After only a short two weeks since Pokémon's release in North America, Nintendo of America has revealed sales figures for the game, smashing expectations and setting a record as being the fastest selling portable game on our side of the Pacific. Selling more than 200,000 copies of the title so far, Nintendo now expects to sell at least a million units by the end of the year.

   Peter Main, Nintendo's executive vice-president of sales and marketing, explains. "Initially, we anticipated a steady build in popularity right up to the holidays, but that isn't the case-it's hugely popular right off the bat. Fueling the sales frenzy is the fact that the collaborative and care-giving aspects of the game are as popular among girl players as boys."

   While the figure doesn't quite meet the more than 10 million copies sold in Japan over three years, the amount is still quite impressive -- selling three times as many units in the first two weeks than previous best-selling Nintendo-branded titles for Game Boy. Nintendo fully intends to push the game even further as Christmas approaches, continuing the popular TV show available across the continent, as well as broader advertising on television and merchandizing deals with toy companies like Hasbro.

   Look for an RPGamer review of the lengthy game this weekend, and be sure to visit the wildly popular Pokémon Message Board we've set up for discussion and more.