On what date did the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series first release in Japan?

The Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series first released in Japan on November 17, 2005. Its debut consisted of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team for Game Boy Advance and Blue Rescue Team for Nintendo DS.

Unlike the main Pokémon role-playing games, Mystery Dungeon uses roguelike-style exploration. Dungeon layouts are randomly generated, movement is turn-based, and players battle, recruit, and manage Pokémon while progressing through missions. The player character is also transformed from a human into a Pokémon.

Chunsoft developed the original Rescue Team games, drawing on the established Mystery Dungeon format. The series was designed to make that style of dungeon game more approachable for Pokémon players, while retaining features such as moves, items, partners, and recruitment.

The two debut versions were released on different Nintendo handhelds but formed a matched pair. Red Rescue Team was the final Pokémon game released for Game Boy Advance, while Blue Rescue Team used the Nintendo DS’s dual-screen hardware. The series later continued across multiple Nintendo platforms.