What were the original Japanese Pokémon game titles released in 1996?

The original Japanese Pokémon game titles released in 1996 were Pocket Monsters Red and Green.

These Game Boy role-playing games launched in Japan on February 27, 1996. Their Japanese title was Pocket Monsters, commonly shortened to Pokémon. The games were paired versions with broadly shared stories but version-exclusive Pokémon, encouraging players to connect their systems and trade.

International releases used a different naming arrangement. North America and Europe received Pokémon Red and Blue rather than Red and Green. The Japanese Green version was not released overseas in its original form, although its content was represented through later international versions and remakes.

The first pair established the Kanto region, the original Pokédex, and the eight-Gym journey. Pokémon Yellow followed later in Japan as an enhanced version influenced by the anime, with Pikachu accompanying the player. Because overseas players usually began with Red and Blue, the original Japanese Red and Green titles are a frequent anniversary-history mix-up.