“Mario Kart 8” has been at the top for ten years

Proportionate sales “extravagant” Ten years after its publication, Mario Kart 8 He is far from making the last lap. Since 1992, all Nintendo consoles have been entitled to their own episode of this racing game in which Mario, Peach, Bowser and the other heroes of the brand compete on fictional kart tracks.

It was initially released on May 29, 2014 on the Wii U, a console considered a failure for Nintendo, the original version of Mario Kart 8 Initially it sold only 8 million copies. Disappointing sales to put it in perspective: “60% of Wii U owners have it Mario Kart »paraphrases Oscar Lemire, a journalist specializing in the economics of video games.

However, its 2017 re-release on Nintendo Switch, a console that has been hugely successful (141.3 million units sold as of March 31, 2024), will allow it to switch gears. Supported by regular advertising campaigns, Mario Kart 8 It continues to attract new players.

In March 2024, the game had sold over 60 million copies, making it the best-selling game on the console, by Animal crossing And The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. In Nintendo's entire history, just that Wii Sports (82 million copies), with its legendary tennis and boxing events, does even better – and it must be said that at the time, the game was available for free with its console. For Oscar Lumiere, ” Mario Kart There is no competitor that comes close to him. It has become the Switch's reference game.

Demanding but accessible

In 2019, an encounter with such undeniable success gave Ponce the idea to organize a tournament. Every Sunday afternoon, the Frenchman's 800,000 followers gather Mario Kart 8 An hour and a half. If in the meantime the broadcaster systematically stops participating, “This tournament has brought together thousands of players and continues to bring together several hundred every week.”he thinks.

It has also become a ritual for Cléa, 22, a “mariocartius” since 2019. She has been diligently participating in the Bonus tournament for a year: the chance to compete against players of all levels. Even after all these games, she is happy about it: “The tournament allows me to monitor my progress in the game.” “There is a competitive spirit that I really like. We come together every Sunday with the idea of ​​getting better and better.”Adds Lewison, a former Pons Tournament player.

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