Pokemon Day Launch: FireRed and LeafGreen Return to Nintendo Switch
Nintendo will release Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version for Nintendo Switch systems on Feb. 27, timed to coincide with Pokemon Day. The reissues bring the 2004 remakes of the franchise’s earliest titles back to current hardware, offering the original 151 Pokémon and several Game Boy Advance–era enhancements.
Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 Availability
The two titles will be playable on Nintendo Switch systems and are also listed as playable on the Nintendo Switch 2 system. Both games are digital-only on the My Nintendo Store and Nintendo eShop, with versions offered individually in English, French and Spanish. In addition to the digital releases, the games will appear at select retailers during launch week for a suggested retail price of $19. 99 (USD).
Pokemon Day timing and 30th anniversary celebration
Nintendo scheduled the releases to land on Feb. 27 to align with Pokemon Day and the franchise’s 30th anniversary. The company frames the timing as an opportunity for new and returning players to explore the Kanto region and reconnect with characters and Pokémon in their original settings. What makes this notable is the combination of nostalgia and accessibility: the release revives long-dormant cartridges for a modern audience while spotlighting three decades of the series.
FireRed and LeafGreen content and Kanto features
These Switch versions are ports of the 2004 remakes of the first Pokémon games—originally released in Japan in 1996 as Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green—and let players encounter the original roster of 151 Pokémon. The releases preserve classic turn-based gameplay and the original soundtrack, and bring players face-to-face with familiar characters such as Brock, Misty, Professor Oak and Giovanni.
GBA-era updates: abilities, natures, weather and gender selection
The Switch editions retain all of the updates introduced during the Game Boy Advance era. Those include the addition of abilities and natures, weather conditions, held items and the option to choose the player character’s gender—features that were not present in the 1996 originals but were part of the 2004 remakes’ redesign.
Language versions, multiplayer and technical notes
Because these Switch releases replicate how the games were originally offered, each language version is a separate product with no in-game option to change language; Nintendo advises players to verify the language before purchase. The French and Spanish releases are presented in EU French and EU Spanish. Local co-op has been updated for modern hardware: Nintendo Switch players can link up locally without the old Game Link Cable requirement. Additional games and systems are required for multiplayer mode, and those items are sold separately.
Nintendo has indicated further information is available through its official channels. The company emphasizes that this is the first time these specific remakes have been released on Switch platforms in over 20 years, positioning the launches as both a historical nod and an entry point for new fans.
For fans weighing whether to jump back into Kanto, the combination of the full original 151 roster, preserved soundtrack and modern connectivity options presents a clear reason to revisit or discover the franchise’s early era on contemporary hardware.
