The first Pokémon games, Red and Green, were released in Japan for the Game Boy.
Developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo, the role-playing games launched the Pokémon video game franchise in 1996. Their portable format allowed players to explore, catch Pokémon, train them, and trade with other players using the Game Boy Link Cable.
The Japanese releases were followed by an enhanced Blue version. For international markets, Nintendo used Pokémon Red and Blue rather than the original Japanese Green version. These games retained the Game Boy foundation while introducing the Kanto region and the first 151 Pokémon.
The Game Boy is sometimes confused with the Game Boy Color because later Pokémon titles, including Gold, Silver, and Crystal, were associated with the newer color-capable handheld. However, Red and Green began on the original monochrome Game Boy, making it the franchise’s first gaming platform.