Which console received the original Pokémon games?

The original Pokémon games were released for the Game Boy.

Pocket Monsters Red and Green launched in Japan on Nintendo’s monochrome handheld in 1996. The hardware’s portability made it possible for players to carry their collections and meet other players to trade or battle using the Game Link Cable.

The Game Boy was technically modest compared with home consoles, but its link capability became a defining advantage for Pokémon. Game Freak designed the games around communication between separate systems, allowing certain creatures to be obtained only through trading between compatible versions.

Later Pokémon releases expanded the hardware relationship. Pokémon Yellow supported the Game Boy and Game Boy Color, while Pokémon Gold and Silver were designed for the Game Boy Color but remained compatible with the original Game Boy. The original platform is therefore the Game Boy, not the later color model.