UK Chart Analysis: Nintendo Switch 2 Double-Whammy as Donkey Kong Bananza Blasts to No.1

Welcome back to another week of INSiGHT into the UK weekly charts, with data provided by Nielsen/GfK. For the week ending 19th July, Nintendo has topped the UK chart with its new release, Donkey Kong Bananza, pushing Mario Kart World down to No.2 for just its second week on that position during its seven-week run. There was also a boost for this year’s Donkey Kong Country Returns HD on Switch, with the Forever Entertainment-developed remaster climbing six to No.14 on the Switch-specific Top 20.

With regard to how Bananza has performed compared to other Donkey Kong games over the years in the UK, NielsenIQ/GfK Entertainment has kindly shared that:

“Donkey Kong Bananza is the largest Donkey Kong launch week on record, in terms of revenue – outselling even DKC Returns on Wii from way back in Dec 2010. It also sold 5.4 times more units than Donkey Kong Country Returns HD on Switch did in its first week.”

Elsewhere in the main Top 40, the increase in Switch 2 activity has helped numerous other games climb higher, both on the original and new Switch. Hogwarts Legacy, up one place to No.3 on the Top 40 Entertainment Software list, takes a 31% and 12% share on Switch and Switch 2, respectively, whilst Switch is the leading platform for EA Sports FC 25, ahead of September’s upcoming EA Sports FC 26 version, which has just been confirmed for both Nintendo platforms.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 in its second week falls to No.6, just below new entry, Robocop: Rogue City: Unfinished Business on PS5 and Xbox Series. Minecraft continues its assault on the Top 40, now up two to No.7, even becoming the No.1 selling Switch game of the past seven days, ahead of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at No.8 (No.2 on the Switch chart). Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (up four to No.9) and Assassin’s Creed Shadows (down five to No.10) round off the Top 10.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom gets a timely boost, leaping back up ten spots to No.13, with a 64% share coming from the Switch 2 Edition version, Street Fighter 6: Years 1-2 Fighters Edition re-enters the Top 40 at No.31 thanks to a 98% Switch 2 share of total sales (remaining at No.4 on the Switch 2 chart, a spot ahead of Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster at No.5, which didn’t make the All Format Top 40).

Other games of note: Death Stranding 2 continues its decline from the first game, dropping a further eight places to No.18, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 at No.26 (down seven) continues to do well for its genre (since RPGs normally don’t survive long in the UK charts), Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition slips from No.17 to No.35, with PS5 taking the lion’s share (57%), but Switch 2 holding well (31% – No.9 on the Switch 2 chart), and Just Dance 2025 Edition back in at No.39, with PS5 seeing its share surprisingly increasing to 13% compared to Switch’s 87%.

On the Switch 2 chart, Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is the lowest seller of the week, rounding out the Top 16 available at retail, with Civilization VII a spot above it, Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut at No.14, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma falling three to No.13, Hitman: World of Assassination holding at No.12 and Sonic X Shadow Generations holding fast at No.11.

You can see the full Top 40 below: