Which Pokémon pair was originally released in Japan as the first Pokémon games?

Pokémon Red and Green were the first Pokémon games released in Japan.

They launched for the Game Boy on February 27, 1996, beginning the main Pokémon video-game series. The two versions shared the same broad adventure but included version-exclusive Pokémon, encouraging players to trade through the Game Link Cable.

Many international players know the first pair as Pokémon Red and Blue. Nintendo used the Japanese Blue version’s updated artwork, code, and script as the basis for the overseas releases, so the original Japanese Green version is often overlooked.

Pokémon Blue first appeared in Japan as a special edition connected to CoroCoro Comic before later receiving a wider retail release. Pokémon Yellow followed as an enhanced version featuring Pikachu more prominently.