| With some of today's video games selling like | | | | world. Who knew that eating and sleeping could |
| hotcakes, it would be reasonable to assume that | | | | be so much fun? |
| their franchises are among the best-selling video | | | | 2. Pokemon (164 million units sold). |
| game franchises of all time. Well, you might be | | | | While successful cartoon characters often |
| surprised! Here are the series of video games | | | | become featured in video games, sometimes the |
| that top the list: | | | | opposite happens. The Pokemon franchise was |
| 5. Grand Theft Auto (65 million units sold). | | | | born in 1996, when Nintendo simultaneously |
| Interestingly, this series of video games didn't | | | | released two Pokemon Game Boy titles. Since |
| experience major sales success until Grant Theft | | | | then, the characters have been featured in |
| Auto III (2001). Since then, the franchise's | | | | trading cards, a cartoon series, various |
| creators have continued to churn out new | | | | feature-length films, and of course-several video |
| installments that feature new and exciting designs. | | | | games. |
| And yes, it's fair to say that criticism linked to the | | | | 1. Mario (195 million units sold). |
| new installments' advertising have also helped to | | | | After making his debut in "Donkey Kong", Mario |
| boost the franchise's sales. But regardless of | | | | began his successful video game career, with the |
| whether you're an opponent or proponent of the | | | | 1983 game "Mario Bros". Amazingly, each video |
| series, the franchise has clearly become one of | | | | game console that Nintendo has released, has |
| the most successful ones in video game history. | | | | included a Mario game. While some games in the |
| 4. Final Fantasy (75 million units sold). | | | | series weren't blockbusters, others have become |
| The creation of the series is just as fascinating as | | | | legendary in the world of video games. The array |
| its success. In 1987, the Japanese game | | | | of games in which Mario appears includes: |
| development studio Square was on its last leg. It | | | | - Donkey Kong Jr. |
| decided to throw everything but the kitchen sink | | | | - Super Mario Bros. |
| into a new role-playing game: Final Fantasy. What | | | | - Super Mario Bros. 2 |
| makes the franchise so fascinating is that the | | | | - Super Mario Bros. 3 |
| games' stories are mostly disjunctive, yet | | | | - Dr. Mario |
| consistently include new and exciting gaming | | | | - Super Mario World |
| experiences for their players. Over two decades | | | | - Super Mario Kart |
| after the first Final Fantasy game hit the stores, | | | | - Paper Mario Have you ever wondered where |
| the franchise continues its amazing run. | | | | the franchise's name originated from? It was |
| 3. The Sims (90 million units sold). | | | | named after the landlord of Nintendo of America's |
| The fascinating aspect of the franchise is that it's | | | | office: Mario Segale. |
| based on our (traditionally humdrum) day-to-day | | | | While producing a one-hit wonder is impressive in |
| routine. While the concept attracted a ton of | | | | today's highly competitive video gaming market, |
| critics, the game's success has proved them | | | | creating a successful franchise is an even greater |
| wrong. In fact, the first installment of The Sims | | | | feat. While these franchises are currently the top |
| (2000) has won several awards, and has become | | | | dogs, will they ever be dethroned? |
| the #1 best-selling PC game in the history of the | | | | |