New 3DS, ‘Zelda: Majora’s Mask’ Boost Nintendo To Top Of February NPD Charts

Nintendo debuted new hardware in February in the form of the New 3DS XL plus The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D along with Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. This trio led to a much needed boost for the company, but Sony’s PlayStation 4 appears to still dominate the home console market.

All versions of the Nintendo 3DS combined to sell 395,000 in the United States for the month of February, 2015, to take the top console hardware spot. Meanwhile, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask topped the software sales chart with Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate providing the end-cap to the top ten (via VentureBeat).

1. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D (3DS) (515,000 copies sold digitally and physically)
2. Evolve (Xbox One, PS4, PC)
3. Dying Light (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
4. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (Xbox One, PS4, 360, PS3, PC)
5. Grand Theft Auto V (PS4, Xbox One, 360, PS3)
6. NBA 2K15 (PS4, Xbox One, PS3, 360)
7. Dragon Ball: Xenoverse (PS4, Xbox One, PS3, 360)
8. Minecraft (360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4)
9. The Order: 1886 (PS4)
10. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (3DS) (290,000 copies sold digitally and physically)

Overall, sales were up 8 percent over February 2014 as consumers spent $955.6 million on retail games and hardware. Much of that growth was attributed to Nintendo. Rapidly declining sales of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 continue to drag down the home console market.

“Home console hardware declined 5 percent as gains in eighth-generation console sales could not offset the 41 percent loss in dollar sales of seventh generation hardware,” NPD analyst Liam Callahan said.

The PlayStation 4 continues to sell, though, as it was the number one console sold in February and continues to be the top-selling console worldwide. Sony recently announced the PS4 crossed the 20 million mark in worldwide sales.

Microsoft’s $50 price cut of the Xbox One once again appears to have spurred sales and must not be far behind the PlayStation 4 in U.S. sales. Microsoft’s press release states that its console sold 84 percent more than in January. If that is so, then the Xbox One sold approximately 276,000 units.

Sales of the Wii U grew 20 percent year over year, but that’s not significant when you consider the console sold only around 79,000 in February 2014. Amiibo sales are much more impressive, however. Life-to-date sales of the figures have surpassed 3.5 million with an attach rate of nearly 2.5 amiibo figures per game sold. Demand for amiibo figures has stretched Nintendo’s ability to provide them.

[Images via Nintendo]