The original Pokémon video-game series was designed for the Nintendo Game Boy.
Pocket Monsters Red and Green launched in Japan for the Game Boy in 1996. The handheld’s link cable was central to the concept because it allowed players to connect two systems, battle one another, and trade Pokémon that could not be found in both versions.
The Game Boy’s portability also supported Pokémon’s collecting theme. Players could carry their teams with them and meet other players outside the home, turning the hardware into part of the franchise’s social design rather than merely a screen for the game.
Later Pokémon generations appeared on Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch systems. That history can cause confusion when people identify a later platform as the original. The first main-series Pokémon games specifically debuted on the original monochrome Game Boy.