30 million Wiis sold in US, Wii Play top game

Games like Wii Fit and Mario Kart Wii are often pointed to as primary examples of Nintendo's "evergreen" console efforts, games that continue to sell months and years after their debut. However, the company today released first-party and third-party US retail sales charts citing data from the NPD Group, showing that neither of those hits can lay claim to the title of best-selling Wii game ever.

That honor actually goes to Wii Play, a collection of nine minigames that left reviewers cold but was a mainstay in the best-seller charts even three years after its November 2007 launch. One factor in the game's continued success is that it comes packed with a Wii Remote accessory and sells for $50, just $10 more than the controller on its own.

Software packed in with hardware was a running theme in Nintendo's first-party sales chart, with second and third place going to Mario Kart Wii (with wheel accessory) and Wii Fit (with Balance Board), respectively. Three more of the company's 10 best-sellers--Wii Sports Resort, Wii Fit Plus, and Link's Crossbow Training--also came with peripherals packed in.

On the third-party list, Activision's 2007 hit Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock reigned supreme, followed by Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (a third-party title, as it was published by Sega), and Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga. Eight different companies managed to land a top 10 best-seller, with Ubisoft and Sega the only publishers to claim two spots.

In revealing its software charts, Nintendo also updated the sales of the Wii hardware itself. The company today said it had surpassed sales of 30 million in the US alone, a milestone it was nearing last month. Nintendo did not release specific sales figures for the games on its top 10 lists but did say the rankings were based on totals through June 2010.

Top 10 best-selling first-party Wii games
1. Wii Play
2. Mario Kart Wii
3. Wii Fit
4. New Super Mario Bros. Wii
5. Wii Sports Resort
6. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
7. Super Mario Galaxy
8. Wii Fit Plus
9. Mario Party 8
10. Link's Crossbow Training

Top 10 best-selling third-party Wii games
1. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock--Activision
2. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games--Sega
3. Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga--LucasArts
4. Carnival Games--Take-Two Interactive
5. Game Party--Midway
6. EA Sports Active--Electronic Arts
7. Just Dance--Ubisoft
8. Rayman Raving Rabbids--Ubisoft
9. Deca Sports--Hudson Entertainment
10. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games--Sega