HAL Laboratory


formerly shortened as HALKEN, is a Japanese video game developer based in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It was founded on February 21, 1980 by Mitsuhiro Ikeda. The company started out developing games for home computers of the era, but has since established a strong relationship with Nintendo, and is often referred to as a second-party developer. In 1991, a second office in Kai, Yamanashi was established. The company is best known for its work on the Kirby and Mother series, and the first two Super Smash Bros. games.
Its logo, which depicts a dog incubating eggs, is meant to represent "an unexpected bond one that brings the birth of something new."

History

HAL Laboratory was founded on February 21, 1980 in Kanda, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. Mitsuhiro Ikeda served as the first president and CEO. The company was formed out of a Seibu Department Store in Ikebukuro, with many of the students who frequented the computer section working part-time. This included Satoru Iwata and Satoshi Matsuoka. HAL initially started out of an apartment in Akihabara, developing hardware peripherals. An early investor was Iwasaki Giken, a company that programmed many of Nintendo's first video games.
In its early years, it developed products like a universal remote, the HAL Fax, which allowed users to fax directly from a computer, and the HAL Catch, a cable that connected an electronic organizer to a PC. Other products included the GSX-8800 sound board for the NEC PC-8001 in 1983, the CAT trackball, and the Hibiki FM tone generator and MIDI interface board in 1986.
There have been conflicting claims on the origin of the company's name: during a GDC 2005 keynote, HAL alumnus and then-Nintendo president Satoru Iwata stated that HAL was named after the computer from 2001: [A Space Odyssey], while in a 2012 Iwata Asks interviews|Iwata Asks] interview, he said the company was named HAL because "each letter put one step ahead of IBM."
The company first made games for home computers, such as the MSX and VIC-20. These were initially unlicensed home computer versions of Namco's arcade games, including Pac-Man ''Rally-X, and Galaxian. However, HAL managed to be the first company to obtain a license from Namco for developing computer games.
Through its connection to Iwasaki Giken, HAL started its business relationship with Nintendo in 1984. It assisted in the development of first-party Famicom games such as Pinball and Golf, while also creating original titles such as F1 Race. The company's previous experience developing games and its familiarity with the Famicom's CPU helped the developers make games faster than the competition. In the west, some titles were published under HAL America Inc., a North American subsidiary of the company led by Yash Terakura and based in Beaverton, Oregon. Between 1987 and 1991, HAL also published several NES titles, including Stargate and Kabuki: Quantum Fighter. Masahiro Sakurai joined the company in 1989.
In 1991, the company moved to an office building overlooking Mount Fuji in Yamanashi. In 1992, HAL spun off its non-Nintendo business as HAL Corporation. It continued to work on computer software and peripherals, including new versions of the universal remote controller. This company continued to operate until around 2002.
However, following the protracted development of Metal Slader Glory, the company was $1.5 billion yen in debt and on the verge of bankruptcy. Nintendo offered to rescue HAL on the condition that Satoru Iwata were to be appointed its president. In 1992, HAL released Kirby's Dream Land for the Nintendo Game Boy, which was Iwata's first game as president. HAL then found success soon after, releasing Kirby's Adventure, Kirby's Dream Course, and [EarthBound|Mother 2].
The company's current logo, Inutamago, was created in 1998 by Shigesato Itoi. The imagery is meant to represent "an unexpected bond one that brings the birth of something new". Reception was reportedly lukewarm at first. The first game to use the logo was Super Smash Bros. In 1999, HAL released Pokemon Snap for the Nintendo 64 and Pokemon Pinball on Game Boy Color and established an R&D center in Tokyo that year.
For a time, HAL struggled to develop a 3D Kirby game. Following the release of Kirby 64 in 2000, Iwata left to work at Nintendo and the company worked on three games that were ultimately cancelled. During this time, HAL also worked on Nintendo's hardware, developing the software library called "sysdolphin" for the GameCube.
On July 31, 2001, HAL Laboratory and Nintendo jointly established Warpstar, Inc., a company created to oversee Kirby merchandising and outside media, such as the Kirby: Right Back at Ya! anime series. In March 2002, Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi retired and named Iwata as his successor. In 2003, the company moved from Nintendo's Tokyo Prefecture Building in Nihonbashi, Chuo to a new office in Kanda Sudacho, Chiyoda. Sakurai also left HAL to become a freelance game designer, though he continued to work on the Super Smash Bros. series. In 2007, HAL worked with Atlus to produce a Kirby-themed medal game for arcades.
The company developed the internet browser and electronic instruction manual for both the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. HAL released a Kirby-themed card game in 2015. In August 2016, it teamed with Nintendo to open the Kirby Café chain in Japan. HAL helped to develop software for the Nintendo Switch, creating its internet browser, Mii photo library, and various game development environments and tools. It also released a Kirby-themed board game in 2017.
In 2017, HAL Laboratory announced that the company would start developing games for mobile devices under the brand name HAL Egg, in order to clearly differentiate them from the company's usual output. The first title released under the brand name was Part Time UFO. The game was a premium title, as the developers at HAL did not want to implement the more exploitative types of monetization that had become common in the industry. The company released miniature versions of the MZ-80C and PC-8001 computers in October 2017 and October 2019, respectively. A second mobile game, Housuu de Shoubu! Kame Sanpo was released in Japan in 2019.
In 2020, HAL relocated its office to Nintendo's new Tokyo building, alongside Nintendo EPD Tokyo, Nintendo PTD Tokyo, 1-Up Studio, and Game Freak. At this point, HAL had just under 200 employees. In 2022, the company released Kirby and the Forgotten Land'', the first fully 3D game in the series.
In 2025, HAL sold its stake in Warpstar to Nintendo, with it subsequently rebranding to Nintendo Stars Inc., and expanded to include merchandising of film adaptations of Nintendo's properties.

Games

YearTitlePlatformRef.
1981Heiankyo AlienPC-8001
1981Avenger VIC-20, Commodore 64
1981Jelly Monsters VIC-20
1981Jupiter Lander VIC-20, Commodore 64
1981Mole AttackVIC-20, Commodore 64
1981PokerVIC-20, Commodore 64
1981Radar Rat Race VIC-20, Commodore 64
1981Road Race VIC-20, Commodore 64
1981Star Battle VIC-20
1982Kick ManCommodore 64
1982Omega RaceCommodore 64
1982Pinball SpectacularVIC-20, Commodore 64
1982Money WarsVIC-20, Commodore 64
1982LemansCommodore 64
1983BowlingCommodore 64
1983ClownsCommodore 64
1983GorfCommodore 64
1983Ski Commodore 64
1983BilliardsMSX
1983Butamaru PantsMSX
1983Dragon AttackMSX
1983Fruit SearchMSX
1983Heavy BoxingMSX
1983Picture PuzzleMSX
1983Space Maze AttackMSX
1983Space TroubleMSX
1983Step UpMSX
1983Super SnakeMSX
1983Super BilliardsMSX
1984BalanceMSX
1984[Rollerball (video game)|Rollerball]MSX
1984Hole in OneMSX
1984Mr. ChingMSX
1984PinballNintendo Entertainment System
1984GolfNintendo Entertainment System
1984F1 RaceNintendo Entertainment System
1985Mach RiderNintendo Entertainment System
1985Balloon FightNintendo Entertainment System
1985Cue StarMSX
1985Eggerland MysteryMSX
1985Karamaru's Strange TripMSX
1985Swimming TangoMSX
1985TetsumanMSX
1985Lot LotFamicom
1986DunkshotMSX
1986Eggerland 2MSX
1986Gall Force: Defense of ChaosMSX
1986Gall Force: Eternal StoryFamicom Disk System
1986Hole in One ProfessionalMSX
1986Inspecteur ZMSX
1986Mobile Planet StilsMSX
1986OthelloFamicom Disk System, Nintendo Entertainment System
1987EggerlandFamicom Disk System
1987Family Computer Golf: Japan CourseFamicom Disk System
1987Family Computer Golf: U.S. CourseFamicom Disk System
1987JoustNintendo Entertainment System
1987Defender IINintendo Entertainment System
1987Air FortressNintendo Entertainment System
1987MillipedeNintendo Entertainment System
1987Hole in One SpecialMSX
1987Ninja-Kid IIMSX
1987Tokoro-san no Mamoru mo Semeru moFamicom
1987Zukkoke Yajikita OnmitsudoutyuuMSX2
1988Satsui no Kaisou: Power Soft Renzoku Satsujin JikenFamicom
1988Fire BamFamicom Disk System
1988Jumbo Ozaki no Hole in One ProfessionalFamicom
1988Vegas DreamNintendo Entertainment System
1988Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot RallyFamicom Disk System
1988Eggerland: Meikyū no FukkatsuFamicom
1988Eggerland: Sōzō e no TabidachiFamicom Disk System
1988Tashiro Masashi no Princess ga IppaiMSX
1988RollerballNintendo Entertainment System
1989Adventures of Lolo Nintendo Entertainment System
1989Pachipro DensetsuMSX
1989Revenge of the 'GatorGame Boy
1989ShanghaiGame Boy
1989Gozonji Yajikita ChindochuFamicom
1990-Famicom-
1990Adventures of Lolo 2 Nintendo Entertainment System
1990Uchūkeibitai SDFFamicom
1990HAL WrestlingGame Boy
1990Adventures of Lolo 3Nintendo Entertainment System
1990Adventures of Lolo 2 Famicom
1990New Ghostbusters IINintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy
1991TraxGame Boy
1991HAL's Hole in One GolfSuper NES
1991Kabuki: Quantum FighterNintendo Entertainment System
1991Metal Slader GloryFamicom
1991HyperZoneSuper NES
1991NES Open Tournament GolfNintendo Entertainment System
1992ArcanaSuper NES
1992Day Dreamin' DaveyNintendo Entertainment System
1992NCAA BasketballSuper NES
1992Kirby's Dream LandGame Boy
1993Vegas StakesSuper NES, Game Boy
1993Kirby's AdventureNintendo Entertainment System
1993Kirby's Pinball LandGame Boy
1993AlcahestSuper Famicom
1994Adventures of LoloGame Boy
1994EarthBoundSuper NES
1994Kirby's Dream CourseSuper NES
1995Kirby's AvalancheSuper NES
1995Kirby's Dream Land 2Game Boy
1995SimCity 2000Super NES
1996Kirby's Toy BoxSuper Famicom
1996Kirby Super StarSuper NES
1996Eggerland Episode 0: Quest of LalaWindows
1996Eggerland for Windows 95Windows
1996Special Tee ShotSuper Famicom
1997Kirby's Star StackerGame Boy, Super Famicom
1997Itoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1Super Famicom
1997Kirby's Dream Land 3Super NES
1999Super Smash Bros.Nintendo 64
1999Pokémon SnapNintendo 64
1999Pokémon PinballGame Boy Color
1999Mingle MagnetWonderSwan
2000SimCity 6464DD
2000Itoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1 Ketteihan!Nintendo 64
2000Kirby 64: The Crystal ShardsNintendo 64
2000Metal Slader Glory: Director's CutSuper Famicom
2001Super Smash Bros. MeleeGameCube
2002Kirby: Nightmare in Dream LandGame Boy Advance
2003Kirby Air RideGameCube
2004Kirby & the Amazing MirrorGame Boy Advance
2005Kirby Canvas CurseNintendo DS
2006Pokémon RangerNintendo DS
2006Mother 3Game Boy Advance
2006Common Sense TrainingNintendo DS
2006Kirby: Squeak SquadNintendo DS
2008Minna no Joshikiryoku TVWii
2008Kirby Super Star UltraNintendo DS
2009Picross 3DNintendo DS
2010Face Pilot: Fly with your Nintendo DSi Camera!Nintendo DSi
2011Face RaidersNintendo 3DS
2011Kirby Mass AttackNintendo DS
2011Kirby's Return to Dream LandWii
2012Kirby's Dream CollectionWii
2014Kirby: Triple DeluxeNintendo 3DS
2014Kirby Fighters DeluxeNintendo 3DS
2014Dedede's Drum Dash DeluxeNintendo 3DS
2015BoxBoy!Nintendo 3DS
2015Kirby and the Rainbow CurseWii U
2015Picross 3D: Round 2Nintendo 3DS
2016BoxBoxBoy!Nintendo 3DS
2016Kirby: Planet RobobotNintendo 3DS
2017Bye-Bye BoxBoy!Nintendo 3DS
2017Team Kirby Clash DeluxeNintendo 3DS
2017Kirby's Blowout BlastNintendo 3DS
2017Part Time UFOiOS, Android, Nintendo Switch
2017Kirby Battle RoyaleNintendo 3DS
2018Kirby Star AlliesNintendo Switch
2019BoxBoy! + BoxGirl!Nintendo Switch
2019Super Kirby ClashNintendo Switch
2019Housuu de Shoubu! Kame SanpoiOS, Android
2020Kirby Fighters 2Nintendo Switch
Part Time UFONintendo Switch
2022Kirby and the Forgotten LandNintendo Switch
2022Kirby's Dream BuffetNintendo Switch
2023Kirby's [Return to Dream Land Deluxe]Nintendo Switch
2025Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed WorldNintendo Switch 2

Cancelled games