UPDATED: We already know that Mario games sell well on Nintendo consoles, that doesn't really mean much if you're developing say ... Zombi U or Ninja Gaiden or Bayonetta.
This list is intended to remove that and look at things from the POV of a publisher who doesn't have the luxury of putting Mario or Mickey or Lego, etc. into their games, by looking at the historical record of what games without an overwhelming family-friendly aestheic have sold on Nintendo platforms in the past.
The Criteria: The games have to have been exclusive or have premiered on a Nintendo home console from 1995 onwards. No Mario/Zelda games are included, nor are any games using family-oriented/cartoony mascots (sorry Sonic, Kirby, DK, etc.), no kids-centric brands (no Pokemon, Disney/Mickey, Lego, etc.), and no fitness/dance/mini-game fests (nuh uh to Just Dance, Wii Sports, Carnival Games, etc.). We are looking at games that have a darker/edgier or more realistic aesthetic like a ZombiU or even Metroid. This is NOT a slight to Mario or Pokemon or Mickey or Lego, just focusing on a different style of games/demographic appeal
I tried to use official numbers from the companies where possible but most numbers are from VGChartz.
GoldenEye (N64): 8.09 million worldwide
Killer Instinct (SNES): 3.2 million worldwide
Star Wars Episode I Racer (N64): 3.12 million worldwide
Wave Race 64 (N64): 2.94 million worldwide
Metroid Prime (GameCube): 2.82 million worldwide
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (N64): 2.65 million worldwide
Perfect Dark (N64): 2.52 million worldwide
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (N64): 2.17 million worldwide
Resident Evil 4 (Wii): 2.11 million worldwide
1080 Snowboarding (N64): 2.03 million worldwide
Monster Hunter Tri (Wii): 1.9 million worldwide
Star Wars Rogue Squadron II (GameCube): 1.9 million
Turok 2 (N64): 1.89 million worldwide
GoldenEye (Wii): 1.7 million worldwide
Resident Evil 4 (GameCube): 1.69 million worldwide
Metroid Prime 3 (Wii): 1.63 million
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles (Wii): 1.49 million worldwide
Resident Evil REmake (GameCube): 1.4 million worldwide
Metroid Prime 2 (GameCube): 1.33 million worldwide
Resident Evil 0 (GameCube): 1.29 million worldwide
NBA Courtside (N64): 1.19 million worldwide
Mission: Impossible (N64): 1.17 million worldwide
Metroid: Other M (Wii): 1.15 million worldwide
South Park 64 (N64): 1.14 million worldwide
F-Zero X (N64): 1.1 million worldwide
NFL Quarterback Club '98 (N64): 1.08 million worldwide
Excitebike 64 (N64): 1 million worldwide
Red Steel (Wii): 1 million worldwide (approx)
Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles (Wii): 970k worldwide
Tales Of Symphonia (GameCube): 953k worldwide
Killer Instinct Gold (N64): 820k ww
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III (GameCube): 800k worldwide
House of the Dead Overkill (Wii): 800k worldwide
Conker's Bad Fur Day (N64): 770k worldwide
Xenoblade (Wii): 740k worldwide
MadWorld (Wii): 700k worldwide
F-Zero GX (GameCube): 650k worldwide
Wave Race: Blue Storm (GameCube) 600k worldwide
Red Steel 2 (Wii): 540k worldwide
The Conduit (Wii): 530k worldwide
No More Heroes (Wii): 520k
Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom (Wii): 490k
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (Wii): 470k worldwide
DOOM 64 (N64): 470k worldwide
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (GameCube): 470k worldwide
Eternal Darkness (GameCube): 440k worldwide
The Last Story (Wii): 410k worldwide
Ridge Racer 64 (N64): 400k worldwide
Sin & Punishment: Star Successor (Wii): 370k worldwide
No More Heroes 2 (Wii): 350k worldwide
1080 Avalanche (GameCube): 310k worldwide
You can see the N64 did quite well with "hardcore" players despite competetion from the Playstation and Saturn/Dreamcast. Even sports games, racers, and so-so third party content like Mission: Impossible could sell quite well. Once Microsoft entered the game business in 2001, Nintendo took a hit with the GameCube and Wii being steps backwards in high selling "hardcore" content. Wii has the same size userbase as the SNES/N64/GCN combined but really was not able to bring Nintendo more success in this area.
