TL;DR: The Nintendo eShop has dropped preorders for the digital versions of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen for Nintendo Switch — buy now for $19.99.
The Pokémon franchise’s 30th anniversary, coinciding with the release date of the original Pokémon Red and Green Game Boy titles in Japan, is being celebrated in the best way possible. You can now pre-order digital Nintendo Switch versions of the Game Boy Advance’s Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen games at the Nintendo eShop for $19.99.
For gamers in the UK, both games are available to pre-order for £16.99 at the UK Nintendo eShop.
FireRed and LeafGreen’s Nintendo Switch ports will release on Feb. 27 (Pokémon Day 2026) at 6 a.m. PST, after the Pokémon Company’s Pokémon Presents stream has aired.
By pre-ordering the game, you can have it preloaded onto your console so that it will be ready to play the second Nintendo unlocks it upon release. Instead of being tied to a Nintendo Switch Online membership, paying for these games à la carte means you can have them both permanently as part of your digital library. Both games will also be fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2 consoles.
Exclusively available digitally on the eShop, the Nintendo Switch editions of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen will be nearly exactly the same as they were when released on the Game Boy Advance back in 2004 — minus the need for Link Cables or the Game Boy Advance versions’ bundled GBA Wireless Adapter, which you originally needed to trade and battle with other players. You’ll now be able to use the Pokémon Wireless Club for those local multiplayer features instead.
Remakes of the original Pokémon Red and Green Game Boy games (Pokémon Red and Blue in the west) let you relive the original Pokémon adventure with updated Game Boy Advance graphics — journey across Kanto, take on Team Rocket, defeat all eight Gym leaders, and become champion of the Pokémon League.
The Nintendo Switch editions will contain exclusive post-game content on the Sevii Islands: introducing both an additional storyline revealed once you defeat the Pokémon League and plenty of extra Pokémon to collect.
For more Pocket Monster deals, you can also celebrate the 30th anniversary with the Pokémon TCG Pokémon Day 2026 Collection, which is still available for under $40 at Amazon. Meanwhile, you can still save at least $20 on eight Pokémon TCG: Phantasmal Flames booster packs.
Ben Williams is a freelance writer at Mashable, having joined the team in June 2025. With over 10 years experience in gaming, tech, TV, anime, and film, there’s nothing he hasn’t covered. Alongside Ben’s other work at IGN, Radio Times, Eurogamer, UNILAD Tech, and Rock Paper Shotgun, he also has bylines at sites like GamesRadar+, PCGamesN, ScreenSphere, Twinfinite, ScreenRant, GGRecon, and more.
When away from writing, he spends his downtime playing and watching games, films, and shows he loves covering — whether it’s replaying The Last of Us Part 2, catching Pokémon, rewatching Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, or bingeing Tarantino movies.
