a total of 1,129,729)
34. Bravely Default II (Switch – 144,614)
35. Yu-Gi-Oh! RUSH DUEL: Dawn of the Battle Royale!! (Switch – 142,161)
36. Rune Factory 5 (Switch – 140,391)
37. Metroid Dread (Switch – 140,330)
38. Super Mario Maker 2 (Switch – 139,980 in 2021 for a total of 1,174,861)
39. Pikmin 3 Deluxe (Switch – 139,146 in 2021 for a total of 601,952)
40. Fit Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise (Switch – 134,919 in 2021 for a total of 167,714)
41. DRAGON QUEST XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age (New Price) (Switch – 132,247 in 2021 for a total of 165,686)
42. Human Fall Flat (Switch – 126,373 in 2021 for a total of 213,813)
43. Super Mario Odyssey (Switch – 125,450 in 2021 for a total of 2,301,495)
44. Super Mario 3D Collection (Switch – 119,330 in 2021 for a total of 611,950)
45. Taiko no Tatsujin: Nintendo Switch Version! (Switch – 116,296 in 2021 for a total of 670,856)
46. Tsuri Spirits: Nintendo Switch Version (Switch – 113,231 in 2021 for a total of 657,698)
47. Super Robot Wars 30 (Switch – 96,094)
48. Little Nightmares 2 (Switch – 95,018)
49. Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon (Switch –  94,462)
50. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot + A New Power Awakens Set (Switch –  92,054)
51. Samurai Warriors 5 (PS4 –  91,348)
52. Luigi’s Mansion 3 (Switch – 90,346 in 2021 for a total of 815,317)
53. Tsukihime: A piece of blue glass moon (PS4 –  85,877)
54. The Battle Cats POP! (Switch – 85,395 in 2021 for a total of 101,998)
55. Kirby Star Allies (Switch – 84,278 in 2021 for a total of 948,200)
56. Samurai Warriors 5 (Switch – 82,104)
57. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 (Switch – 80,397 in 2021 for total of 136,803)
58. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Switch – 80,007 in 2021 for a total of 384,970)
59. Super Robot Wars 30 (PS4 – 78,531)
60. Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin (Switch – 77,418)
61. Resident Evil: Village (PS5 – 74,644)
62. Minecraft Dungeons Hero Edition (Switch – 73,996 in 2021 for a total of 150,870)
63. eBASEBALL Powerful Pro Yakyuu 2020 (Switch – 67,977 in 2021 for a total of 337,625)
64. Tales of Arise (PS5 – 65,292)
65. Tohoku Daigaku Karei Igaku Kenkyuujo Kawashima Ryuuta Kyouju Kanshuu: Nou wo Kitaeru Otona no Nintendo Switch Training (Switch – 64,249 in 2021 for total of 407,990)
66. Judgment (New Price) (PS4 – 63,650)
67. Eiyuu Densetsu: Kuro no Kiseki (PS4 – 62,640)
68. Far Cry 6 (PS4 – 57,283)
69. Super Bomberman R Smile Prize Collection (Switch – 57,189 in 2021 for a total of 184,645)
70. Call of Duty: Vanguard (PS4 – 55,708)
71. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (Switch – 55,321 in 2021 for a total of 417,860)
72. Apex Legends: Champion Edition (Switch – 54,816)
73. Pokémon Sword and Shield + Expansion Pass (Switch – 54,178)
74. FIFA 22 (PS4 – 54,074)
75. FIFA 22 Legacy Edition (Switch – 51,764)
76. Family Trainer (Switch – 50,264 in 2021 for a total of 70,503)
77. Taiko no Tatsujin: Dokodon RPG Pack! (Switch – 48,221 in 2021 for a total of 100,842)
78. Fortnite Minty Legends Pack (Switch – 47,799)
79. Densha de GO!! Hashirou Yamanote-sen (Switch – 45,331)
80. Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Online Edition (New Reduced Price Version) (PS4 – 45,279 in 2021 for a total of 135,875)
81. Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit (Switch – 44,204 in 2021 for a total of 170,954)
82. Splatoon 2 + Octo Expansion (Switch – 44,127)
83. Lost Judgment (PS5 – 42,743)
84. Paper Mario: The Origami King (Switch – 42,389 in 2021 for a total of 337,086)
85. Battlefield 2042 (PS4 – 40,707)
86. DRAGON QUEST XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age (PS4 – 40,003 in 2021 for a total of 84,714)
87. Pawapuro-Kun Pocket R  (Switch – 39,383)
88. Scarlet Nexus (PS4 – 38,916)
89. Minecraft Dungeons Ultimate Edition (Switch – 37,425)
90. Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water (Switch – 37,274)
91. Derby Stallion (Switch – 36,702 in 2021 for a total of 145,272)
92. Disney Magic Castle My Happy Life 2: Enchanted Edition (Switch – 36,352)
93. Biomutant (PS4 – 35,948)
94. FIFA 21 Legacy Edition (Switch – 35,414 in 2021 for a total of 75,550)
95. Little Nightmares 2 (PS4 – 35,271)
96. Minecraft Starter Collection (PS4 – 34,389 in 2021 for a total of 78,324)
97. Dangan Ronpa Trilogy Pack + Happy Dangan Ronpa S: Choukoukoukyuu no Nangoku Saikoro Gasshuku (Switch – 34,229)
98. Moshikashite? Obake no Shatekiya for Nintendo Switch (Switch, 34,089)
99. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS4 – 34,016 in 2021 for a total of 66,238)
100. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (PS5 – 34,012)

The magazine also estimated console sales for the year 2021.

Video game consoles sales in Japan in 2021.

1. Nintendo Switch (3,468,307 in 2021 for total of 17,736,589)
2. Nintendo Switch Lite (1,338,692 in 2021 for total of 4,410,784)
3. Playstation 5 (822,504 in 2021 for total of 1,029,126)
4. Nintendo Switch OLED model (772,128)
5. Playstation 5 Digital Edition (145,681 in 2021 for total of 194,209)
6. Playstation 4 (103,830 in 2021 for total of 7,819,221)
7. Xbox Series S (48,819 in 2021 for total of 55,367)
8. Xbox Series X (48,514 in 2021 for total of 73,291)
9. New Nintendo 2DS XL (28,540 in 2021 for total of 1,179,262)
10. Playstation 4 Pro (224 in 2021 for total of 1,575,723)

The Nintendo Switch dominated the sales list, taking 75 of the 100 slots available for games.

With the exception of Samurai Warriors 5, most multi-platform titles available on both the PS4 and the Switch sell better on the Switch.

Resident Evil Village, Tales of Arise, and Lost Judgment are the only three PS5 titles on the list. All three titles sold far fewer copies than their PS4 counterparts. This is likely owing to the fact that the PlayStation 5 has a small installed base in Japan.

There were no Xbox games on the list at all, which could indicate a limited install base.

Despite the fact that the Playstation 5 Digital Edition sold far fewer units than the conventional edition, the digital-only Xbox Series S outsold the Series X. This could be due to the fact that real Xbox games are more difficult to come by in Japan, or it could be due to the fact that Xbox users in Japan rely more on Game Pass than on actual game purchases.

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Read More: Pokemon Sword and Shield is the second best-selling title in the series.