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Mario has sold more than The Legend of Zelda in Nintendo’s published Nintendo Switch comparison. Nintendo reported 181 million units across four Mario-related series groupings—3D Super Mario, Mario Kart, 2D Super Mario and Mario Party—versus 53 million for The Legend of Zelda, all as of September 30, 2024. That is about 3.4 times as many reported units for the listed Mario groupings.
That answer is specific to Nintendo’s Switch comparison, its selected Mario categories and its sell-in accounting. It is not a definitive lifetime total for every Mario and Zelda game released on every Nintendo platform.
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At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Platforms | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario-related Switch groupings | Answering the franchise comparison | 181 million combined units across four groupings (September 30, 2024) | Nintendo Switch | November 2026 |
| The Legend of Zelda series | Comparing Zelda with those Mario groupings | 53 million combined units (September 30, 2024) | Nintendo Switch | November 2026 |
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Comparing individual best-selling titles | 72.00 million worldwide life-to-date units (September 30, 2026) | Nintendo Switch | November 2026 |
| The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | Comparing an individual Zelda title | 34.28 million worldwide life-to-date units (September 30, 2026) | Nintendo Switch | November 2026 |
Which has sold more, Zelda or Mario?
On Nintendo Switch, the Mario side is ahead by a wide margin in Nintendo’s like-for-like series comparison. The four Mario-related groupings total 181 million units, while The Legend of Zelda totals 53 million. Subtracting the two figures gives a reported gap of 128 million units.
The calculation is straightforward: 42 million for the 3D Super Mario series, 64 million for Mario Kart, 41 million for the 2D Super Mario series and 34 million for Mario Party. Added together, those categories produce 181 million. Nintendo’s presentation places that total beside the 53 million reported for Zelda on the same platform and at the same September 30, 2024 cutoff.
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It is important to call this “Mario-related groupings” rather than “the Mario franchise.” Nintendo’s comparison names four categories, not every game carrying the Mario name. The 181 million is therefore a valid answer to the narrower Switch comparison, but it should not be presented as Mario’s complete lifetime sales across all hardware.
What exactly did Nintendo compare?
Nintendo’s November 2024 Financial Results Explanatory Material compares selected Nintendo Switch series figures as of September 30, 2024. The Mario side contains four separately identified groupings:
- 3D Super Mario: 42 million units.
- Mario Kart: 64 million units.
- 2D Super Mario: 41 million units.
- Mario Party: 34 million units.
The same presentation reports 53 million units for The Legend of Zelda series on Nintendo Switch. Because the platform, date and broad reporting basis match, this is the cleanest official comparison available in the supplied data.
“Among Mario related titles for Nintendo Switch, the 3D Super Mario series, Mario Kart, 2D Super Mario series, and Mario Party series have each posted combined sales exceeding 30 million units.”
— Nintendo Co., Ltd., November 2024 investor presentation
That statement also explains why the Mario number is an aggregation of several product families. Mario Kart and Mario Party are included as Mario-related titles for this presentation; they are not being silently added by an outside analyst.
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How do the individual Mario and Zelda games compare?
For a title-level comparison, Nintendo’s newer Top Selling Title Sales Units table reports worldwide Nintendo Switch life-to-date software units as of September 30, 2026. The leading examples in the supplied figures are:
| Title | Reported units | What the figure represents |
|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | 72.00 million | Worldwide Nintendo Switch life-to-date units |
| The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | 34.28 million | Worldwide Nintendo Switch life-to-date units |
| Super Mario Odyssey | 31.06 million | Worldwide Nintendo Switch life-to-date units |
| The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | 22.90 million | Worldwide Nintendo Switch life-to-date units |
| Super Mario Party | 21.39 million | Worldwide Nintendo Switch life-to-date units |
| New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe | 19.22 million | Worldwide Nintendo Switch life-to-date units |
On this individual-title measure, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has more than twice the reported units of Breath of the Wild: 72.00 million versus 34.28 million. Super Mario Odyssey is also above both Zelda titles listed after it in the table, although comparing one game with another is a different question from comparing series totals.
The title table uses more precise figures than the rounded 2024 series presentation. Do not combine the two displays into a single exact franchise total: they cover different dates, levels of aggregation and source tables.
What does “sell-in” mean for the 181-million comparison?
Nintendo labels the 2024 series figures as sell-in figures. That is a different reporting concept from a consumer sell-through count: it reflects Nintendo’s published units supplied into the market rather than a claim that every unit was purchased by an end player during the same period.
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Nintendo’s 2026 title table instead describes worldwide consolidated life-to-date software units and says its counts include quantities bundled with hardware or other products, along with downloadable versions. A reported software unit therefore should not be described as a physical copy sold at retail. The safest wording is “Nintendo reported units” or “Nintendo’s worldwide life-to-date software units.”
Nintendo also publishes platform-wide software totals in its Dedicated Video Game Sales Units materials. Those totals cover many franchises and cannot establish a Mario-versus-Zelda result by themselves.
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Is 181 million Mario’s lifetime franchise total?
No. The 181 million figure covers four named Mario-related groupings on Nintendo Switch in Nintendo’s September 30, 2024 comparison. It is not an all-platform count and it does not claim to include every Mario-branded spin-off, remake, compilation or other release.
The available official tables also do not provide one directly comparable lifetime total for the complete Mario franchise and the complete Zelda franchise across all Nintendo hardware. A statement such as “Mario has sold 181 million games ever” would therefore overstate what Nintendo reported.
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Why can’t the 2024 series figures and 2026 title figures be merged?
They answer different questions. The 2024 figures are rounded, platform-level series groupings with a common cutoff date and sell-in label. The 2026 figures are individual-title worldwide life-to-date units, reported to two decimal places and including bundled and downloadable software.
Mixing them could create misleading statements—for example, adding Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to the 181-million Mario grouping would risk counting a title inside a grouping twice. It would also mix a 2026 cutoff with a 2024 cutoff. Comparisons should keep the platform, date, accounting basis and unit of analysis aligned.
How we picked the comparison figures
The figures above use Nintendo’s own tables and prioritize like-for-like comparisons: the same console generation, the same reporting date where possible, and the same level of analysis. Series totals are kept separate from title totals, and every number is labeled with its source measure rather than treated as a universal lifetime franchise count.
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What is the fairest answer to “Does Zelda sell more than Mario?”
If “Mario” means the four Mario-related Nintendo Switch groupings Nintendo listed, no—Mario sells more than Zelda in that comparison: 181 million versus 53 million units.
If the question means every Mario and Zelda game ever released on every platform, the supplied official data does not support a definitive winner. Nintendo’s published comparison is platform-specific, and its title table is not a complete all-platform franchise ledger.
For a single-game comparison using the latest supplied Switch table, Mario also leads among the examples: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe stands at 72.00 million units, compared with 34.28 million for Breath of the Wild. That result should be quoted as a title comparison, not as proof that every Mario game outsells every Zelda game.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently asked questions
Are remakes and bundled copies included in these numbers?
Nintendo’s title-table notes say the worldwide life-to-date figures include software quantities bundled with hardware or other products and downloadable versions. The supplied sources do not provide a title-by-title breakdown showing which remakes or special bundles are included, so those details should not be inferred for an individual game.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteWhy are the series totals rounded while the game totals use two decimal places?
The numbers come from different Nintendo disclosures. The 2024 investor presentation displays rounded combined series figures, while the 2026 title table reports individual worldwide life-to-date units with greater precision.
Does Mario Kart count as a Mario game in Nintendo’s comparison?
Yes, Nintendo explicitly places Mario Kart among the Mario-related Nintendo Switch groupings in its 2024 presentation. That classification is why the comparison must describe the result as Mario-related groupings rather than a narrow count of only the mainline Super Mario platform games.
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Can these figures show which franchise has the more valuable brand?
No. Unit sales measure reported software units, not revenue, profit, merchandise sales, licensing income or audience size. Nintendo’s materials mention merchandise as a way to expand access to its intellectual property, but the supplied figures do not quantify that business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are remakes and bundled copies included in these numbers?
Nintendo’s title-table notes say the worldwide life-to-date figures include software quantities bundled with hardware or other products and downloadable versions. The supplied sources do not provide a title-by-title breakdown showing which remakes or special bundles are included, so those details should not be inferred for an individual game.
Why are the series totals rounded while the game totals use two decimal places?
The numbers come from different Nintendo disclosures. The 2024 investor presentation displays rounded combined series figures, while the 2026 title table reports individual worldwide life-to-date units with greater precision.
Does Mario Kart count as a Mario game in Nintendo’s comparison?
Yes, Nintendo explicitly places Mario Kart among the Mario-related Nintendo Switch groupings in its 2024 presentation. That classification is why the comparison must describe the result as Mario-related groupings rather than a narrow count of only the mainline Super Mario platform games.
Can these figures show which franchise has the more valuable brand?
No. Unit sales measure reported software units, not revenue, profit, merchandise sales, licensing income or audience size. Nintendo’s materials mention merchandise as a way to expand access to its intellectual property, but the supplied figures do not quantify that business.
