On which video game system did Pokémon Red and Green debut?

Pokémon Red and Green debuted on the Game Boy.

Nintendo's original monochrome handheld system provided the hardware for Pokémon's first release in Japan in 1996. The games used the Game Boy's link-port technology to let players trade Pokémon and battle friends. That social feature was central to the design and helped make the handheld system a meeting point for players.

Pokémon is sometimes associated with the Game Boy Color because Pokémon Yellow used color features and Pokémon Gold and Silver were designed for the Game Boy Color. However, Red and Green launched before those later installments. International versions of Red and Blue also appeared on the original Game Boy, although they could benefit from the Game Boy Color's display when played on that newer system.

The limitations of the Game Boy influenced the games' presentation: battles used simple sprites, music relied on basic electronic tones, and the world was built from tile-based environments. Despite those constraints, the games supported 151 collectible species and a large adventure across Kanto.