Despite being one of the most famous names in the gaming industry, Nintendo did not always succeed. The Nintendo Wii U was a console that barely managed to last a few years before being replaced with the Nintendo Switch. It had many great ideas but proved to be a lackluster console in comparison to the PS4 and Xbox One around the same time.

Even though it sold less than the massively successful Nintendo Wii, the Wii U still provided a plethora of games that had fans flocking to buy. Some titles are going to be expected but there are a few that are quite surprising in how much they sold according to Statista.

10 Mario Party 10 (2015) – 2.26 Million Units Sold

This was the low point of the long-running Mario Party series before it was rebooted on the Nintendo Switch. Considering its average 66 rating on Metacritic, fans were not fond of how easy Mario Party 10 was. It held everyone’s hand too much and made everybody a winner.

Mario Party 10 also continued with the shared traversal system via the car which nobody was a fan of. That being said, Mario Party 10 still managed to grab everyone’s attention with the ability to play as Bowser following the car. As a result, Mario Party 10 managed to sell 2.26 million units.

9 The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (2013) – 2.34 Million Units Sold

One of the most beloved games for the Nintendo GameCube saw its much-deserved resurgence on the Wii U. The Wind Waker HD was a remaster that respected the cell-shaded style of the original but updated the controls, visuals, and nearly everything without ruining what made the original so classic.

With a 90 rating on Metacritic, The Wind Waker HD pleased older fans while reintroducing new fans to the more underrated 3D, open-sea adventure entry of The Legend Of Zelda timeline. Hence why it sold 2.34 million units and is reported to be returning for the Switch.

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8 New Super Luigi U (2013) – 3.07 Million Units Sold

Fans of the younger and taller Italian plumber erupted with joy when 2013 became the Year Of Luigi. From Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon to Dr. Luigi, Nintendo dedicated a whole year to Mario’s lovable brother.

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One of the games was a spin-off of the New Super Mario Bros. games known as New Super Luigi U. Essentially, it was a remix of New Super Mario Bros. U but with intense time trials and challenges for Luigi. Fans appreciated that Luigi got his due hence the 77 ratings on Metacritic and 3.07 million units sold.

7 Super Mario Maker (2015) – 4.02 Million Units Sold

Nintendo made the genius move by giving fans the tool to create their dream Mario game essentially. With different styles based on games of the past, players would use assets from the games to craft anything from simple levels seen in the games to gauntlets that went viral on YouTube.

This concept was so beloved that Super Mario Maker would receive a superior sequel on the Switch and ponder why other video game franchises don’t do the same thing. Super Mario Maker earned an 88 rating on Metacritic and sold over 4 million units, becoming an instant classic for the Wii U.

6 Splatoon (2015) – 4.95 Million Units Sold

Much to the surprise of many, Nintendo attempted to enter the competitive multiplayer genre in 2015 with Splatoon. Most expected just a fun little experiment from Nintendo but it was a rather polished and addictive multiplayer experience which also got an even better sequel.

Seeling almost 5 million units with an 81 rating on Metacritic, Splatoon was the surprise hit of the Wii U. The Inkling characters of Splatoon would become icons featured in Super Smash Bros. and get their own Amiibos.

5 Nintendo Land (2012) – 5.2  Million Units Sold

A launch title for the Wii U, Nintendo Land is the console’s equivalent of Wii Sports for the Wii; it came bundled with the Wii U itself, providing a party game experience for the entire family.

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This time, however, it focused on minigames and theme park attractions based around famous Nintendo franchises. Nintendo Land proved to be a fun launch title with a decent 77 rating on Metacritic.

4 Super Smash Bros. For Wii U (2014) – 5.38 Million Units Sold

Much like Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii, Super Smash Bros For Wii U proved to be yet another polished and worthy inclusion of the franchise. The amiibo support allowed for some extra fun but really, everyone was there to play what many considered the best Smash Bros. game since Melee for the GameCube.

It rightfully earned its 92 rating on Metacritic but there is little reason to return to it after Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the Switch proved to be even better.

3 New Super Mario Bros. U (2012) – 5.83 Million Units Sold

The third game in the New Super Mario Bros. series, with a rating of 84 on Metacritic, proved to be quite the entry. It introduced new power-ups, fresh worlds, featured a wide variety of modes, and even introduced the mysterious thief known as Nabbit.

New Super Mario Bros. U takes the formula and practically perfects it in every way, providing an addictive modern equivalent to Super Mario World for the SNES. It would get a remake for the Switch and become a stand-out style of levels in Super Mario Maker.

2 Super Mario 3D World (2013) – 5.87 Million Units Sold

If the New Super Mario Bros. series was harkened back to Super Mario World, Super Mario 3D World is a modern equivalent to Super Mario Bros. 2. It features Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad going on an adventure, each with their own speeds and jump abilities.

Super Mario 3D World was a welcomed return of something fresh, utilizing linear but large levels that progressively got harder and harder. It became an instant classic with a 93 rating on Metacritic that was remastered for the Switch and bundled with a brand new game called Bowser’s Fury.

1 Mario Kart 8 (2014) – 8.45 Million Units Sold

Most fans will agree that the shining gold bar of the Wii U was Mario Kart 8. It did nearly everything perfectly including the visuals, the music, the massive roster of characters, a proper balance of the power-ups, and a mix of old and new race tracks leading to what many consider the best Mario Kart game ever made.

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It received a rating of 88 on Metacritic and sold almost eight and a half million units. Like most Mario games for the system, it was reviewed so well that it received an even better remaster for the Switch known as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which added even more content and fixed the battle mode.

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About The Author


Melody MacReady
(425 Articles Published)

Melody MacReady is a writer and transwoman (she/her), passionate about all things pop culture-related. From movies to shows to games to comic books, there is not much that she does not enjoy or appreciate. Melody is also an aspiring film writer and director as well as a voice actor as a hobby. This spark for content creation came from her childhood, growing up with media of all kinds which inspired her to write short stories, write comics, and begin writing about them on the internet. Melody’s biggest inspiration came from first seeing Zack Snyder’s Watchmen in 2009; the film combined with her knowledge of how scenes were done via behind-the-scenes featurettes prior to the film’s release made her fall in love with filmmaking. Not only does she write for ScreenRant, The Gamer, Comic Book Resources, and GameRant but she runs her own personal blog, discussing many things pop culture-related.

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