Which Pokémon game introduced the series’ first female player character option?

Pokémon Crystal introduced the series’ first female player character option.

Pokémon Crystal was released for the Game Boy Color in Japan in 2000 as an enhanced version of Pokémon Gold and Silver. Players could choose Kris, the first playable female protagonist in a main-series Pokémon game, instead of the male character.

The game also added animated Pokémon sprites and other presentation changes. Its story remains set in the Johto region, with the player later able to visit Kanto after completing the Johto adventure. Crystal’s enhancements helped establish the tradition of a third version refining the paired games of a generation.

The character is sometimes called Kris in later reference material, while the original game does not present the same naming conventions used by later titles. Pokémon Crystal should also be distinguished from Pokémon Gold and Silver: those earlier games offered different protagonists and did not include a female player choice.