What was the North American release date of Pokémon Red and Blue?

Pokémon Red and Blue were released in North America on September 28, 1998.

These games were the Western versions of the original Japanese Pokémon Red and Green. Nintendo used the name Blue outside Japan, partly because the international release was based on the Japanese Blue version’s programming and artwork while retaining the original games’ distribution differences.

The North American launch arrived more than two and a half years after the Japanese debut. By then, the Pokémon anime, trading cards, and merchandise had already helped create enormous interest in the series.

The date is sometimes confused with Pokémon Yellow’s North American release, which was October 19, 1999. It is also distinct from the November 23, 1998, North American launch of the Game Boy Color, which happened shortly after Red and Blue.