nintendo-3ds-flame-redWhile Nintendo’s Wii U sales continue to struggle, its 3DS handheld console is another story.

The game giant announced today that more than 16 million 3DS games were sold in 2013, a 45 percent spike from the year before. In addition, lifetime sales of the 3DS, 3DS XL and 2DS consoles surpassed 11.5 million in the U.S.

Nintendo released several titles for the 3DS last year, including The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Fire Emblem: Awakening, and Animal Crossing: New Leaf.

The 3DS launched back in February 2011, with the 3DS XL coming out one year later while the 2DS released in 2013.

Nintendo’s 45 percent increase in 3DS game sales is impressive in part because the company is competing with the mobile gaming on smartphones now more than ever. Despite the fact that consumer spending on games in the App Store and Google Play rose to four times than that of handheld consoles last year, it appears Nintendo’s 3DS still remains popular. And in case you were wondering, Nintendo has no plans to bring its titles to iPhone or Android anytime soon.

The company is not enjoying similar success with the Wii U console. In its most recent quarterly earnings report posted last October, Nintendo showed less-than-stellar Wii U sales with just 300,000 units sold from June through September 2013.

Previously on GeekWire: Nintendo battles patent troll and wins … a patent portfolio 

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