Nintendo Shows Franchise Totals, Metroid-Themed GBA

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Nintendo Shows Franchise Totals, Metroid-Themed GBA

Posted by simoniker on Tuesday June 1, 2004 @12:09AM from the that's-a-few-copies dept.

Thanks to IGN GameCube for its article noting overall sales totals for Nintendo's most famous franchises, revealed as part of the company's recent financial results. The winner? "Across a total of nineteen titles, the Super Mario Brothers series has managed worldwide sales of 174 million units. This figure works out to 54 million units across nine portable titles and 120 million units across 10 home titles." Additionally, "Pokemon comes in second at 91 million units... [though] the company has chosen to not include sales from the series' console counterparts... Donkey Kong beats out Zelda for third place with 43 million units... Zelda comes in at 42 million units." Elsewhere, Game Science has news of a limited edition Metroid-themed Game Boy Advance SP, with the "two-tone GBA SP body shell, in the colors of Samus' bodysuit" available in Japan via Club Nintendo.

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Let the horse die... by empaler · 2004-06-01 00:15 · Score: 1

I've already sold my SP in expectation of the DS.

And oh yeah, it was interfering so much with my school I almost got kicked out for not turning in enough papers :-O
1. Re:Let the horse die... by burbs · 2004-06-01 01:35 · Score: 1
  
  I'm going the other route... I'm keeping my GBA SP, and then will use it for trade-in credit when the DS comes out.
2. Re:Let the horse die... by shadowcabbit · 2004-06-01 02:10 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  I'm going the other route... I'm keeping my GBA SP, and then will use it for trade-in credit when the DS comes out.
  
  Have fun trading it in for the $20 credit you'll get at that point. The best time to get rid of the GBA is now, while the trade-in prices are relatively high. Dump the store credit on a gift card or something and let it sit until November. I sold mine for cash (minor emergency) but didn't lose a whole lot as I still have the GBA Player for my Cube. Lucky thing, too-- I'd have kicked myself if I'd missed Mario vs. Donkey Kong.
  
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3. Re:Let the horse die... by FlipmodePlaya · 2004-06-01 07:32 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Yah, it might even be a little late already. I tried to trade in my original GBA the other day, and it was only worth $30. More depressingly, it was only worth that much as a promotional deal to 'upgrade' to SPs.
4. Re:Let the horse die... by Trejkaz · 2004-06-01 16:57 · Score: 1
  
  Having a GBA Player doesn't help those of us who use our GBAs for the intended purpose, i.e. playing games out of the house. I think the best plan would be to just keep the SP as an extra controller for stuff like FF:CC. That being said, I don't think the SP will fall in price as fast as you think it will, as it is still theoretically desirable to buy one for this purpose. I wonder how convenient it is to hook up a DS as a GameCube controller actually. :-/
  
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  Karma: It's all a bunch of tree-huggin' hippy crap!
5. Re:Let the horse die... by burbs · 2004-06-09 01:56 · Score: 1
  
  I'm not too worried about getting $20 store credit because I get a 15% discount on video games and hardware at my wife's store. I do have a GB player and my wife's GBA SP.
  
  What I'm a little excited about is the release of these Classic NES titles. We got a scratch-and-sniff sticker set from Nintendo for each of those games. Strange. :)
"Pokemon comes in second at 91 million units" by Goose+In+Orbit · 2004-06-01 00:20 · Score: 1

Well that's my daughters' games accounted for - what about the rest?
NES influence... by vasqzr · 2004-06-01 00:45 · Score: 1

The Original SMB on NES sold 40 million, but almost every NES sold came with it.

SMB 3 sold ~ 25 million copies.
1. Re:NES influence... by Bloomy · 2004-06-01 03:43 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Should Super Mario Bros., Tetris on the Gameboy and Super Mario World really be included when discussing the best selling games of all-time? I don't think system pack-ins should count.
2. Re:NES influence... by kevn · 2004-06-01 05:11 · Score: 1
  
  I don't see why not. Most people bought the NES because of SMB. That system never would have taken off the way it did bringing the indust. out of the video game crash of the 80's if it weren't for SMB. kvn
3. Re:NES influence... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-01 11:52 · Score: 1, Insightful
  
  I wouldn't say that.
  
  There were many different bundles of the NES. The earliest bundles didn't come with SMB at all (they came with Duck Hunt & Gyromite), nor did most later bundles.
metroid GBASP by fireduck · 2004-06-01 01:23 · Score: 3, Interesting

while the metroid colored SP is nice, the NES edition is retro cool. (i hadn't even heard of it until i ran across it while shopping yesterday).
1. Re:metroid GBASP by MegaSlicer · 2004-06-01 04:27 · Score: 1
  
  They should have a better design, instead of that red-orange color. Something cool like the NES-themed GBA SP. Though honestly, does there need to be ANOTHER GBA SP that's a little bit differently colored? Just how many different colors are there now?
2. Re:metroid GBASP by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-01 06:20 · Score: 1, Insightful
  
  Why does this matter to so many people on here? Who cares if they come out with different colors? You already have one, so unless you're in the habit of collecting one of each color, it doesn't affect you in the least.
  
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Zelda Is One Of The Best Games Ever by EngineeringMarvel · 2004-06-01 01:39 · Score: 2, Insightful

It is no surprise to me that Pokemon came in 2nd since the Japanese really went crazy over just about everything the Pokemon company put out. Not that it did not happen here, just about all the 10 year olds I coach have some toy that is made by Pokemon or one of its spinoffs. I personally thought Zelda would have had higher numbers. The whole Zelda series is the best group of games on the planet. I can still remember the first time I played the original Zelda on NES. I couldn't put that game down. It was the first of its kind and for me, it was the first game I ever played that made me stay up all night. The first of many sleepless nights brought to me by Link & the master sword. If only more game titles now could capture the essence of fun that the Zelda games did. I still find the original NES Zelda title more fun than most games now and that's not even my favorite Zelda game (my favorite is "A Link To the Past" SNES).

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1. Re:Zelda Is One Of The Best Games Ever by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-01 05:53 · Score: 0
  
  It's great to find other gamers who have the same reverence for the Zelda series as I do. I only recently realized how attached to the series I am. After playing Wind Waker almost without stopping, and re-playing Link to the Past on the GBA, I've rediscovered that the Zelda series is my favorite games of all time.
  
  I'm with you on Link to the Past being my favorite, but it's really neck-and-neck with Wind Waker, which just blew me away from start to finish.
  
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2. Re:Zelda Is One Of The Best Games Ever by MilenCent · 2004-06-01 09:38 · Score: 1
  
  I'm kind of weird when it comes to the Zelda series in that Link to the Past, while great in a way few other games are, is not among my favorites. Wind Waker, Majora's Mask, and the first two NES Zeldas are the ones I find myself playing the most at the moment.
  
  Especially the second game, because while it offers drastically different gameplay compared to the rest of the series, it's a good, stiff challenge. The same part of my soul that loves the original NES Castlevania likes Zelda II.
  
  You are perfectly free to consider that sad if you like. Some days I'd even agree with you.
3. Re:Zelda Is One Of The Best Games Ever by jasonditz · 2004-06-02 16:59 · Score: 1
  
  In all fairness the Zelda series doesn't have nearly the number of titles released the others do. You get maybe one or two per system, whereas Pokemon for the GBA already has 5 (Sapphire, Ruby, S/R Pinball, Leaf Green, Fire Red). For personal favorite I'm going to go out on a limb and say Majora's Mask.
What is with Nintendo? by Mr.Dippy · 2004-06-01 01:42 · Score: 1, Flamebait

Although the retro GBA SP is really cool, why the hell do they keep coming out with different colors? Hey Nintendo, instead of putting time and money into researching crazy new color designs, why don't you come out with a better way of producing games. You GBA games are already 30 plus dollars. Hell, if I shop the sales at Best Buy I can can get 2 PS2 Greatest Hits games for 30 bucks. For shame nintendo. I think your just trying milk the consumer for everything he/she is worth.

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-Dipster
1. Re:What is with Nintendo? by chrismcdirty · 2004-06-01 01:55 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  For some reason, I don't think they have a boardroom full of executives researching the next best color to put on their machines. Although that does make for a funny situation.
  
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  It's like sex, except I'm having it!
2. Re:What is with Nintendo? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-01 02:11 · Score: 0
  
  Yeah!! Damn straight!! And instead of making different colours, car companies should make cars for less than $8000!! I mean, who wants colour!?!? I think they're just trying to milk the consumer for everything he/she is worth.
3. Re:What is with Nintendo? by empaler · 2004-06-01 02:13 · Score: 1
  
  I think your just trying milk the consumer for everything he/she is worth. (sic.)
  
  Well, duh. Wouldn't you? It's called ca-pi-ta-lism.
4. Re:What is with Nintendo? by Hott+of+the+World · 2004-06-01 04:51 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  I know I shouldnt, but darnit.
  
  I just walked into my local Gamestop. Then hit up my local Electronic's Boutique. Both of them had many many Handheld games that are priced from 14.99 up. NEW. Good ones, platformers, sports games, some movie tie-ins (ok, those arent that great)
  
  Then I go over to the Used bin, and find 50 or so (per store) great titles for the GBA and GB that cost less than 10 bucks a pop. (tons less than 5)
  
  Heck, if it bothers ya too much, rent them.
  
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5. Re:What is with Nintendo? by gamgee5273 · 2004-06-01 05:15 · Score: 1
  
  I suspect there is a slight difference in manufacturing costs, don't you? A DVD is cheaper than the ROM cartridges, and batteries housed in theose cartridges, that currently house GBA games. I'm sure it's not a great deal more, but it is more.
  Before you speak, do a little research.
6. Re:What is with Nintendo? by gamgee5273 · 2004-06-01 05:17 · Score: 1
  
  We really should stop feeding this troll and walk away from his bridge... :)
7. Re:What is with Nintendo? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-01 12:07 · Score: 0
  
  Yeah, this bullshit has to stop!
  
  Me, I've decided not to buy a car, because there are just too many colors to choose from. Can you imagine the AUDACTIY the car manufacturers must have to think that they can pull the wool over their customers' eyes like that? For shame! How do they expect me to own EVERY SINGLE ONE if they keep putting out new colors?!?! They're just trying to rip me off, fucking bastards. Imagine, if they stopped making cars in other colors than black, we'd be all be tooling around in $500 cars right now! It fucking makes sense~!!!!!!~!!~!~!~!
  
  Fanboy.
Wow, that is totally sweet by empaler · 2004-06-01 01:47 · Score: 1

That is the coolest mod I've ever seen...
Mario Bros #1, Donkey Kong #3? by thanester · 2004-06-01 03:13 · Score: 3, Informative

Technically, isn't Donkey Kong part of the Mario Bros. franchise? Or vice versa... since Mario was a character in the original Donkey Kong. :-)
1. Re:Mario Bros #1, Donkey Kong #3? by silicon+not+in+the+v · 2004-06-01 03:38 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah, the original Donkey Kong game was the very first game with those characters (Colecovision I believe and then later on to Atari 2600). That would make Mario Bros. and then Super Mario Bros the spinoff series. I also find it amazing the other places Mario shows up--reffing the boxing matches on Mike Tyson's Punch Out, for instance.
  
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2. Re:Mario Bros #1, Donkey Kong #3? by kevn · 2004-06-01 05:16 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Of course, Donkey Kong did not start on the coleco vision it was an arcade game. In the original DK the "mario" like guy was called Jumpman, he wasn't referred to as Mario until the game "Mario bros" came out, which features Mario, but is nothing like SMB. kvn
3. Re:Mario Bros #1, Donkey Kong #3? by DaveCBio · 2004-06-01 07:07 · Score: 1
  
  Actually the character's name was Jumpman and he was a carpenter. He later became Mario and went into plumbing.
4. Re:Mario Bros #1, Donkey Kong #3? by prockcore · 2004-06-01 11:33 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  In the original DK the "mario" like guy was called Jumpman, he wasn't referred to as Mario until the game "Mario bros" came out, which features Mario, but is nothing like SMB.
  
  Also the girl you had to rescue was not called "Princess Peach" but "Pauline". The original Jumpman wasn't a plumber either, he was an electrician.. and didn't become a plumber until Mario Bros.
5. Re:Mario Bros #1, Donkey Kong #3? by Deraj+DeZine · 2004-06-03 03:45 · Score: 1
  
  According to this site Google found, Jumpman was a carpenter.
  
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  True story.
Keepin' them all by swat_r2 · 2004-06-01 07:24 · Score: 1

I'm keeping the 3 SP's and the GBA I have in hopes that they will be utilized in some way with the GC2, a'la Zelda:4 Swords. If not then I will remain very bitter with Nintendo for a long time for buying into their "connectivity" scam.
1. Re:Keepin' them all by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-01 11:37 · Score: 1, Insightful
  
  What "scam?" I never heard anything about the GameBoy Advance line being future compatible with all Nintendo home systems until the end of time.
  
  All I've ever seen Nintendo advertise is GBA-GCN connectivity. Am I not reading the same excitable fanboy magazines you are or something?
Not for sale actually... by Randar+the+Lava+Liza · 2004-06-01 08:45 · Score: 3, Informative

Actually the Metroid colors are only available to Japanese members of Club Nintendo. You send in your regular GBA SP with 600 points (about 10 gamecube games' proof of purchase) and a few weeks later they send you your GBA SP back with the new colors. These aren't for direct sale, just a special color you can get. They had a few others like it, Pearl, and an orange one, among others.
These aren't for sale, just cool extras you can get with spending the points.

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Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. - Anais Nin
What about....? by shoptroll · 2004-06-01 11:59 · Score: 1

What about the Mother/Earthbound series???? :(

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1. Re:What about....? by -kertrats- · 2004-06-01 17:39 · Score: 1
  
  What series?
  
  Yes, I know theres a series in Japan. Its just that sales are nowhere near the numbers for these other franchises. Get over it.
  
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  The Braying and Neighing of Barnyard Animals Follows.
Mario outsold Pokemon but... by jasonditz · 2004-06-02 17:10 · Score: 1

The original Mario Bros. came out in 1983. Pokemon Red and Green debuted in Japan in 1996.

Having been around nearly three times as long as Pokemon, Mario has only sold about twice as many games. And that's without counting Pokemon console titles which, despite IGN's protestation that they aren't really significant, really are.

Pokemon Col. is driving Gamecube sales in Europe right now, its one of the better selling games in the past few months.

The various N64 Stadium games all sold well, particularly in Japan... even the gimmicky Pokemon Snap was a million seller.

And that's not even counting Pokemon Channel for the Gamecube or Hey, You, Pikachu! for the N64.

I also have to wonder if either franchise got credit for Super Smash Bros.