The race from launch day
Cumulative units by months since each console's own launch. Sources can measure shipments, customer sales or estimates; figures between reports are modelled.
Side by side
| Game Boy Advance | 3DS | |
|---|---|---|
| Cumulative units (estimated) | 81,510,000 | 75,940,000 |
| After 9 years on sale | ≈ 81.5M | ≈ 75.7M |
| Released | March 21, 2001 | February 26, 2011 |
| Time on the market | 9 years | 9y 7m |
| Average per day | ≈ 25K | ≈ 22K |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Which sold more, the Game Boy Advance or the Nintendo 3DS?
As of October 30, 2026, the Game Boy Advance leads our tracked comparison: about 81.5 million units against 75.9 million for the Nintendo 3DS, a gap of 5.6 million. Figures may mix reported shipments, customer sales and estimates.
How many Game Boy Advance and Nintendo 3DS consoles have been sold?
Game Boy Advance: 81.51 million units as of March 31, 2010 (Nintendo historical data, sales by fiscal year; measurement not specified). Nintendo 3DS: 75.94 million units as of September 30, 2020 (Nintendo IR Dedicated Video Game Sales Units page, as of September 30, 2020, Wayback Machine copy; measurement not specified).
Figures can measure shipments, customer sales or estimates; these are not directly interchangeable. Between reports our model projects an estimate, not observed transactions. The changing digits show the model's output, not its accuracy. Its inputs and assumptions are corrected when new figures are available. Sources and method