Is this really a surprise? Super Smash Bros. Brawl was selling at a clip of 120 units per minute last week, and today eclipsed the Nintendo of America internal record for fastest selling title in its history.
The back-patting press release is below.
REDMOND, Wash., March 17 /PRNewswire/ — After just one week on store
shelves, Super Smash Bros.(R) Brawl for Wii has become the fastest-selling
video game in Nintendo of America’s history. Since its launch on March 9, the
feature-packed fighting action game has sold more than 1.4 million units in
the United States, including more than 874,000 on March 9 alone. It has sold
at a rate of more than 120 units per minute between launch and March 16.
(Logos: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080116/LAW110LOGO-b
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061011/LAW104LOGO)
“Super Smash Bros. Brawl has made the leap from video game to cultural
phenomenon,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice
president of Sales & Marketing. “Game reviewers and the public alike praise
its fun game play and extensive, inventive content.”
Super Smash Bros. Brawl features a nearly limitless variety of options for
players. Dozens of classic Nintendo characters like Mario(TM) and Pikachu(R)
are joined by industry icons like Sonic The Hedgehog(TM) and Metal Gear’s
Solid Snake for all-out four-player battles. The endless customization keeps
players coming back for more. The previous game in the series, Super Smash
Bros.(R) Melee, became the best-selling Nintendo GameCube(TM) game of all time
with more than 7 million copies sold worldwide, so it’s no surprise to see
this latest installment racking up record numbers.
“It’s important to remember,” Dunaway said, “that we have lots more fun on
the way: Upcoming titles like Mario Kart(R) Wii and Wii Fit(TM) will keep our
momentum going strong.”
Mario Kart Wii launches April 27 with the Wii Wheel(TM), which lets
players drive their speedy karts with the intuitive feel of a wireless
steering wheel. It’s another “bridge” game like Wii Sports(TM) that lets video
game novices and veterans play and have fun together. Wii Fit arrives May 19
with the Wii Balance Board(TM) to combine fun and fitness. It lets users track
their progress over time, and it’s an easy way for every member of the family
to keep active and play together.
No surprise.
Of course, some Brawl Kool-Aid would have pushed another million.
Super Smash Bros Brawl?
Never heard of it.
I want to know who exactly the Super Smash Brothers are.
That’s a lot…I guess a person can’t be too upset about online play being so screwed up the first few days.
hehe, i knew it would be a giant game…and most giant games will always have screwy online play for a while a first…
SSBB’s online play may be a bit clunky at times. But at least it lives up to ALL THE HYPE for 4 Player Online multiplayer battles.
I know I did my part opening night for this statistic.
I’m am not surprised. It’s a great game!
I am not surprised. It’s Smash Bros.!
I’ve only played a bit of Melee before, but I fell into the hype for this game. It’s well worth it, and I’m glad it sold well. Since the Wii is in so many households, I hope that more top games can push serious numbers.
Needs moar cowbell…. Yeah i have gone insane with lack of SSBB.
Smash . . . Brothers . . . Isn’t that the game where that plumber head butts the ceiling and flips over turtles and crabs? I think I’ve heard of it.
So, which one was the previous fastest-selling game for Nintendo? None of the news articles mention it…
My guess is that it was Pokémon Diamond, right? With Pokémon Pearl being the third fastest-selling game in Nintendo history.
Proves one thing: We’re more game-headed than the Japanese. Last I checked, 874,000 > 500,000. Is that a GOOD thing?
@HyperSonic
Japan pop. ~127million
USA pop. ~303million
so per capita Japan still sold more units and are more “game-headed” I suppose; at least when it comes to classic Nintendo. Either way though that’s a heck of a lot of Smash Bros.
@ Paul
Unless you’re being sarcastic, that’s Mario Bros.
Japan likes Smash Bros. We worship it.
Wasn’t it just a few months ago that one of you guys was saying that Mario Galaxy was the bigger title? For reals? FOR SHAME.