The race from launch day
Cumulative units by months since each console's own launch. Figures between reports are modelled; where reports are years apart, the line is a rough approximation, not observed annual sales.
Side by side
| Game Boy | SNES | |
|---|---|---|
| Cumulative units (estimated) | ≈ 118,690,000 | 49,100,000 |
| After 13y 4m on sale | ≈ 119M | – |
| Released | April 21, 1989 | November 21, 1990 |
| Time on the market | 13y 11m | 13y 4m |
| Average per day | ≈ 23K | ≈ 10K |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Which sold more, the Game Boy / Game Boy Color or the Super Nintendo Entertainment System?
As of October 31, 2026, the Game Boy / Game Boy Color leads our tracked comparison: about 118.7 million units against 49.1 million for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, a gap of 69.6 million. Figures may mix reported shipments, customer sales and estimates.
How many Game Boy / Game Boy Color and Super Nintendo Entertainment System consoles have been sold?
Game Boy / Game Boy Color: calculated from reported figures: 118.7 million units as of March 31, 2003 (Nintendo historical data, sales by fiscal year; measurement not specified). Super Nintendo Entertainment System: 49.1 million units as of March 31, 2004 (Nintendo annual results, fiscal year to March 2004; 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