Many ironies in the video game space can’t fully be understood or predicted. One of the greatest ones for Nintendo is the success of the Switch and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The Switch was said to be the “Swan Song” for Nintendo after the failure of the Wii U. Except it wasn’t a swan song. Instead, it was a phoenix that rose from the ashes and helped Nintendo take the top spot in the video game world once again. As for the game, that was one of the first major titles that the Switch got, and it’s been selling like hotcakes ever since.

Yes, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a port of the Wii U version of the title. The only real difference at the start was slightly improved graphics and the bundled DLC that added characters like the Squid Kids and Link, among others. The game sold well enough on Wii U, but Nintendo wanted to give it new life on the Switch, and it was the best decision they could’ve possibly made. As revealed by a certain Nintendo insider, the game has “unofficially” crossed 50 million units sold. To be clear, that number doesn’t include any of the Wii U sales. This is all about the Switch version of the title: