What were the Japanese titles of the two Pokémon games released at the franchise’s 1996 beginning?

The Japanese launch titles were Pocket Monsters Red and Green.

Game Freak and Nintendo released the pair in Japan on February 27, 1996, for the Game Boy. The two versions shared the same main adventure but contained version-exclusive Pokémon, encouraging players to connect their systems and trade.

Outside Japan, the games were localized as Pokémon Red and Blue. The Japanese Green version was not released internationally in its original form; the overseas Blue version was based on the enhanced Japanese Blue edition and received revised graphics and other changes.

This naming history creates a frequent source of confusion. Fans may refer to the franchise’s first games as Red and Blue because those are the best-known international editions. Historically, however, the first release pair was Red and Green, and the original Japanese brand name was Pocket Monsters. The distinction is an important part of Pokémon’s early development and global expansion.