Which Pokémon game was the first in the main series to feature a female player character?

Pokémon Crystal was the first main-series Pokémon game to feature a selectable female player character. It was released in Japan in 2000 as an enhanced version of Pokémon Gold and Silver.

Players could choose the female character Kris or the male character commonly known as Ethan in later media. Earlier main-series releases offered only a male player character, although Pokémon Crystal’s predecessor games included important female characters in their stories.

Crystal added more than the gender choice. It introduced animated Pokémon sprites at the start of battles, the Battle Tower, and story changes involving Suicune. The game retained the Johto region and also allowed players to travel to Kanto after completing the main Johto adventure.

The female protagonist is sometimes incorrectly credited to Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, which introduced May in 2002. Ruby and Sapphire were the first games to offer a female protagonist in the third generation, but Pokémon Crystal established the feature in the main series earlier.