Pokémon Red

Name: Pokémon Red
Brand: Nintendo

Pokémon Red, was released for Game Boy in North America on 1998-09-28. Its documented physical format is Cartridge. PLAYBACK links 1 documented physical package to this game family.

Verified catalog factsA separately reviewed, source-backed history appears below.

Also known as

Pokémon Red Version · Pocket Monsters Red

Pokémon Red is documented as a physical Cartridge release for Game Boy. The archive records this package family for North America with a documented release date of 1998-09-28. This family currently groups 1 documented physical package.

Released: September 28, 1998
Platform / family: Game Boy
Format / type: Cartridge
Region: North America

Exact physical item

Package identifiers still being researched

Researching

This panel separates the exact physical package from its broader game family. Only identifiers and contents tied to a stored source are shown as verified.

Manuals, inserts and extras not listed here have not yet been source-verified. They are not assumed absent.

Catalog source ↗Suggest a correction ↗

Curated archive history

Why this release matters

Source-backed

Game Freak developed Pokémon Red as part of the first Pokémon generation. Japan received Pocket Monsters Red and Green in 1996, followed by a revised Blue version. International releases paired Pokémon Red with Pokémon Blue beginning in North America in 1998, using technical and presentation work derived from the Japanese Blue revision.

Developer: Game Freak
Publisher: Nintendo
Editorial review: 2026-08-05

Release context

The game joined portable role-playing with link-cable trading: no single cartridge could provide every creature, so the paired versions and physical connection between two Game Boys were part of the design.

Regional differences

Japan's original pair is Red and Green, while most international markets received Red and Blue. Names, box artwork, cartridge shells, languages, ratings and included documentation differ by territory; these packages should not be collapsed into one identical edition.

Physical packaging

A complete copy includes the region-correct cartridge, cardboard box, inner tray, manual and inserts. North American and European Red cartridges use a red shell, while Japanese packaging and cartridges follow a different design system. Save-battery condition matters for playable original copies.

Editions and revisions

Pocket Monsters Blue and the later Yellow version are related releases, not packaging variants of Red. Player's Choice and regional reprints can change seals and box markings; Game Boy Advance remakes are separate games.

Pokémon Red

Release context

Regional differences

Physical packaging

Editions and revisions

Research sources