On what date did the first Pokémon games, Red and Green, release in Japan?

The first Pokémon games, Pocket Monsters Red and Green, released in Japan on February 27, 1996.

Game Freak developed the role-playing games for Nintendo’s Game Boy. The pair introduced the original collection of Pokémon, the Kanto setting, and the central cycle of capturing, training, battling, and trading. Their release is the date commemorated by Pokémon Day each year.

International naming adds a layer of confusion. Japan received Red and Green, followed by an enhanced Blue version. Outside Japan, the games were released as Pokémon Red and Blue; the original Japanese Green version was not the standard international release. Pokémon Yellow later offered an enhanced experience influenced by the anime.

The games took years to develop and were initially launched on a mature handheld platform rather than a new console. Their link-cable trading system and expanding media strategy helped them grow beyond a conventional role-playing game. The February 27 date therefore marks the beginning of the Pokémon video game franchise, not the later anime or card-game milestones.