What pair of Game Boy role-playing games launched the Pokémon franchise in Japan?

Pokémon Red and Green launched the Pokémon franchise in Japan as a pair of Game Boy role-playing games.

Game Freak developed the games from Satoshi Tajiri’s concept, and Nintendo published them on February 27, 1996. The paired-release structure encouraged players to trade Pokémon because some species appeared in only one version. Completing the Pokédex therefore required interaction between players.

International audiences generally know the first pair as Pokémon Red and Blue. Nintendo released Blue in Japan later as an updated version, while the overseas releases used a modified Blue version instead of the original Japanese Green. This regional difference is the main reason the launch titles are often misremembered.

Pokémon Yellow followed in Japan in 1998 and added features inspired by the anime, including Pikachu as the player’s companion. However, Yellow was not the franchise’s original release. Red and Green are the specific games that began Pokémon’s video-game history.