Nintendo Shows Franchise Totals, Metroid-Themed GBA

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.

Comments

metroid GBASP

[fireduck]

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).

Zelda Is One Of The Best Games Ever

[EngineeringMarvel]

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).

Re:What is with Nintendo?

[chrismcdirty]

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.

Re:Let the horse die...

[shadowcabbit]

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.

Mario Bros #1, Donkey Kong #3?

[thanester]

Technically, isn't Donkey Kong part of the Mario Bros. franchise? Or vice versa... since Mario was a character in the original Donkey Kong. :-)

Re:Mario Bros #1, Donkey Kong #3?

[kevn]

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

Re:Mario Bros #1, Donkey Kong #3?

[prockcore]

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.

Re:NES influence...

[Bloomy]

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.

Re:What is with Nintendo?

[Hott of the World]

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.

Re:Let the horse die...

[FlipmodePlaya]

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.

Not for sale actually...

[Randar the Lava Liza]

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.