Pocket Monsters Red and Green Versions

Pocket Monsters Red Version and Pocket Monsters Green Version are the two first installments of the Pokémon franchise and the main series itself. They were released for the Game Boy on February 27, 1996, exclusively in Japan. Both titles are independent of each other but have the same plot, and the main difference between both games is the Pokémon that can be encountered. The mascots for Pocket Monsters Red and Green Versions are Charizard and Venusaur respectively.

Pocket Monsters Red and Green Versions have two primary objectives. One is for the player character to become the champion of the Indigo League by defeating the eight Gym Leaders and then the Elite Four in Pokémon battles. The other objective is to complete the Pokédex by obtaining all 151 Pokémon. The main difference between Pocket Monsters Red Version and Pocket Monsters Green Version are the Pokémon encountered. Both games are played separately, but can be connected via the Game Link Cable. This allows for Pokémon to be traded or battled between games. It is necessary for players to trade between both Pocket Monsters Red Version and Pocket Monsters Green Version in order to obtain all 151 Pokémon.

In late 1996, the games received a follow-up, Pocket Monsters Blue Version, also exclusive to Japan. Besides having different Pokémon encounters, Pocket Monsters Blue Version also has different graphics and an updated script. Pocket Monsters Blue Version served as the basis for Pokémon Red and Blue Versions, which are the first two Pokémon games released in North America, Europe, and Australia. Although Pocket Monsters Green Version appears to have never been released outside of Japan, the Pokémon in Pokémon Blue Version are based on that of Pocket Monsters Green Version. Pokémon Red Version is more consistent in that it shares Pocket Monsters Red Version's encounters and mascot but still has Pocket Monsters Blue Version as a basis.

In 2004, both games received a Game Boy Advance remake, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions. The latter version's title was even used outside of Japan, so therefore its title is based on Pocket Monsters Green Version rather than Pokémon Blue Version.

On February 27, 2016, exactly 20 years after Pocket Monsters Red and Green Version were released, both games, along with Pocket Monsters Blue Version and Pocket Monsters Pikachu, were ported to the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console in Japan for the Pokémon 20th Anniversary. The international counterparts, Pokémon Red and Blue Versions and Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition, were also released for the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console in North America, Europe, and Australia the same day.

Version-exclusive Pokémon
There are 12 exclusive Pokémon in Pocket Monsters Red Version and 11 in Pocket Monsters Green Version.