TV Asashi recently polled 50,000 gamers inJapanto figure out the most popular video games ever released in the region. The results of this poll were broadcast in a special presentation, which included celebrity appearances and more as the games were ranked from number 100 to number 1.
The full list of 100 video games consists of many titles that one might expect, including multiple entries in thePersonaandPokemonseries, not to mention a number ofSuper Mariovideo games as well. There are some games that are notably absent that one might be surprised to discover didn’t make the cut, likeSuper Mario 64,The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and others. Even so, this is a pretty wide-ranging list with a number of high profile franchises well-represented.

RELATED:Breath of the Wild 2 Reportedly Launching Next Fall
The vast majority of the games on the list are readily available in regions outside of Japan, with only a handful of exceptions, so anyone wanting to check some of these out should be able to do so without too much trouble.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Mother (EarthBound Beginnings)
Pokemon X and Y
Ghost of Tsushima
Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Pokemon Black 2 and White 2
Dead by Daylight
Yo-kai Watch 2
Tales of the Abyss
Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire
Pokemon Gold and Silver
Mother 2 (EarthBound)
Pokemon Black and White
Pokemon Red and Green
Pokemon Sword and Shield
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl
2. Dragon Quest 5
1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild
The top 10 is interesting, with a nice range of different game franchises available, thoughFinal FantasyandDragon Questare both represented twice. The newness of the top five may be especially surprising to some, asSplatoon 2,Animal Crossing: New Horizons, andThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildare all relatively new games. They’re also allNintendo Switch exclusive games, so it’s no surprise that Nintendo’s home console/handheld hybrid has turned out to be a massive hit in Japan. In fact, the top 10 includes another Nintendo Switch exclusive game a little higher up in the number 7 spot withSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.
It would be interesting to see a similar poll take place in other countries to see how gaming tastes differ from one area to the next, but for now fans can take a look at Japan’s top 100 favorite video games.
MORE:Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 Could Make Better Use of the Branching Zelda Timeline