What were Pokémon's first Japanese game titles?

Pokémon’s first Japanese game titles were Pocket Monsters Red and Green. They were released for the Game Boy on February 27, 1996, and introduced the original Pokémon game world.

Outside Japan, the original Green version was replaced by Blue. International players therefore usually know the first pair as Pokémon Red and Blue, even though Red and Green were the Japanese debut titles. The difference reflects the development and release history of the games.

A Japanese Pocket Monsters Blue version appeared later as an enhanced release. Its revisions became the basis for the international Red and Blue versions, which explains why the overseas games do not match the Japanese pair exactly.

Pokémon Yellow was another later enhanced version. It placed Pikachu in a more prominent role and reflected elements of the television anime, but it was not one of the two original Japanese launch games.