A 2025-08 survey shows the most played games among elementary school students in Japan:
- Minecraft 28.4%
- Splatoon 16.9%
- Animal Crossing 12%
- Mario Kart 9.3%
- Pokémon 8%
- Fortnite 6.8%
- Smash Bros 5.6%
- Other games each <2%
The list is highly concentrated, suggesting a social element to the behaviors.
Compared to 2024:
- Mario Kart surged, possibly due to MKW
- Splatoon, AC, Pokémon, and Smash increased; might due to NS2 news raising interest in older games
- Mario series disappeared; playtime might be absorbed by MKW
- Kirby series wasn’t played much in either year
[Originally posted on 2025-09-19 Pacific Time]
