Which handheld console received the first Pokémon video games?

The first Pokémon video games were released for the Game Boy.

Pocket Monsters Red and Pocket Monsters Green debuted in Japan in 1996 on Nintendo's original monochrome handheld. The system's link-cable function was central to Pokémon's design because it allowed two players to connect their consoles and trade creatures or battle.

This trading feature helped distinguish Pokémon from many other role-playing games of the era. The two launch versions contained creatures unavailable in the other, encouraging players to communicate and exchange Pokémon to complete their collections.

The games were later adapted for international audiences, where Pokémon Red and Blue became the first main-series releases. Pokémon Yellow followed as an enhanced version with stronger visual links to the animated series, but it was not the first Pokémon game.