Many of the world’s greatest video games have sold millions of copies. But which ones have sold the most? Here’s a look at the top ten best-selling games of all time.
10. Pac-Man
Today, you can choose from a vast array of game types. Whether you enjoy platformers and RPGs or esports and online live casino games, you can access your favorite game in a matter of moments. But back in 1980, most gamers had to go to their local arcades and simply play the games on offer. One of the most popular games was Pac-Man. Interestingly, the character actually began life as Puck Man in the original Japanese version. With fears that the name of the game on the arcade machine could be defaced to create a rude word when it came to the west, the yellow muncher’s name was changed. As of 2020, the original Pac-Man game has sold over 39 million copies.
9. Tetris
Nintendo’s tile-matching game Tetris took the world by storm when it was released on the Game Boy in 1989. But it was actually created by a Russian software engineer five years before. Since its release, the original Tetris game has sold around 43 million copies worldwide.
8. Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus
The Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus games involve exercise games performed with the Wii Balance Board. Together, the two games have shifted over 43 million copies.
7. Pokémon Red, Green, and Blue Versions
The 1996 Pokémon Red, Green, and Blue RPGs were the first installments in the long-running Pokémon series. To date, the original Pokémon games have jointly sold more than 47 million copies worldwide.
6. Super Mario Bros
This 1985 game was the successor to the 1983 arcade game Mario Bros. It is the first in the series of Super Mario platform games. You play as the Italian plumber Mario or his brother Luigi as they travel through the Mushroom Kingdom to rescue the Princess Toadstool from Bowser’s evil clutches. As of 2020, it has sold over 40 million copies.
5. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Mods, which are alterations made to video games by fans, have transformed the video game landscape in recent years, and not least with PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. The online multiplayer battle royale game is based on mods created by a player known as Brendan “PlayerUnknown” Greene. Up to one hundred players can participate in the game at once. You begin by parachuting onto an island before scavenging for weapons and equipment, with the aim of killing other players before they kill you. As of 2020, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has sold more than 70 million copies.
4. Wii Sports
With the motion-sensing capabilities of the Wii remote control, sports simulation games were taken to another level. In Wii Sports, which was released in 2006, you get to choose from five different sports: tennis, boxing, baseball, golf, and bowling. You use the remote to replicate actions like swinging a golf club. The game has sold over 82 million copies worldwide, making it the fourth best-selling game of all time. It is also the best-selling single-platform game in history.
3. Tetris – EA Mobile Version
The Electric Arts mobile version of the world’s most favorite tile game came out in 2006 for iPod. It was subsequently released for other mobile platforms, including Android and BlackBerry. By 2010, the game had sold 100 million copies in paid downloads. That means the EA Mobile version of Tetris is the best-selling paid mobile game in history and the third best-selling video game of all time.
2. Grand Theft Auto V
When Grand Theft Auto V came out in 2013, it earned a staggering $800 million on the first day, making it the fastest-selling entertainment product ever. Within only three days, the action-adventure game had earned $1 billion. As of 2020, over 135 million copies have been sold worldwide, making it the second best-selling video game of all time. Set in the state of San Andreas, a fictionalized version of Southern California, the game follows three protagonists, a gangster, a retired bank robber, and a drug dealer, as they perform heists amidst pressure from the local crime bosses and corrupt government agencies. And with Grand Auto V’s online multiplayer mode, up to 30 players can hook up at once to engage in a variety of competitive or cooperative game modes.
1. Minecraft
With over 200 million copies sold since its release in 2011 and 126 million active users as of 2020, Minecraft storms ahead as the best-selling video game of all time. In the sandbox game, developed by Mojang Studios, you explore a blocky 3D world of never-ending terrain. You can extract raw materials, make tools, build structures, and even fight computer-controlled mobs or other players. Over the years, Minecraft has won numerous prestigious awards and spawned several spin-offs and adaptations. In June 2020, Minecraft was rightfully inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame. It has undoubtedly been one of the greatest game phenomena of the last ten years, and it doesn’t look like Minecraft’s popularity will be dying out any time soon.