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Here’s the Number 1 Racing Game in U.S. History, and No, It’s Not Forza or NFS

Whenever we’re talking about racing games, the first names that come to mind are most likely Forza, Gran Turismo, Need for Speed, Assetto Corsa, F1, and a few others, but many people out there wouldn’t even think about Mario Kart 8.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 1 photo
Photo: Nintendo
And as it turns out, they would be wrong not to do it, as Mario Kart 8 has become the best-selling racing game in the history of the United States, according to data shared by The NPD Group's Mat Piscatella.

The data includes the sales of both the Wii U original title and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe that went live on Nintendo Switch, and it shows that together, the two releases managed to surpass the sales of Mario Kart Wii, a super-popular 13-year-old title that so many people really loved.

Both Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart Wii have been major hits worldwide, not only in the United States.

For example, since its launch on Wii U in 2014, Mario Kart 8’s global sales reached 8.45 million units, while the Deluxe version added 33.41 million units to the total count since the debut on the Switch four years ago.

March 2021 data shows that the best-selling title last month in the United States was Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, followed by Monster Hunter: Rise and Outriders. Nintendo’s Super Mario 3D World was fourth.

When it comes to PlayStation platforms alone, there’s not a single racing game in the top 10, with Call of Duty once again securing the lead and Marvel’s Spider-Man getting the runner-up spot.

Things are a little bit different on Xbox, on the other hand, as Forza Horizon 4 is now the seventh title in the chart, losing one position as compared to the previous month. Call of Duty is the top name on Xbox as well.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
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Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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