Game Freak released a total of seven games on Nintendo's Game Boy consoles following the Japanese launch of the franchise in 1996, beginning with the series' international debut with in 1998, which introduced players around the world to the Kanto region. From the very beginning, many were hooked on the RPG's adventurous story campaign and addicting «catch-em-all» gameplay. The game's trading feature also made it an instant hit on many school playgrounds in the 90s, as players had to connect with each other in order to obtain all 151 Pokémon in the Generation 1 RPG.