Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Outselling Mario Kart World in U.S. Charts Despite Switch 2 Boom

Image Credit: Nintendo

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, a game that launched nearly a decade ago, continues to defy expectations by outselling its brand-new successor, Mario Kart World, in the latest U.S. sales charts for July.

According to Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, Nintendo Switch 2 dominated hardware sales last month, becoming the best-selling console in the U.S. with two million units sold. The console is currently tracking 75% ahead of the original Switch when comparing similar launch periods. While this shows strong momentum for Nintendo’s newest system, the older Switch and its games are far from irrelevant.

The Nintendo Switch itself remains one of the biggest forces in gaming. With more than 153 million units sold as of August, it’s the second most successful gaming console of all time, trailing only the PlayStation 2. Affordable pricing, even after a recent increase, combined with a steady trickle of new releases, keeps the platform active. And within that ecosystem, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still proving unstoppable.

In June, Mario Kart World was the top-performing Nintendo title in the U.S., but by July it slipped down to sixth place. In contrast, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe climbed from seventh to fourth, once again reminding everyone of its staying power. The numbers suggest that while many Switch 2 owners are buying Mario Kart World, the much larger Switch audience still has plenty of room for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to thrive.

Overall, both kart racers were outpaced by Donkey Kong Bananza, which debuted in July as the best-selling Nintendo game of the month. The game is performing so strongly that it has already broken into the top 20 best-selling titles of the year in the U.S. and even claimed the third spot across all platforms for July.

July 2025 Top 10 Best-Selling Games on Nintendo Platforms (7/6/2025 through 8/2/2025):

1. Donkey Kong Bananas* (Nintendo) - NEW

2. Super Mario Party Jamboree (Nintendo) - Previously 11

3. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 (Microsoft Corp) - NEW

4. Mario Kart 8 (Nintendo) - Previously 7

5. Minecraft (Nintendo) - Previously 10

6. Mario Kart World (Nintendo) - Previously 1

7. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo) - Previously 4

8. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo) - Previously 5

9. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo) - Previously 14

10. Hogwarts Legacy (Warner Bros. Games) - Previously 8

For year-to-date rankings, the leaders remain Monster Hunter Wilds, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, and EA Sports College Football 26.