Pokémon smashes sales record

Pokémon Black/White is the fastest-selling Pokémon game ever in Japan, shifting a staggering 2.63 million copies in its first two days on sale.

Andriasang reports the DS game smashed the 1.58 million two-day total that Diamond/Pearl managed when it launched in 2006.

Assuming customers only bought one version of the game, this would make it the fastest-selling title ever in Japan. The current record holder, Final Fantasy VIII, racked up 2,504,044 sales in its opening weekend back in 1999.

Pokémon Black/White features some of the biggest changes the famously conservative franchise has undergone in years, including a complete refresh of the Pokémon roster, an updated graphics engine and three-on-three battles.

Sounds like the tweaks have come good. The game won a rare 40/40 score from Famitsu last month.

UK gamers can try it out for themselves when it arrives on the DS in early 2011.