Nintendo's Wii U console enjoyed its best month of sales ever in December, selling 29% more units overall in 2014 than in 2013. The Japanese company also set records the month prior in November 2014. This success for the sometimes flagging console has been attributed to an extremely strong line-up for the system in an overall relatively weak year for gaming, the launch of the company's Disney Infinity-style amiibo figurines, and the massive success of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U over the Christmas period.
The much-anticipated fighting game has already sold over 1.3 million units, while the excellent Mario Kart 8 was also a big success story for Nintendo last year, selling 1.7 million units since its release in May 2014. These numbers have helped Nintendo to secure a massive 75% increase in software sales for the console over its 2013 figures, encouraging figures that suggest the Wii U is still holding its own in the console market.
On the non-sales side of things, the Wii U has also enjoyed its strongest critical performance as well since its launch back in 2012; exclusives Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Bayonetta 2 are currently ranked as the best original games of the year for any platform on the aggregate site Metacritic, at first and second position respectively. In addition, the excellent February 2014 release Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, while not a huge commercial success, was seen as a return to form for the stalwart series.
[via IGN]
