In the Pokémon video game series, when were Pocket Monsters Red and Green released in Japan?
Answer
February 27, 1996
Pocket Monsters Red and Green were released in Japan on February 27, 1996.
The games were developed for Nintendo's Game Boy by Game Freak and published by Nintendo. They introduced the central Pokémon formula: exploring a region, catching creatures, training them, battling, and trading with other players.
The release date is sometimes confused with the international launches of Pokémon Red and Blue. Japan received Red and Green first, while the English-language Red and Blue versions arrived in North America in 1998. Japan's Pokémon Blue followed later as a special edition before receiving a wider retail release.
February 27 is now celebrated as Pokémon Day because it marks the franchise's original video-game debut. The 30th anniversary in 2026 therefore commemorates three decades since those two Game Boy games began the worldwide phenomenon.