On which handheld console did the first Pokémon games debut?

The first Pokémon games debuted on the Game Boy. Pokémon Red and Green launched in Japan for Nintendo’s monochrome handheld on February 27, 1996.

The Game Boy was especially important because its Link Cable allowed two players to connect their systems. Pokémon turned that accessory into a reason to trade creatures and battle friends, rather than using it only for direct competition.

The original games were designed around the Game Boy’s technical limits, including simple graphics and a limited color palette. Their success helped transform a late-generation handheld title into the foundation of a global multimedia franchise.

Later Pokémon games appeared on the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices. The original platform is sometimes confused with the Game Boy Color because later international releases and Pokémon Yellow were associated with color-capable hardware.