Viral fruit-puzzler crowned as Nintendo Switch’s most downloaded game in Japan, beating out Zelda and Super Mario
Dec. 29, 2023Nintendo’s heavyweight champs take a backseat to Suika Game
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Suika Game, also known as the Watermelon Game that recently went mega-viral, is Nintendo Switch’s most downloaded game in Japan.
In addition to those already-outsized accomplishments, the puzzler has now topped Nintendo Switch’sDownload Rankingin Japan, nudging out some other heavy hitters from this year. Suika Game does have a slight advantage as a Nintendo eShop exclusive, but it’s an impressive feat regardless, especially since gaming’s biggest mascots made major appearances this year.
Japan’s top ten most downloaded Switch games in-order include:
The above list includes the expected suspects, with first-party juggernauts Zelda, Mario, Pikmin, and Splatoon all showing up. Dragon Quest Monsters’ appearance is perhaps the most surprising since the game only launched earlier this December but still managed to sell enough to eclipse other blockbusters. Just goes to show Dragon Quest’s enduring cultural impact in the region.
Interestingly, only three games in the top thirty were made outside of Japan - Overcooked 2, Human Fall Flat, and Among Us - and the trio were all viral indie sensations that followed a somewhat similar trajectory to Suika Game.
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Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that’s vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he’ll soon forget.
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