Pokémon Blue is a role-playing video game developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. Released in 1996 in Japan and 1998 in North America, it is part of the first generation of the Pokémon series. Players assume the role of a Pokémon Trainer, capturing and training various creatures called Pokémon to battle other trainers and ultimately become the Pokémon Champion. In Pokémon Blue, players explore the fictional region of Kanto, battling gym leaders and collecting badges. The game features 151 different Pokémon, including the iconic Pikachu. Players can trade Pokémon with Pokémon Red, another version of the game, to complete their Pokédex, a comprehensive Pokémon encyclopedia.