Games

Mario Kart World holds No.1 as Switch 2 leads Japan’s hardware—Trails in the Sky debuts strong

29 September 2025
Nintendo Switch 2
9 min.
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Mario Kart World holds No.1 as Switch 2 leads Japan’s hardware—Trails in the Sky debuts strong

Summary:

Mario Kart World isn’t moving. Once again, we’re looking at a week where the latest Kart on Switch 2 holds No.1 in Japan, adding another 33,861 boxed copies and pushing its already massive lifetime even higher. On the hardware side, Switch 2 continues to set the pace with 40,711 units, keeping a comfortable lead over every other system. The headline newcomers are Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter on both PS5 and Switch, arriving almost neck-and-neck with a solid opening that shows Falcom’s long-running RPG series still has pull across platforms. Donkey Kong Bananza continues its steady march, Castlevania Dominus Collection lands with a healthy start, and the evergreens—Minecraft and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe—remind everyone why they’ve defined the last generation’s shelf space. Below, we break down the week’s winners, what the platform split hints at, how boxed-only tracking should be read in 2025, and the releases that could nudge Mario Kart World when the calendar ticks over to the next wave.

Mario Kart World stays on top while Switch 2 rules hardware

Another week, another checkered flag for Mario Kart World. The Switch 2 entry once more sits at No.1 in Japan’s boxed rankings, moving 33,861 physical copies and widening an already hefty lead. At this point, the story isn’t just about one strong week; it’s about consistency. When a racer holds the pole position through multiple retail cycles, it tells us two things: the online ecosystem is healthy enough to keep players engaged, and retail visibility is doing its job, putting the game in front of families and late adopters. On the hardware side, the picture lines up perfectly. Switch 2 posted 40,711 units for the week, which pairs cleanly with the game’s ongoing dominance. If you were wondering whether bundles, in-store demos, and word-of-mouth are still powerful in 2025, the charts keep delivering the same answer. Shelf presence wins, and Mario Kart World has it in spades.

Why Mario Kart World’s lead keeps compounding week after week

Momentum is everything, and Mario Kart World keeps generating it. The reasons aren’t mysterious: approachable racing, easy local play, frictionless online, and a progression loop that always gives you one more thing to unlock. Add in post-launch updates that sharpen track rotation and quality-of-life tweaks, and we’re looking at a long-tail performer designed for families and competitive players alike. The free-roam layer gives players a place to mess around, and then the race grid pulls them back for “just one more.” That loop fuels organic buzz, which fuels more sales. It’s the virtuous cycle Nintendo has perfected: a wide funnel at the front, sticky systems in the middle, and evergreen value at the end. When you stack those pieces on a platform that’s currently leading hardware, it’s no surprise we keep seeing the same finishing order.

The knock-on effect for Switch 2’s weekly sell-through

Software drives hardware, and nothing showcases that better than a weekly where the top game and the top device share the same logo. Switch 2’s 40,711 units don’t occur in a vacuum. They’re buoyed by a strong first-party anchor that serves as a demo machine in living rooms. Families try it once, realize couch co-op is instant fun, and the box goes home. Retailers love this kind of alignment because it simplifies the pitch: “Try the new Kart, it’s on the latest Switch.” That clarity reduces friction and keeps the weekend traffic humming.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter debuts strong on PS5 and Switch

Falcom’s Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter lands with a clean one-two punch across the top three, with PS5 slightly ahead at 21,511 copies and Switch right on its heels at 21,453. That near parity is interesting. It suggests the series’ core audience is following quality-of-life updates and resolution bumps on PS5, while Switch owners lean into portability and the comfort of an RPG on the go. For retail, this is the kind of split that keeps both aisles busy. It also helps that Trails branding carries weight in Japan; fans know they’re getting a deep narrative, mechanical depth, and hours upon hours of playtime. When two SKUs debut this close together, it points to healthy cross-platform interest and a good read on the audience by the publisher.

Positioning between newcomers and evergreen mainstays

What makes the Trails launch even more notable is how it squeezes into a top 10 defined by staple brands. Climbing this high in a week where Mario Kart World and Minecraft are chewing through units shows that boxed shoppers were ready for a fresh RPG. If the legs hold, expect a gentle glide down the chart rather than a steep drop—especially if word-of-mouth highlights this version’s polish. Either way, it’s a tidy win for Falcom and a nice spark for both PS5 and Switch shelves.

Donkey Kong Bananza shows long legs on Switch 2

Donkey Kong Bananza clocks another 11,300 boxed copies, bringing lifetime sales to 318,441. That’s a solid arc for a character platformer launching in a year loaded with tentpoles. The secret sauce here is replay-friendly stages and a tone that welcomes younger players without losing the bite longtime fans want. Paired with Switch 2’s momentum, Bananza keeps acting as a second anchor behind Kart—different flavor, same outcome: more reasons to pick up the hardware and more reasons to stay in the ecosystem. Watch for seasonal promotions to give it another bump as we slide toward the year-end rush.

Platform synergy that benefits family baskets

Families shopping for a console tend to pick up a small stack at the till: the killer app, a family-friendly backup, and something personally chosen by the kid in tow. Bananza fills that middle slot beautifully. It’s easy to sell, easy to play, and hard to put down. When retailers merchandize it near Mario Kart World, attach rates climb, and Switch 2’s weekly total benefits yet again.

Castlevania Dominus Collection finds an audience at retail

Compilation releases live or die on curation and price-to-value, and Castlevania Dominus Collection hits a sweet spot. With 9,503 copies in its first week, it’s a tidy performer that adds variety to Switch shelves. Retro packages do well in Japan when they showcase definitive versions with thoughtful extras, and this one checks enough boxes to stand out. As the catalog on Switch enters its mature phase, collections like this punch above their weight by offering a plug-and-play history lesson for newer fans and a nostalgia hit for veterans who want something tangible on the shelf.

Why boxed still matters for collections in 2025

Even in a digital-first world, compilations often benefit from physical presence. The cover does the pitching, the back-of-box sells the features, and the value proposition lands at a glance. It’s a format built for impulse buys, and the numbers this week suggest it landed with exactly the kind of audience that appreciates a curated slice of gaming history.

Evergreen hits keep charting: Minecraft and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

It’s hard to overstate how unusual Minecraft’s long-term retail run is. Another 5,762 copies were picked up this week on Switch, lifting an already astronomical lifetime. Right below, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe grabbed 5,203 more. These aren’t just familiar names; they’re durable engines for retail foot traffic. Their presence on the chart acts like steady rainfall—maybe not headline-grabbing every week, but vital for keeping the soil fertile. They bring new players into the fold, they sell accessories, and they keep Nintendo’s lanes busy between big bursts.

How evergreen titles shape weekly sales texture

When evergreen performers hold mid-chart consistently, they stabilize the overall market. Publishers launching new games near them can count on consistent store traffic, while retailers can forecast inventory with fewer surprises. It’s the dependable heartbeat underneath the spikes from fresh releases.

Hardware snapshot: Switch 2’s weekly lead and lifetime context

On hardware, Switch 2 led with 40,711 units, with the broader Switch family and PS5 variants filling out the middle. The headline remains the same: Nintendo’s newest device has momentum on its side, and the week’s software story feeds right into it. The more interesting thread is lifetime trajectory. With Switch 2 surpassing two million units sold in Japan recently, each weekly block like this one gets framed against a milestone path. When the lead SKU keeps winning and the platform keeps climbing, you get a reinforcing loop that’s hard to break—especially ahead of the holiday corridors where momentum turns into sellouts.

Why weekly deltas matter more than raw totals

Raw unit counts tell you who’s in front, but it’s the deltas week-to-week that hint at future moves. If Switch 2 sustains a sizable lead through September and early October, software partners will time announcements to ride that visibility. In practical terms, expect marketing calendars to cluster around Directs and retail events where attach rates are historically strongest.

What the mix of platforms says about current player demand

Look at the top 10 and the message is clear: variety wins. Big-brand racers, classic action compilations, rising RPGs, and family staples all found buyers—across multiple platforms. PS5 grabbing a high slot with Trails alongside Switch’s dominance shows that boxed shoppers are choosing based on the experience they want this week, not just the logo on the case. For publishers, that’s a green light to keep cross-platform launches tight and messaging tailored per audience. For retailers, it’s an invitation to build endcaps that combine discovery with the comfort of familiar favorites.

The genre spread that keeps shelves healthy

Racing at the top, RPGs surging, retro action doing its thing, and the evergreens humming along—that mix keeps weekly charts lively. It also reduces boom-and-bust swings, which is good news for everyone from distributors to weekend shoppers who like to browse with options.

Digital vs. physical in Japan and how it colors the picture

Famitsu’s rankings reflect boxed sell-through, and that distinction matters more each year. In Japan, physical still carries weight—collector culture, resale value, and gifts keep it relevant—but digital has its own gravitational pull. RPGs with preload campaigns see strong eShop surges, and service-heavy titles soak up digital upgrades between patches. That means any boxed chart we’re reading is just one slice of the whole. Still, it’s an important slice: it captures the impulse purchases, the family bundles, and the fans who want something for the shelf. Pairing boxed data with digital estimates is where the cleanest picture emerges, but even on its own, this week’s chart tells a clear story about what people reached for at the counter.

How publishers leverage boxed momentum post-launch

Once a game lands well at retail, publishers often parlay that into timed promotions, in-store signage refreshes, and social pushes that ride the wave. Expect to see that playbook around Trails over the next two weeks and continuing mini-pulses for Mario Kart World as updates keep chatter alive online.

What to watch next week: new releases and potential shake-ups

With Trails settling in and Castlevania fans getting their fix, attention shifts to the next batch of releases jostling for a spot beneath Kart. The question hanging over every Saturday is simple: can anything unseat Mario Kart World while Switch 2 keeps leading hardware? It’ll take a heavyweight launch with broad appeal, or a stacked week where multiple debuts fragment the audience. Either way, the pattern is set: strong first-party anchor, reliable mid-chart evergreens, and newcomers carving out share with targeted pitches. Keep an eye on how Trails holds, whether Bananza gets a family-weekend bump, and if any late September drops sneak into the back half of the top 10.

Conclusion

Mario Kart World continues to be the easiest retail story to tell in Japan: top of the software chart, feeding top-of-the-board hardware. Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter arrives with a healthy split across PS5 and Switch, Donkey Kong Bananza shows admirable staying power, and compilations like Castlevania Dominus Collection prove there’s still room for curated classics on store shelves. Add in the ever-present hum of Minecraft and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and you’ve got a market that’s lively, balanced, and very friendly to weekend shoppers. Unless a giant shows up next week, don’t expect the checkered flag to change hands just yet.

FAQs
  • Is Mario Kart World still No.1 this week?
    • Yes. It sold 33,861 boxed copies and remains at the top of Japan’s weekly rankings.
  • Which new release performed best?
    • Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter debuted strongly on PS5 with 21,511 copies, with Switch close behind at 21,453.
  • How did Switch 2 perform on hardware?
    • Switch 2 led the hardware chart with 40,711 units for the week, extending its strong run in Japan.
  • Did any retro collections chart?
    • Yes. Castlevania Dominus Collection entered with 9,503 boxed copies, indicating solid demand for curated packages.
  • Are these numbers physical-only?
    • Correct. These rankings reflect boxed sell-through; digital performance isn’t included in the weekly totals referenced here.
Sources
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