Which console was used for the original Pokémon games?

The original Pokémon games were made for the Game Boy.

Pocket Monsters Red and Green were designed around Nintendo’s portable system and its link-cable connection. Two players could connect their Game Boys to trade Pokémon or battle, turning the handheld into a social platform.

The first games used the Game Boy’s hardware rather than the later Game Boy Color. Pokémon Yellow followed in 1998 and could run on the original Game Boy while also taking advantage of the Game Boy Color’s palette when played on that system.

This hardware history matters because Pokémon’s central idea was tied to portability. Players could carry their collections, meet other players, and exchange creatures without needing a home console. Later games expanded the concept across Nintendo’s succeeding handheld and hybrid systems.