When it comes to video games, Nintendo is one of the biggest names in the industry. With iconic franchises like Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Pok??mon, the company has produced some of the most beloved and successful games of all time. However, not every Nintendo game has been a hit. In fact, some have been downright flops. In this article, we'll take a look at the lowest selling Nintendo game of all time and explore why it failed to find an audience.
The Contenders
Before we get to the winner (or loser) of this dubious honor, let's take a quick look at some of the other contenders for the title of lowest selling Nintendo game. These games didn't quite make the cut, but they still sold poorly enough to be worth mentioning:
1. Urban Champion
Released in 1984 for the NES, Urban Champion was one of Nintendo's earliest fighting games. Unfortunately, it wasn't a very good one. The gameplay was slow and repetitive, and the graphics were primitive even by NES standards. It sold poorly and is generally considered one of the worst games in Nintendo's history.
2. StarTropics II: Zoda's Revenge
The original StarTropics was a charming and well-received NES adventure game that sold reasonably well. Its sequel, however, did not fare as well. Released in 1994 towards the end of the NES's lifespan, StarTropics II: Zoda's Revenge failed to attract much interest from gamers. It's a shame, as the game is actually quite good, but it just didn't have enough of a following to make a dent in the market.
3. Disaster: Day of Crisis
Released in 2008 for the Wii, Disaster: Day of Crisis was an action-adventure game that attempted to combine elements of survival horror, driving games, and first-person shooters. It was an ambitious project, but unfortunately, it didn't quite come together. The game was criticized for its clunky controls and awkward mechanics, and it sold poorly as a result. It's now considered a rare and obscure title in Nintendo's library.
The Winner (or Loser)
1. Virtual Boy Wario Land
And now we come to the Nintendo game with the lowest sales figures of all time. The Virtual Boy Wario Land was released in 1995 for Nintendo's ill-fated Virtual Boy console. The console itself was a commercial failure, with only 770,000 units sold worldwide. The game didn't fare much better, with only 40,000 copies sold in the US and an unknown number in Japan. That puts its total sales figures at well under 50,000, making it the lowest selling Nintendo game in history.
Why Did It Fail?
So why did Virtual Boy Wario Land fail to find an audience? There were several factors that contributed to its poor sales figures:
- The Virtual Boy: As mentioned earlier, the Virtual Boy was a commercial failure. The console was expensive, uncomfortable to use, and had a limited library of games. This made it an unattractive proposition for most gamers.
- The Game Itself: Virtual Boy Wario Land was a decent platformer, but it wasn't anything special. It didn't have the depth or charm of other Wario games, and it didn't take advantage of the Virtual Boy's unique 3D capabilities in any meaningful way.
- The Marketing: Nintendo didn't do a great job of promoting the Virtual Boy or its games. The console was never released outside of Japan and North America, and most gamers weren't even aware of its existence.
Conclusion
And there you have it: Virtual Boy Wario Land, the lowest selling Nintendo game of all time. While it's never fun to see a game fail, it's interesting to examine why certain games don't find an audience. In this case, a combination of factors led to Virtual Boy Wario Land's poor sales figures. However, it's worth noting that even the worst Nintendo game has something to offer. If you're a hardcore fan of Nintendo or Wario, it might be worth checking out this obscure title.
