Game Boy · 1998
Pokémon Red Version
A turn-based role-playing game for the Game Boy where players explore the Kanto region, catch and train creatures called Pokémon, and battle rival trainers.
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Format
- Cartridge
- Genre
- Role-playing
- Released
- 1998
01
Overview
Pokémon Red Version follows a young trainer traveling through the Kanto region, catching and training Pokémon while challenging eight Gym Leaders and the Pokémon League. Battles are turn-based, with move types, statistics, status effects, and team composition shaping each matchup. Some species cannot be obtained in Red alone, making trading with a compatible copy of Blue or another first-generation game part of the original design.
02
Why it matters
Pokémon Red Version helped establish a franchise that became one of the best-selling video game series of all time. Its simple turn-based mechanics and collectible creatures created a cultural phenomenon that influenced countless later games.
03
The physical edition
A typical complete copy includes the Game Boy cartridge, retail box, and instruction manual. Artwork, language, ratings, cartridge labels, and included paper materials vary substantially by region and printing, so components should be matched to the exact edition.
04
Playing it today
The cartridge runs on Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance hardware. Saves depend on an internal cartridge battery, so older copies should be tested for reliable save and load behavior before long play sessions.