Game guide
Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen (Switch)
Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version are Nintendo Switch re-releases of the 2004 Game Boy Advance remakes of the original Kanto adventures. Published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, they arrived digitally on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on February 27, 2026, following a Pokémon Presents broadcast. Each version is sold separately as a download-only title at $19.99, and both are largely faithful to the GBA originals, letting players journey across the Kanto region to catch Pokémon, earn Gym Badges, challenge the Elite Four, and explore the post-game Sevii Islands.
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Released
- February 27, 2026
- Platforms
- Switch, Switch 2
Guides & data
Everything people search about Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen (Switch) — each answer verified against primary sources.
Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen (Switch) — frequently asked
When did Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen release on Switch, and on which platforms?
They launched digitally on February 27, 2026, on the Nintendo eShop for both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. They are download-only — there was no standard physical release (a Japan-only collector's edition with a download code aside).
Does it run on Nintendo Switch 2?
Yes. The same eShop release plays on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. No separate Switch 2-enhanced edition was announced, and the download size is identical on both systems.
Can I trade and battle online, and do I need Nintendo Switch Online?
No online play is supported. Trading and battling work only over local wireless between nearby Switch systems (via the in-game Pokémon Wireless Club and Union Room), so no Nintendo Switch Online membership is required. Pokémon HOME transfer support is planned to come later and is one-way.
Does it cost extra, or is it part of Nintendo Switch Online?
It's a paid purchase: $19.99 for each version, bought separately on the eShop. It is not included with Nintendo Switch Online, and unlike some retro Pokémon titles it is not part of the NSO Game Boy Advance classics library.
What's the difference between FireRed and LeafGreen?
The two versions are nearly identical adventures; the main differences are version-exclusive Pokémon (around 47 in total across the pair — for example Ekans, Growlithe, and Scyther in FireRed, versus Sandshrew, Vulpix, and Pinsir in LeafGreen). Pick based on which exclusives you want or which your trading partners have; you can trade locally to complete the Pokédex.
Sources
- Pokemon.com - FireRed & LeafGreen coming to Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo Official Site - FireRed & LeafGreen for Switch (release, price)
- Nintendo Support - FireRed/LeafGreen FAQ (connectivity, NSO, HOME)
- Nintendo Everything - eShop file sizes (~40 MB, Switch & Switch 2)
- The Gamer - FireRed & LeafGreen are only 39MB on Switch
- Game8 - How Long to Beat FireRed & LeafGreen
- Nintendo Life - Nintendo explains why they aren't on Switch Online
- Game8 - Version exclusives and differences
- Last verified: August 7, 2026. Sizes and specs can change with patches — tell us if something is out of date.