The original Pokémon Red and Green games were created for Nintendo’s Game Boy handheld console. Their design took advantage of the system’s portability and its Game Link Cable, which allowed players to connect two Game Boys.
That cable connection was central to Pokémon’s concept. Players could battle or trade creatures between cartridges, making it possible to collect Pokémon that were unavailable in a single version. This helped turn a solitary role-playing game into a social experience.
The games were released in Japan in 1996. An enhanced Japanese Blue version followed, and that version was reworked as Pokémon Red and Blue for international markets. The original Japanese Green version was not released outside Japan.
A common mix-up is identifying the Game Boy Color as the original platform. Pokémon Yellow later used the Game Boy Color’s palette, but the first Red and Green games were Game Boy titles. The franchise’s handheld roots are therefore part of its earliest history.