Which handheld system received the first Pokémon games?

The first Pokémon games were released for the Game Boy.

Pocket Monsters Red and Green debuted on Nintendo’s monochrome Game Boy in Japan in 1996. The system’s link cable was crucial to the original concept because it allowed two players to battle and trade Pokémon between separate handhelds.

The Game Boy had launched years earlier, but Pokémon helped extend its commercial life. The games did not require the later Game Boy Color, although Pokémon Yellow was designed to use the newer system’s color palette more fully. Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow could all be played on compatible Game Boy hardware.

Another common mix-up is assuming that Pokémon began on the Game Boy Color because many international players first encountered the series through colored cartridges or later hardware. The original Japanese games, however, were Game Boy titles. Their simple presentation and communication features helped make portable collecting and trading central to Pokémon’s identity.