Which console first hosted the Pokémon video game series?

The Pokémon video game series first appeared on the Nintendo Game Boy.

Pocket Monsters Red and Green were released in Japan for the original monochrome Game Boy on February 27, 1996. The system’s Link Cable made it possible for players to battle and trade Pokémon between two consoles, a feature central to completing the Pokédex.

The games were role-playing adventures rather than action games. Players explored a world, caught creatures, trained them, challenged Gym Leaders, and exchanged version-exclusive species with other players. These mechanics worked within the Game Boy’s hardware limitations and helped make social play part of the series’ identity.

Later Pokémon titles appeared on Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch systems. The original Game Boy remains the platform that began the series.