So I just recently heard reports that during the week Super Mario 3D Land launched it pushed 3DS hardware sales to double what they were prior. Software sales of 3D Land are ground breaking and the title is quickly becoming one of the heaviest hitters in Japan. But this makes me wonder what potential 3D Land has for North America or even Europe.

We all know that Mario is massive in Japan, but over all the Mario brand can even double its Japanese sales in North America. Then we have to throw in that Super Mario 3D Land is launching right at the beginning of the Christmas shopping season which unlike in Japan is so massive in North America success or failure during Christmas can make or break a title.

What do you think, can Mario 3D Land double 3DS hardware figures in NA upon launch? In fact could it triple or even quadruple those figures? Then when you add in Mario Kart 7 what is the potential impact that Mario could have on 3DS this winter? initially I expected Nintendo to double sales, but I never thought it would do so in Japan where Christmas plays a smaller role. After seeing its impact on Japan I can't help but wonder how far Mario could push 3DS in NA or even Europe?

What do you think?

What ever this does, 2D would've done better.

We will never know cause the release dates in the west are the same time the Holiday effect is happing.

Sales boosts for big games aren't that rare. What matters are major boosts that last beyond the first week.

Remember that the 360 would get loads of sales boosts in Japan when some anticipated games came out, but it was just for a week.

Double sales from what exactly?  I assume week over week, but then you keep talking about Christmas.  You also talk about double it's Japanese sales in North America.  Japan tends to be much more volatile than the US.  Releasing a new color (Ice White also came out the same week as 3Dland) can cause a huge spike.  The release of the flare red 3DS more than doubled hardware sales, the Pink 3DS increased sales by about 50%.

The release of NSMB Wii on the same week in 2009 only caused a 42% increase in hardware sales (the DS rose 42% the same week with no notable releases).  Of course the Wii was much more established at the time.

Anyways, give some actual numbers, because you seem to be speaking very generally about several different figures.

So what? Mario Kart DS outsold Bowser's Inside Story, but that doesn't mean that Nintendo should just make kart racers. The Galaxy team consistently makes multi-million sellers that bring Nintendo critical acclaim. Why mess with sucess? Besides, I'm sure the only reason we don't have info about a 2D Mario for the 3DS yet is because the NSMB team seems to be working on a Wii U game first.

Point out to me where I said that Nintendo should stop making 3D Mario.

Look its right there!

SM3L should help give the Americas a good boost. I expect the 3DS to remain on top for sales for awhile considering MK7 is also coming out soon. I wouldn't be surprised to see it on top the entire holiday season.

Well New Super Mario Bros DS sold 480,000 copies launch day in Japan, but the DS had been out for almost 2 years with millions upon millions more hardware units in gamers hands then 3DS does right now. During launch week Super Mario 3D Land managed to sell 342,000 units. Around one third of the sales for NSMB:DS week one, but considering the console had over a year head start on 3DS's Super Mario 3D Land I would say honestly I don't doubt a solely 2D Mario game wouldn't sell more in the long term. But immediate sales of 3D Land are amazing considering the hardware availability!