On what date were Pokémon Red and Green first released in Japan, marking Pokémon's game debut?

Pokémon Red and Green were first released in Japan on February 27, 1996, marking Pokémon's game debut.

The games were made for Nintendo's Game Boy and introduced the central idea of catching, training, battling, and trading Pokémon. Development was completed by October 1995, but the planned December 21 release was delayed because related merchandise was not ready.

Outside Japan, the original Japanese Red and Green versions were not released under those exact names. International players received Pokémon Red and Blue, which used the updated Japanese Blue version as their foundation. That difference often causes confusion when people describe the franchise's first games.

The February 27 date is now celebrated as Pokémon Day. In 2026, the anniversary marks three decades since the first Japanese release, although the anime, trading card game, and many international versions arrived later. The release date therefore refers specifically to the first Japanese Game Boy games, not the worldwide launch of every Pokémon product.