Best-Selling Game for February: Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask

The long-awaited remake of The Legend of Zelda classic, Majora's Mask, was the best-selling game in the US for February.

While February is typically a slow month for game releases, it's still a surprise win for what is generally considered an obscure (but beloved) entry in the Zelda franchise. Nintendo's only other showing on the NPD Group's top 10 list was for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate.

NPD rankings do not include digital sales, only new, physical sales, but it does include collector's editions, game of the year editions, and bundles. It's worth noting that, while Nintendo did release a special edition Majora's Mask New 3DS XL in the US, the game was not bundled with that system.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (3DS) -- Nintendo
2. Evolve (XBO, PS4, PC) -- Take 2 Interactive
3. Dying Light (PS4, XBO, PC) -- Warner Bros. Interactive
4. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (XBO, PS4, 360, PS3, PC) -- Activision Blizzard
5. Grand Theft Auto V (PS4, XBO, 360, PS3) -- Take 2 Interactive
6. NBA 2K15 (PS4, XBO, 360, PS3, PC) -- Take 2 Interactive
7. Dragon Ball: Xenoverse (PS4, XBO, PS3, 360) -- Bandai Namco Games
8. Minecraft (360, PS3, XBO, PS4) -- Microsoft/Sony
9. The Order: 1886 (PS4) -- Sony
10. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (3DS) -- Capcom

While most companies don't reveal exact sales numbers, Nintendo wrote in a press release that Majora's Mask sold "515,000 combined physical and digital units." Nintendo also wrote that it is "the fastest-selling Legend of Zelda hand-held title in US history." Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate sold "290,000 combined physical and digital units and is now the fastest-selling Monster Hunter title -- across all platforms -- in US history."

For console titles, the NPD Group's Liam Callahan offered the following guidance: "This is the first time since the launch of the PS4 and Xbox One that the top 10 console software SKUs were all from eighth generation consoles, a sign of consumer’s further transition away from seventh generation consoles towards the new console generation."

On the strength of those titles, the 3DS family also came out on top in terms of hardware sales for February.