The first Pokémon game was released in Japan in 1996. Pokémon Red and Green launched for the Game Boy on February 27, 1996, beginning the Pokémon video-game series.
The games were developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo. They introduced the original 151 Pokémon, the Kanto region, turn-based battles, and the idea of trading creatures between two different versions using the Game Link Cable. Pokémon Blue followed later in Japan as an improved edition.
A common mix-up comes from international release dates. Pokémon Red and Blue arrived in North America in 1998, while Europe received them in 1999. The original Japanese versions were called Pocket Monsters Red and Green, not Red and Blue. Pokémon Yellow, an enhanced version featuring Pikachu as the starter, was released in Japan in 1998.
The February 27 Japanese launch is now celebrated by fans as Pokémon Day, marking the franchise’s original video-game debut.