Hold on to your controllers, folks! The UK's physical game sales charts have landed, and the results might surprise you – especially if you're a Kirby fan. While everyone was hyped for Nintendo's latest offering, it seems it didn't quite reach the stratospheric heights many predicted. Kirby Air Riders, the pink puffball's newest adventure, narrowly missed snagging a spot in the coveted top ten!
You'll find Kirby Air Riders debuting at number 12 in its first week. That's respectable, sure, but it's trailing behind some heavy hitters that continue to dominate the charts. We're talking about the evergreen Mario Kart World, the highly anticipated Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the jungle-swinging action of Donkey Kong Bananza, and, of course, the seemingly immortal Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. All these titles prove that the Switch and Switch 2 are still powerhouses in the gaming world. It's worth noting that these charts only reflect physical sales. Digital downloads could paint a very different picture, and this is the part most people miss when analyzing these results. The blend of digital and physical sales is likely to be different for each game, further complicating the analysis.
Of course, some might argue that Air Riders' performance isn't entirely shocking. Its unique blend of racing and combat has always appealed to a more niche audience, compared to the broader appeal of a standard Mario Kart title. And with Mario Kart World still capturing the attention of gamers with its new and shiny features, it's understandable that many players might opt for just one racer on their new console. However, this is where it gets controversial... Is Nintendo spreading its releases too thin? Are we seeing a case of franchise fatigue, or is it simply a matter of marketing? It's a valid question to ask, especially when considering the sheer volume of Nintendo titles vying for players' attention.
Interestingly, we anticipate that sales figures will be drastically different in Japan, where Kirby enjoys immense popularity. We'll have to wait and see what the Japanese charts reveal later this week.
But the charts hold more than just Kirby's performance. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, after receiving several nominations at The Game Awards, has parried its way back into the top 10. The nominations clearly gave it a boost! And the physical edition of Hades II for the Switch 2 made a strong debut at number 21, proving that physical releases still hold significant appeal for many gamers. The reversible cover of Hades II is visually stunning, which added to its popularity. On the other hand, if you were searching for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, you won't find it within the top 40 this week, indicating a significant drop in sales.
Here's the full rundown of the top 40, complete with platform breakdowns for games available on Switch, Switch 2, and other consoles:
Last Week | This Week | Game | Platform Split
---|---|---|---
2 | 1 | EA Sports FC 26 | PS5 61%, Switch 18%, Xbox Series 9%, PS4 7%
3 | 2 | Mario Kart World | Switch
1 | 3 | Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 | Multiplatform
5 | 4 | Battlefield 6 | Multiplatform
4 | 5 | Pokémon Legends: Z-A | Switch 57%, Switch 2 43%
6 | 6 | Donkey Kong Bananza | Switch
35 | 7 | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 | Multiplatform
10 | 8 | Hogwarts Legacy | PS5 33%, PS4 22%, Switch 21%, Switch 2 21%
7 | 9 | Ghost of Yotei | Multiplatform
9 | 10 | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Switch
30 | 11 | Astro Bot | Multiplatform
NEW | 12 | Kirby Air Riders | Switch
8 | 13 | Minecraft | Multiplatform
20 | 14 | F1 25 | Multiplatform
12 | 15 | Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 | Switch
11 | 16 | Grand Theft Auto V | Multiplatform
14 | 17 | Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem | Switch 98%, PS5 2%, Xbox Series 0%, PS4 0%
38 | 18 | Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds | PS5 52%, Switch 29%, Xbox Series 13%, PS4 7%
34 | 19 | NBA 2K26 | PS5 68%, Switch 15%, Xbox Series 7%, PS4 6%, Switch 2 4%
- | 20 | Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 | Multiplatform
NEW | 21 | Hades II | Switch 2
- | 22 | Marvel's Spider-Man 2 | Multiplatform
13 | 23 | Animal Crossing: New Horizons | Switch
- | 24 | Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition | PS5 43%, PC 34%, Switch 2 11%, Xbox Series 11%
28 | 25 | Split Fiction | PS5 61%, Switch 3 30%, Xbox Series 9%
15 | 26 | Super Mario Party Jamboree | Switch 56%, Switch 2 44%
29 | 27 | Just Dance 2026 Edition | Multiplatform
- | 28 | Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate | PS5 58%, PS4 41%, Switch 1%, Xbox Series 0%
27 | 29 | Mafia: The Old Country | Multiplatform
- | 30 | Assassin's Creed Shadows | Multiplatform
- | 31 | Star Wars Outlaws | Switch 2 42%, PS5 42%, Xbox Series 16%
- | 32 | Cricket 26: Official Game of the Ashes | Multiplatform
16 | 33 | Nintendo Switch Sports | Switch
- | 34 | LEGO Horizon Adventures | PS5 85%, Switch 15%
26 | 35 | WWE 2K25 | PS5 69%, PS4 22%, Xbox Series 7%, Switch 2 2%
- | 36 | Gran Turismo 7 | Multiplatform
- | 37 | Little Nightmares III | PS5 45%, Switch 24%, Switch 2 16%, Xbox Series 10%
- | 38 | Elden Ring | Multiplatform
- | 39 | Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 | PS5 41%, Switch 2 24%, Switch 21%, PS4 8%
NEW | 40 | Gabby's Dollhouse: Ready to Party | Switch 89%, PS5 6%, PS4 3%, Xbox Series 2%
[Compiled by GfK]
So, what do you make of these results? Did you pick up any new games this week? Are you surprised by Kirby's position? Do you think Nintendo is relying too heavily on established franchises? Let's discuss in the comments below!
