New top 100 ranking of Japanese people’s favorite games dominated by domestic classics like Mario and Pokémon – except for the number one spot

Japanese TV program showcases Japanese people's top 100 games after conducting a 3000-participant survey covering different age groups.

One of Japan’s biggest TV broadcasting networks has disclosed the results of a large-scale survey of Japanese people’s gaming tastes. Through a recently aired TV program, they showcased a top 100 ranking of the most popular games based on the survey findings, as well as a look into what different age groups are playing.

Ariyoshiiieeeee! – Oh yeah! Wanna play games at your place now? is a variety TV show broadcast every Monday on TV Tokyo. The show is hosted by Hiroiki Ariyoshi, a comedian and television presenter who is also an avid gamer, and as its title suggests, it is centered around gaming. Usually, in each of the episodes of the shows, Ariyoshi teams up with co-hosts and other celebrities and they spend time playing and discussing games together.

In a special episode broadcast on July 27, a survey was conducted, interviewing 3,000 people about their favorite games. The sample covered five different age groups of men and women from their 10s to their 50s, with roughly 600 people representing each age group. Each of the participants were asked to name five of their favorite games, and the games were given a score according to how the participants ranked them. The scores were then tallied and ranked accordingly, with the top 100 best games being showcased in the TV show. 

While most of the list is undeniably dominated by domestic titles, interestingly, the game that won the number one spot was actually not Japanese. The best game according to 3,000 Japanese gamers is Mohjang’s 2011 hit sandbox game, Minecraft. Usurpingly, a majority of votes for Minecraft seem to have come from younger gamers, as the title also topped the top 100 ranking for participants in their teens. The TV show praises Minecraft for being a game that’s able to stimulate imagination and creative inspiration. A survey participant whose comment was highlighted in the show said Minecraft is one of the best games to play when you want to “escape from reality.”

One of the hosts suggests Minecraft ranked so high among young people because it is “not just a game, but a platform.” The other top games among teenage gamers were Fortnite (ranked 2nd), Splatoon 3 (ranked 3rd), Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ranked 4th) and Splatoon 2 (ranked 5th). The announcer commented, “This goes for games like Minecraft, Animal Crossing and even Fortnite, but nowadays it’s become very normal for young people to experience games not just for the gameplay, but as a means of communication. Each of these games are also platforms that have communities built around them. […] I believe this denotes the recent trends among gamers.”

Among gamers in their 20s, the best ranked game was Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, which ranked 14thin the overall list. For people in their 30s, it was Pokémon Red and Green, followed by Final Fantasy X. The top two games for both gamers in their 40s and 50s were the original Super Mario Bros. and Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation, whose record sales and insane popularity marked the childhoods of gamers in those two age groups. 

The full ranking is as follows:

1~3:

  1. Minecraft
  2. Super Mario Bros.
  3. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

4~10:

  1. Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation
  2. Fortnite
  3. Splatoon 3
  4. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
  5. Splatoon 2
  6. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  7. Dragon Quest

11~20:

  1. Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
  2. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
  3. Tetris
  4. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
  5. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
  6. Final Fantasy VII
  7. Final Fantasy X
  8. Apex Legends
  9. Chrono Trigger
  10. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

21~100:

  1. Pokémon Red and Green
  2. Splatoon
  3. Animal Crossing: New Leaf
  4. Monster Hunter Freedom 2
  5. Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits /Fleshy Souls/Psychic Specters
  6. Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
  7. Animal Crossing: Wild World
  8. Pokémon Black and White
  9. Pokémon Sword and Shield
  10. Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen
  1. Super Mario Kart
  2. Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
  3. Pokémon Gold and Silver
  4. The Legend of Zelda
  5. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
  6. Dragon Quest X: Rise of the Five Tribes Online
  7. Super Mario Bros. 3
  8. MOTHER2 (Earthbound)
  9. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
  10. Final Fantasy VI
  1. Street Fighter II
  2. Pokémon X and Y
  3. Super Smash Bros.
  4. Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past
  5. Kingdom Hearts II
  6. UNDERTALE
  7. Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line
  8. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
  9. Final Fantasy V
  10. Mario Kart Wii
  1. Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation / Realms of Reverie
  2. Final Fantasy XIV
  3. Super Mario World
  4. Final Fantasy IV
  5. Final Fantasy VIII
  6. Tomodachi Collection
  7. Super Smash Bros. Melee
  8. Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
  9. Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
  10. Street Fighter 6
  1. Valorant
  2. Grand Theft Auto V
  3. Mario Cart DS
  4. Persona 5
  5. Animal Crossing
  6. Kirby Air Ride
  7. Monster Hunter: World
  8. PuyoPuyo
  9. Rhythm Heaven (Rhythm Tengoku Gold)
  10. Kingdom Hearts
  1. ELDEN RING
  2. Final Fantasy IX
  3. Tomodachi Life
  4. DARK SOULS
  5. Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
  6. Resident Evil
  7. Monster Hunter Portable 3rd
  8. Derby Stallion: Best Race
  9. Yo-Kai Watch Blasters Red Cat Corps/White Dog Squad
  10. Monster Hunter Wilds
  1. New Super Mario Bros.
  2. Pokémon Platinum
  3. Human Fall Flat
  4. Super Mario Maker 2
  5. Pokémon Emerald
  6. Mario Kart 7
  7. Ice Climber
  8. Super Mario Odyssey
  9. Momotaro Dentetsu: Showa, Heisei, Reiwa Mo Teiban!
  10. Pikmin 4
  1. New Super Mario Bros. Wii
  2. Banshee’s Last Cry
  3. Xevious
  4. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
  5. Dr. Mario
  6. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
  7. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
  8. Kirby and the Forgotten Land
  9. METAL GEAR SOLID
  10. Suikoden II

Top 10 games among Japanese gamers in their 10s:

  1. Minecraft
  2. Fortnite
  3. Splatoon 3
  4. Anima Crossing: New Horizons
  5. Splatoon 2
  6. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
  7. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
  8. Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits/Fleshy Souls/Psychic Specters
  9. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
  10. Splatoon

Top 10 games among Japanese gamers in their 20s:

  1. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
  2. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
  3. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
  4. Apex Legends
  5. Splatoon 2
  6. Pokémon Black and White
  7. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
  8. Minecraft
  9. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  10. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Top 10 games among Japanese gamers in their 30s:

  1. Pokémon Red and Green
  2. Final Fantasy X
  3. Pokémon Gold and Silver
  4. Monster Hunter Freedom 2
  5. Final Fantasy VII
  6. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  7. Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
  8. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
  9. Super Smash Bros.
  10. Chrono Trigger

Top 10 games among Japanese gamers in their 40s:

  1. Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation
  2. Super Mario Bros.
  3. Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
  4. Final Fantasy VII
  5. Tetris
  6. Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen
  7. Final Fantasy X
  8. Chrono Trigger
  9. Super Mario Bros. 3
  10. Dragon Quest

Top 10 games among Japanese gamers in their 50s:

  1. Super Mario Bros.
  2. Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation
  3. Dragon Quest
  4. Tetris
  5. The Legend of Zelda
  6. Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line
  7. Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
  8. Xevious
  9. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
  10. Derby Stallion: Best Race

All screenshots courtesy of TVer.

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Đorđe P
Đorđe P

Automaton West Editor

Articles: 96

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