The Legend of Zelda

The Legend of Zelda is a high fantasy action-adventure video game series created by game designer Shigeru Miyamoto and developed and published by Nintendo. The Legend of Zelda series has sold 105.62 million units worldwide, since the release of the first game, The Legend of Zelda, making it one of the best selling franchises.

Sales Edit

Sales data from Nintendo unless otherwise noted

Main entries Edit

Spin-offsEdit

GamesEdit

The Legend of ZeldaEdit

Appearing in 1986 (JPN) and 1987 (USA), the Legend of Zelda was a bestseller for Nintendo, selling over 6.5 million copies. About 1,690,000 were sold in Japan.

Zelda II: The Adventure of LinkEdit

Despite being the dark horse of the franchise, The Adventure of Link sold very well on the NES since its debut in 1987 (JPN) and 1988 (USA). Over 4.38 million copies of Zelda II have been sold worldwide. About 1,610,000 were sold in Japan.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the PastEdit

A Link to the Past is one of the best-selling SNES games, with 4.61 million units sold worldwide. It was re-released as a Player's Choice title in North America, indicating that it has sold a minimum of one million copies there. About 1,160,000 were sold in Japan.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's AwakeningEdit

The original release of Link's Awakening for the Game Boy has sold approximately 3.83 million units worldwide, including 2.24 million in the Americas.[42] In addition, Link's Awakening DX has sold 2.22 million worldwide, making the total over 6 million for both games. About 540,000 were sold in Japan.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TimeEdit

Ocarina of Time sold 2 million copies during the first 39 days it was available in 1998, and became the best-selling game of that year. During its lifetime, it sold 7.6 million copies worldwide, excluding ports and re-releases, making it the highest selling game on a single platform. About 300,000 were sold in its first week of sales in Japan.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's MaskEdit

Majora's Mask sold approximately 314,000 copies in its first week of sales in Japan and has sold 3.36 million copies worldwide. About 601,539 were sold in Japan. Majora's Mask is the direct sequel to the best selling title, Ocarina of Time in the Zelda franchise. Factors, including its significant difference in comparison to the rest of the series, it's release near the end of the N64's lifetime and because it's requirement of the Expansion Pak, caused sales to be lower than other Zelda titles.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past / Four SwordsEdit

The game received positive reviews[47] and sold over 1.81 million units, including 293,989 in Japan.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind WakerEdit

As of July 2006, it's the fifth best-selling GameCube title in Japan, with 742,000 units. [32]

The Legend of Zelda: Oracles of Seasons and AgesEdit

Oracle of Seasons and Ages were critical and commercial successes, selling nearly 4 million copies combined. About 375,000 were sold in Japan.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords AdventuresEdit

Four Swords Adventures was the third best-selling game of June 2004 in North America with 155,000 units, and has since sold 250,000 copies, becoming a part of the Player's Choice line.[20] The game also sold 127,399 units in Japan.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish CapEdit

Minish Cap opened with 96,981 in Japan and sold 235,400 in its lifetime. Worldwide, it moved more than a million copies.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight PrincessEdit

The Wii version of Twilight Princess sold over one million copies in the Americas, 14,068 during its first two days in Japan, and 240,000 during its first weekend in Europe. During its first week, the game was sold with three of every four Wii purchases and passing one million Wii units sold in North America within three months. In its first month of availability, the GameCube version sold 32,900 units, and briefly outsold the Wii version. After three months of availability, the GameCube version sold over one million units worldwide, and after four months of availability, the GameCube version sold over one million units in North America. The game has sold 5.23 million copies on the Wii as of March 1, 2008, and 1.59 million on the GameCube as of March 31, 2007.

In spite of the game's success in North America and Europe, Miyamoto has publicly expressed disappointment with Twilight Princess' modest sales in Japan and commented: “Well, I think a lot of people who bought the Wii are not necessarily the types of people who are interested in playing that kind of game. And a lot of the people who would want to play it [due to chronic shortages of the console] can't find a Wii! But mostly, I think it's that there are fewer and fewer people who are interested in playing a big role-playing game like Zelda."

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom HourglassEdit

Phantom Hourglass shipped 400,000 copies to Japanese retailers, and over 350,000 of those sold in the first week. These sales on par with The Wind Waker's release (around 350,000) in Japan, and just behind Ocarina of Time (500,000) and Majora's Mask (400,000) as the third best opening week for a Zelda title. In its United States release, the game was the fifth best-selling of October 2007, with 262,800 copies sold. As of December 31, 2007, Phantom Hourglass has sold 4.13 million copies worldwide, with 910,000 of those copies being sold in Japan. As of now it is the best selling handheld Zelda title.

Link's Crossbow TrainingEdit

As of yet Link's Crossbow Training for Wii has sold a total 2.75 million copies. Between April 4th and September 8th of 2008, Nintendo sold 1.05 million copies (250,000 in Japan and 800,000 overseas).

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildEdit

Breath of the Wild sold 130,000 units (96,000 on the Nintendo Switch and 34,000 on the Wii U) opening day in France.^[12] In Japan the game sold 190,060 in the first 72 hours.^[13]

External linksEdit

• RPGGamer - Zelda sales
• Cubed3 - Japan Zelda sales

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18} Nintendo software and hardware sales data from 1983 to present
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} http://garaph.info/softwaregroup.php?grid=43
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} McAloon, Alissa. Nintendo sold 2.3 million NES Classic Editions.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} CESA Games White Papers. Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association.
5. ↑ https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2018/180426e.pdf
6. ↑ Nine Months Financial Results Briefing for Fiscal Year Ending March 2018. Nintendo (December 31, 2017).
7. ↑ http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/sales/software/wiiu.html
8. ↑ https://www.nintendo.co.jp/titles/20010000019307
9. ↑ Wii: 7.26
   GC: 1.43
10. ↑ https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/index.html
11. ↑ Whitehead, Thomas (January 27, 2015). Koei Tecmo Releases Awesome Hyrule Warriors Wallpapers to Celebrate One Million Units Shipped. Archived from the original on January 27, 2015. Retrieved on January 27, 2015.
12. ↑ http://www.lefigaro.fr/secteur/high-tech/2017/03/07/32001-20170307ARTFIG00195-la-nintendo-switch-bat-tous-les-records-de-ventes-en-france.php
13. ↑ https://www.famitsu.com/news/201703/07128430.html