Nintendo says Super Mario Bros. Wonder soared due to multiplayer magic

Nintendo believes the magic of multiplayer was responsible for Super Mario Bros. Wonder's electric start.

The platformer became the fastest-selling Super Mario title in history after selling-through over 10 million copies in under three months, and Nintendo thinks the game's multiplayer component was a driving factor.

"Sales of Super Mario Bros. Wonder have grown at a faster pace than previous Super Mario titles. The game itself has been well-received in terms of its content, but I think another factor is that it is a title that can be played by two or more people," said Nintendo boss Shuntaro Furukawa during an investor Q&A.

"Around half of the people who play this game do so in multiplayer mode, so I think the title suited the need for a game that many people can enjoy with family and friends during the year-end holiday season, when people get together."

The Super Mario Bros Movie played a part in Super Mario Wonder's success

Furukawa also suspects the performance of The Super Mario Bros. Movie helped boost sales, and noted that, although the flick is no longer in cinemas, "the number of people who have seen the movie for the first time continues to increase."

Those tidbits come off the back of Nintendo's third-quarter fiscal report, which revealed the Switch is nearing 140 million lifetime sales. Although hardware sales dipped with the console in its seventh year on shelves, Nintendo explained the Switch family actually delivered a record 122 million annual playing users during 2023.

For more on Nintendo's financial performance, check out our comprehensive writeup.