The Nintendo Switch has had one hell of a debut year, strengthened by a number of hit first-party games like Super Mario Odyssey and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, as well as third-party releases and various indie titles. And the fifteen top selling games in the UK for December 2018 have revealed that a mixture of these have become huge for the system, leading into what could be some interesting things coming for 2018.
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For instance, the success of FIFA 18 for the system — despite its online multiplayer limitations and lesser visuals – could indicate that we could be seeing more sports franchises for the platform this year. EA Sports hasn’t said anything, but the potential for Madden NFL 19 for the Switch would be huge, and could possibly give the system an even bigger boost. Other franchises, like NHL and NBA Live, could follow as well.
It’s hard to say specifically what the company has in mind, but when the Nintendo Direct special takes place sometime this month, we’ll have a better idea of what’s coming our way.
As for the charts where these numbers ran originally, which originally published over at Resetera, there was a surprising sports title in the first place spot for the month – Psyonix’s Rocket League. The hit “socCAR” game has been well received since its debut on the Switch in November, with some bonus Nintendo cars thrown in for good measure. It shows that sports games – supported by online or not – can have a healthy life on the system, especially as far as local multiplayer is concerned. (That’s big for Madden players looking to get into some good “couch” sessions.)
Close behind in second place, surprisingly, was one of Arcade Archives‘ older games, Vs. Super Mario Bros., which hasn’t seen a home console release in some time. The $8-priced title has proven to be a huge hit with retro fans and Mario enthusiasts alike.
Here’s the full top fifteen:
- Rocket League
- Arcade Archives: Vs. Super Mario Bros.
- Minecraft
- Stardew Valley
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Overcooked
- Enter the Gungeon
- Super Mario Odyssey
- Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
- Xenoblade Chronicles 2
- Steamworld Dig 2
- FIFA 18
- Human Fall Flat
- 1-2-Switch!
- Brawlout
The list goes to show that several of Nintendo’s first-party titles continue to find top ten positions, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe dominating over the past eight months, and Super Mario Odyssey continuing to find new and returning players alike.
But third party and indie games have presence as well. Mario + Rabbids is proving to be an effective crossover, and that could motivate Ubisoft to possibly work on a sequel sooner rather than later. Again, we’ll have to see what’s offered with the Nintendo Direct special to see what’s up.
