Top 20 Best Selling Video Games Titles

Selling to Kids, April 28, 1999

Nintendo of America Chairman Howard Lincoln said last year the launch of Pokemon on Game Boy would be the "single biggest launch of any handheld title." How right he was. The presence of Pokemon's Blue and Red in the top two spots for March is the result of a wellexecuted branding mission that began early last year. (Blue has beaten Red consistently since the fall launch.)

The Japanese cartoon and toy sensation (8,000 units sold as of last June) made a similar splash in the U.S., where Nintendo and fastfood chicken purveyor KFC last year spent $17,000 to co-promote the toys through TV spots, magazine ads and POS at KFC restaurants. Nintendo spent a further $14,000 marketing the Game Boy titles, while Hasbro promoted its Pokemon action figures and plush toys. Nintendo sold more than 200,000 units in the first two weeks.

Feb.  Mar.  Title                Platform     Publisher       Avg.
                                                              Price
4     1     Pokemon Blue         GB           Nintendo        $28
7     2     Pokemon Red          GB           Nintendo        $28
6     3     Syphon Filter        PSX          989 Studios     $41
1     4     Mario Party          N64          Nintendo        $50
*     5     Silent Hill          PSX          Konami          $45
5     6     Frogger              PSX          Hasbro          $20
3     7     Zelda: Ocarina Time  N64          Nintendo        $60
8     8     Goldeneye 007        N64          Nintendo        $40
*     9     Zelda:Links
            Awakening            GBC          Nintendo        $28
11    10    Crash Bandicoot 2    PSX          Sony            $20
*     11    Army Men 3D          PSX          3DO             $42
13    12    Rugrats              PSX          THQ             $41
*     13    Tomb Raider 2        PSX          Eidos           $20
10    14    Gran Turismo Racing  PSX          Sony            $41
*     15    Need For
            Speed:Stakes         PSX          Electronic Arts $42
2     16    WCW/nWo Thunder      PSX          THQ             $41
15    17    Metal Gear Solid     PSX          Konami          $46
19    18    Spyro The Dragon     PSX          Sony            $40
*     19    Triple Play 2000     PSX          Electronic Arts $42
12    20    Sw Rogue Squadron    N64          LucasArts       $50

*Not In Top 20 In February
Source for chart: NPD, TRSTS, Ed Roth, president, 516/625-2294