3DS, Mario games top Japanese sales in 2011

By Tom Ivan for computerandvideogames.com

3DS was the best-selling console in Japan in 2011, while Mario Kart 7 beat Super Mario 3D Land to the top of the annual software sales chart.

Nintendo's newest portable topped four million sales in the year ended December 25, 2011, according to Enterbrain data reported by Famitsu (via Andriasang).

PSP placed second with just shy of two million sales, and PS3 third with almost 1.5 million, while Vita sales topped annual Xbox 360 sales in just ten days on the market.

Mario Kart 7 shifted over one million copies to take the top software spot, just edging out fellow 3DS exclusive Super Mario 3D Land and Monster Hunter Portable 3rd for PSP.

Annual revenues for the Japanese games market came in at 454,380 million yen (£3.8 billion), down eight percent from the previous year.

2011 hardware sales (life to date)

1. 3DS: 4,135,739
2. PSP: 1,960,177 (18,237,108)
3. PS3: 1,467,261 (7,417,148)
4. Wii: 937,451 (12,167,743)
5. DS: 711,204 (32,835,502)
6. Vita: 402,794
7. 360: 114,075 (1,520,738)

2011 software sales (life to date)

1. Mario Kart 7 (3DS, Nintendo) 1,082,391
2. Super Mario 3D Land (3DS, Nintendo) 1,042,511
3. Monster Hunter Portable 3rd (PSP, Capcom) 1,021,457 (4,502,446)
4. Monster Hunter 3G (3DS, Capcom) 809,322
5. Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3, Square Enix) 697,146
6. Final Fantasy Type-0 (PSP, Square Enix) 696,428
7. Minna no Rhythm Tengoku (Wii, Nintendo) 633,429
8. Tales of Xillia (PS3, Namco Bandai) 632,151
9. Wii Sports Resort (Wii, Nintendo) 612,807 (2,732,655)
10. Wii Party (Wii, Nintendo) 584,545 (2,123,773)