Nintendo had a strong September thanks to its beloved plumber mascot.
Super Mario Maker has already sold 500,000 copies in the U.S. since its September 11 debut, according to the publisher. Most of that came in September, when the company sold 445,000 physical and digital copies. That is a big number for Nintendo’s premiere 2015 release, and it shows the strength Mario has even when the publisher is selling to a tiny customer base.
But it wasn’t just about the software. Nintendo also noted that Super Mario Maker had a big effect on the sales of the Wii U system.
Here’s how the press release puts it: “For the full month of September, sales of Wii U hardware in the United States increased by nearly 110 percent over sales in August. Software sells hardware, and no one sells hardware like Mario.”
While that is sign that Mario is something of a system-seller, that August-to-September comparison is all the info Nintendo would give about how its system performed.
But Nintendo did point to some other numbers for its 3DS handheld system. That portable console has sold “nearly 25 percent” better in 2015 than it did through the same period of 2014. That’s largely due to the New 3DS and New 3DS XL, which have somewhat reinvigorated the platform.
Finally, Nintendo also confirmed that it has sold 115,000 copies of Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer for the 3DS in the U.S. since its September 25 launch.