What was the first platform for a Pokémon video game?

The first Pokémon video games appeared on the Game Boy. Pocket Monsters Red and Green launched in Japan in 1996 on Nintendo's monochrome handheld system.

The Game Boy was important because its Game Link Cable allowed two systems to communicate. Pokémon used that connection for trading and battling, making interaction between players a central part of completing the collection rather than an optional extra.

The original games were later followed by Pokémon Blue and then Pokémon Yellow. International audiences received Pokémon Red and Blue, while Pokémon Yellow became a special edition built around Pikachu and ideas popularized by the animated series.

The Game Boy's technical limitations shaped the original experience. The games used compact sprites, simple sound, and turn-based battles, yet their collection and trading systems gave players a reason to connect separate copies. Later Pokémon games moved to more powerful hardware, but the handheld debut established the franchise's core identity.