Nintendo Revives FireRed and LeafGreen for Pokemon Day Switch Launch
Nintendo will re-release Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version on Feb. 27, timed to coincide with pokemon day and the franchise’s 30th anniversary. The digital-only ports bring the 2004 Game Boy Advance remakes back to Nintendo Switch systems, including playability on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version return after more than 20 years
These Switch editions mark the first time the FireRed and LeafGreen remakes have appeared on Nintendo consoles in over 20 years. The original games that inspired the 2004 remakes—Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green—were first released in Japan in 1996, and the 2004 versions remain the base for the Switch releases. Players will be able to encounter the games’ original roster of 151 Pokémon and revisit the Kanto region’s challenges and rewards.
Pokemon Day release on Feb. 27
The games will be released on Feb. 27 on My Nintendo Store and Nintendo eShop, aligning the launch with pokemon day celebrations and 30 years of Pokémon. Nintendo has positioned the timing so that new and returning players can explore Kanto and reconnect with classic characters and locations in their original settings.
Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 compatibility and local co-op
Both titles are playable on Nintendo Switch systems and are also listed as playable on the Nintendo Switch 2. The Switch versions add the convenience of local co-op without requiring the Game Link Cable used in 2004, though additional games and systems are required for multiplayer and are sold separately.
Languages, presentation and retail availability
Each title will be available individually in English, French and Spanish on My Nintendo Store and Nintendo eShop. Because the Switch versions aim to replicate the original release format, each language version is distributed as a separate product with no in-game option to change language; buyers are advised to verify the language before purchase. The French and Spanish releases are presented in EU French and EU Spanish. In addition to digital storefront availability, the games will appear at select retailers during launch week with a suggested retail price of $19. 99 (USD).
Gameplay features carried over from the Game Boy Advance era
The Switch releases preserve classic turn-based gameplay and the original soundtrack while including the updates introduced during the Game Boy Advance era. That means players will find mechanics such as abilities, natures, weather conditions and held items, plus the option to choose the player character’s gender—features first added during the GBA generation.
Longtime fans can expect familiar faces like Brock, Misty, Professor Oak and Giovanni to appear in their original roles, while newcomers will see some of the earliest appearances of characters who later became franchise staples. What makes this notable is the combination of faithful replication and selective modernization: by keeping the original encounter roster and soundtrack while folding in GBA-era mechanics, Nintendo preserves historical accuracy for collectors without removing the gameplay upgrades many players now expect.
Nintendo’s announcement frames the releases as a way to celebrate three decades of Pokémon. The company has structured the rollout so the digital-only editions are available individually in three language packages, playable on current and next-generation Switch hardware, and supported at retail during launch week at a fixed suggested price. Details such as separate language files and multiplayer hardware requirements are explicitly stated to guide purchase decisions and multiplayer planning.
