Which Nintendo system hosted the original Pokémon games?

The original Pokémon games were released for the Game Boy.

Pokémon Red and Green debuted in Japan on Nintendo’s monochrome handheld in 1996. The system’s link-cable function was crucial because it allowed players to trade Pokémon and battle another player’s team.

That connectivity helped define the franchise. The games were designed around version differences, so certain Pokémon appeared in one version but not the other. Completing the original Pokédex therefore encouraged players to connect two Game Boys and exchange creatures.

Later Pokémon titles appeared on the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and other platforms. Pokémon Yellow was compatible with the Game Boy Color and used its color palette, but it was still part of the first generation. The original games themselves belong to the Game Boy era.