Nintendo‘s NES Classic Mini console, a replica of the original 8-bit console that launched in 1985 and comes pre-loaded with a selection of classics from the era, has managed to clinch third place in the list of best-selling consoles in the month of January, according to industry tracker NPD (via VentureBeat). What’s the significance of that, you may ask? Well, besides the fact that Nintendo hardware is once again peaking near the top of sales charts, it also means that the NES Classic managed to push more units than Nintendo’s current flagship (although not for much longer) console, the Wii U.
PlayStation 4 and Xbox One took first and second place respectively, in case you were wondering if the ailing successor to the Wii somehow took either of those spots. While it’s certainly no revelation in any sense of the word that the Wii U has ultimately become one of the least successful consoles in the history of the industry, the fact that it was beaten in total sales by a console modelled after one more than 30 years its senior must be a tough pill to swallow.
Of course, there’s more than one silver lining that makes this all sting a little less for Nintendo. The NES Classic has proven to be hugely successful, with its $60 price tag seeing it sell out across retailers quicker than stock could be replenished and, of course, March 3 sees the launch of the Nintendo Switch.
My crystal ball is on the fritz right now, so I can’t guarantee that the hybrid device will prove to be more successful for Nintendo than the Wii U was, but that’s pretty much a given, really, isn’t it?