HAL Laboratory

{{Infobox company

| name = HAL Laboratory, Inc.

| logo = HAL Laboratory Logo.svg

| logo_caption = Logo since December 1998

| image = KANDA SQUARE 2023-05-18.jpg

| image_caption = Headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo

| native_name = 株式会社ハル研究所

| native_name_lang = ja

| romanized_name = Kabushiki gaisha Haru Kenkyūjo

| former_name =

| type = Private

| industry = Video games

| genre = {{Unbulleted list

| Video game development

| Game engine development

| Merchandising

}}

| fate =

| predecessor =

| successor =

| founded = {{Start date and age|1980|02|21}} in Kanda, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan

| founder = Mitsuhiro Ikeda

| defunct =

| hq_location = Kanda Square, 2-2-1 Kandanishiki-cho

| hq_location_city = Chiyoda, Tokyo

| hq_location_country = Japan

| num_locations = 2 studios{{Efn|Tokyo R&D Center and Yamanashi R&D Center}}

| num_locations_year = 2019

| area_served =

| key_people = {{Unbulleted list

| Shigefumi Kawase (president and CEO)

| Shinya Kumazaki (director)

| Nobutoshi Kuroki (director)

}}

| products = {{Unbulleted list

| Eggerland series

| Kirby series

| Mother series

| Super Smash Bros. series

| BoxBoy series

}}

| owner =

| num_employees = 242

| num_employees_year = 2024

| parent =

| subsid = Warpstar, Inc. {{small|(50%; with Nintendo)}}

| website = {{URL|https://www.hallab.co.jp}}

| footnotes = {{Cite web |date=2 November 2020 |title=Company Profile | COMPANY | HAL Laboratory |url=https://www.hallab.co.jp/eng/company/profile/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627195715/https://www.hallab.co.jp/eng/company/profile/ |archive-date=27 June 2020 |access-date=25 June 2020}}{{Cite web |date=2 November 2020 |title=Our History | COMPANY | HAL Laboratory |url=https://www.hallab.co.jp/eng/company/history/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629233808/https://www.hallab.co.jp/eng/company/history/ |archive-date=29 June 2020 |access-date=25 June 2020}}{{Cite web |date=2 November 2020 |title=Inutamago | COMPANY | HAL Laboratory |url=https://www.hallab.co.jp/eng/company/symbol/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006101019/https://www.hallab.co.jp/eng/company/symbol/ |archive-date=6 October 2020 |access-date=25 June 2020}}

}}

{{Nihongo foot|HAL Laboratory, Inc.,|株式会社ハル研究所|Kabushiki gaisha Haru Kenkyūjo|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Fahey |first=Mike |date=21 February 2015 |title=The Studio Behind Smash Bros. And Kirby, HAL Laboratory Turns 35 Today |url=https://kotaku.com/the-studio-behind-smash-bros-and-kirby-hal-laboratory-1687219609 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106052019/https://kotaku.com/the-studio-behind-smash-bros-and-kirby-hal-laboratory-1687219609 |archive-date=6 November 2021 |access-date=25 March 2021 |website=Kotaku}} In 1991, a second office in Kai, Yamanashi was established.{{Cite web |title=Corporate Info |url=http://www.hallab.co.jp/eng/company/profile/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220105164937/https://www.hallab.co.jp/eng/company/profile/ |archive-date=5 January 2022 |access-date=17 September 2007 |website=HAL Laboratories}} The company is best known for its work on the Kirby and Mother series, and the first two Super Smash Bros. games.

Its logo, {{nihongo foot|Inutamago,|犬たまご|group=lower-alpha|lead=yes|extra="Dog Eggs"}} 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, and originally developed games for home computers, such as the MSX and VIC-20.{{Cite web |date=16 February 2004 |title=What Was Japan for Commodore? |url=http://www.commodore.ca/history/people/michael_tomczyk.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826082008/https://www.commodore.ca/history/people/michael_tomczyk.htm |archive-date=26 August 2018 |access-date=16 October 2016 |website=commodore.ca}} There have been conflicting claims on the origin of the company's name. During a GDC 2005 keynote, Satoru Iwata stated that HAL was named after the computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/03/11/gdc-2005-iwata-keynote-transcript|title=GDC 2005: Iwata Keynote Transcript|last=Casamassina|first=Matt|date=March 10, 2005|website=IGN|access-date=December 6, 2024}} However, in a 2012 Iwata Asks interview, he said the company was named HAL because "each letter put [them] one step ahead of IBM."{{Cite web |last=Madden |first=Orla |date=30 November 2012 |title=Iwata Explains Where The Name HAL Laboratory Came From |url=http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/11/iwata_explains_where_the_name_hal_laboratory_came_from |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826081823/http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/11/iwata_explains_where_the_name_hal_laboratory_came_from |archive-date=26 August 2018 |access-date=16 October 2016 |website=nintendolife.com |publisher=Nintendo Life}}

In 1984, the company began its business relationship with Nintendo. HAL assisted in the development of first-party Famicom games such as Pinball and Golf, while also creating original titles such as F1 Race. In the west, some titles were published under HAL America Inc. (HAI), a North American subsidiary of the company led by Yash Terakura and based in Beaverton, Oregon, USA.{{Cite web |date=11 May 2007 |title=Yash Terakura Joins Throwback Entertainment As Chief Technology Officer |url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/yash-terakura-joins-throwback-entertainment-as-chief-technology-officer |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122223838/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/yash-terakura-joins-throwback-entertainment-as-chief-technology-officer |archive-date=22 January 2022 |access-date=16 October 2016 |website=GamesIndustry.biz}}

In 1992, following the protracted development of Metal Slader Glory, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. Nintendo offered to rescue HAL on the condition that Satoru Iwata were to be appointed its president, a role he took from 1993 to 2000.{{Cite journal |date=1999 |title=Satoru Iwata – 1999 Developer Interview |journal=Used Games |language=ja}} ([http://shmuplations.com/iwata/ Translation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160712231245/http://shmuplations.com/iwata/|date=12 July 2016}}){{Cite news |last=Crimmins |first=Brian |date=21 November 2017 |title=Why Does HAL Laboratory Only Make Nintendo Games? |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/hal-laboratory-metal-slader-glory-nintendo-history/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902223438/https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/ne3mjd/hal-laboratory-metal-slader-glory-nintendo-history |archive-date=2 September 2018 |access-date=1 July 2018 |work=Waypoint |language=en-us}}

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.{{Cite web |date=17 April 2020 |title=Satoru Iwata Wasn't Hot on the Earthbound Creator's Logo for HAL Labs |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/satoru-iwata-earthbound-creator-shigesato-itoi-hal-40th-anniversary-interview |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401184409/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/satoru-iwata-earthbound-creator-shigesato-itoi-hal-40th-anniversary-interview |archive-date=1 April 2022 |access-date=17 April 2020 |publisher=USGamer.net}}{{Cite web |title=How Inutamago came to be |url=https://www.hallab.co.jp/eng/company/symbol/about/ |access-date=December 7, 2024 |website=HAL Laboratory|date=2 November 2020 }}

In August 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.{{Cite web |title=Iwata Asks: Kirby's Epic Yarn |url=https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-Kirby-s-Epic-Yarn/Iwata-Asks-Kirby-s-Epic-Yarn/4-Surprise-Fun-and-Warmth/4-Surprise-Fun-and-Warmth-207100.html |access-date=9 February 2020 |website=Nintendo of Europe GmbH |language=en-GB}}

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.siliconera.com/hal-labs-hal-egg-first-published-game-25-years/|title=HAL Labs, On HAL Egg And Their First Published Game In 25 Years|last=Wong|first=Alistair|date=November 19, 2017|website=Siliconera|access-date=December 6, 2024}} The first title released under the brand name was Part Time UFO.{{Cite web |last=Romano |first=Sal |date=22 August 2017 |title=HAL Laboratory launches smartphone game brand HAL Egg, first title due out this fall in Japan |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2017/08/hal-laboratory-launches-smartphone-game-brand-hal-egg-first-title-due-fall-japan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825004321/https://www.gematsu.com/2017/08/hal-laboratory-launches-smartphone-game-brand-hal-egg-first-title-due-fall-japan |archive-date=25 August 2017 |access-date=9 February 2020 |website=Gematsu |language=en-US}} The company released miniature versions of the MZ-80C and PC-8001 computers in October 2017 and October 2019, respectively.{{Cite web |title=社長の夢から生まれた1／4サイズのマイコン名機「PasocomMini MZ-80C」開発秘話と今後をハル研究所三津原社長に聞いた |url=https://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/13159850/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122223731/https://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/13159850/ |archive-date=22 January 2022 |access-date=3 May 2021}}{{Cite web |date=28 September 2019 |title=ハル研「PasocomMini PC-8001」の単体販売が決定 |url=https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1209656.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122223735/https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1209656.html |archive-date=22 January 2022 |access-date=3 May 2021}}

Games developed

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+ List of video games developed by HAL Laboratory

! scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Platform(s)

rowspan="3" |1984

|Pinball

|rowspan="5" |Nintendo Entertainment System

Golf

F1 Race

rowspan="3" |1985

|Mach Rider

Balloon Fight

Lot Lot

|Famicom

rowspan="2" |1986

|Othello

|Famicom Disk System, Nintendo Entertainment System

Gall Force: Eternal Story

| rowspan="4" |Famicom Disk System

rowspan="8" |1987

|Eggerland

Family Computer Golf: Japan Course

Family Computer Golf: U.S. Course

Joust

| rowspan="4" |Nintendo Entertainment System

Defender II

Air Fortress

Millipede

Tokoro-san no Mamoru mo Semeru mo

| rowspan="2" |Famicom

rowspan="8" |1988

| Satsui no Kaisou: Power Soft Renzoku Satsujin Jiken

Fire Bam

|Famicom Disk System

Jumbo Ozaki no Hole in One Professional

|Famicom

Vegas Dream

|Nintendo Entertainment System

Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally

|Famicom Disk System

Eggerland: Meikyū no Fukkatsu

|Famicom

Eggerland: Sōzō e no Tabidachi

|Famicom Disk System

Rollerball

| rowspan="2" |Nintendo Entertainment System

rowspan="4" |1989

|Adventures of Lolo (NES)

Revenge of the 'Gator

|rowspan="3" |Game Boy

Shanghai

Ghostbusters II

rowspan="6" |1990

|Adventures of Lolo (Famicom)

|Famicom

Adventures of Lolo 2 (NES)

|Nintendo Entertainment System

Uchūkeibitai SDF

|Famicom

Adventures of Lolo 3

|Nintendo Entertainment System

Adventures of Lolo 2 (Famicom)

|Famicom

New Ghostbusters II

|Nintendo Entertainment System

rowspan="5" |1991

|Trax

|Game Boy

HAL's Hole in One Golf

|Super NES

Metal Slader Glory

|Famicom

HyperZone

|Super NES

NES Open Tournament Golf

|Nintendo Entertainment System

rowspan="2" |1992

|Arcana

|Super NES

Kirby's Dream Land

|Game Boy

rowspan="4" |1993

|Vegas Stakes

|Super NES, Game Boy

Kirby's Adventure

|Nintendo Entertainment System

Kirby's Pinball Land

|Game Boy

Alcahest

|Super Famicom

rowspan="3" |1994

|Adventures of Lolo

|Game Boy

EarthBound{{efn|Co-developed with Ape}}

|rowspan="2" |Super NES

Kirby's Dream Course

rowspan="3" |1995

|Kirby's Avalanche{{efn|Co-developed with Compile|name=Compile}}

|Super NES

Kirby's Dream Land 2

|Game Boy

SimCity 2000

|rowspan="2" |Super NES

1996

|Kirby Super Star

rowspan="3" |1997

|Kirby's Star Stacker

|Game Boy, Super Famicom

Itoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1

|Super Famicom

Kirby's Dream Land 3

|Super NES

rowspan="3" | 1999

|Super Smash Bros.

|rowspan="2" |Nintendo 64

Pokémon Snap

Pokémon Pinball

|Game Boy Color

rowspan="4" | 2000

|SimCity 64

|Nintendo 64DD

Itoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1 Ketteihan!

|rowspan="2" |Nintendo 64

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

Metal Slader Glory: Director's Cut

|Super Famicom

2001

|Super Smash Bros. Melee

|GameCube

2002

|Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land

|Game Boy Advance

2003

|Kirby Air Ride

|GameCube

2004

|Kirby & the Amazing Mirror{{efn|Co-developed with Flagship|name=Flagship}}

|Game Boy Advance

2005

|Kirby Canvas Curse

|rowspan="2" |Nintendo DS

rowspan="4" |2006

|Pokémon Ranger{{efn|Co-developed with Creatures}}

Mother 3{{efn|Co-developed with Brownie Brown}}

|Game Boy Advance

Common Sense Training

|rowspan="2" |Nintendo DS

Kirby: Squeak Squad{{efn|name=Flagship}}

rowspan="2" |2008

|TV no Tomo Channel

|Wii

Kirby Super Star Ultra

|rowspan="2" |Nintendo DS

2009

|Picross 3D

rowspan="3" |2011

|Face Raiders

|Nintendo 3DS

Kirby Mass Attack

|Nintendo DS

Kirby's Return to Dream Land

|rowspan="2" |Wii

2012

|Kirby's Dream Collection

rowspan="3" |2014

|Kirby: Triple Deluxe

|rowspan="4" |Nintendo 3DS

Kirby Fighters Deluxe

Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe

rowspan="3" |2015

|BoxBoy!

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse

|Wii U

Picross 3D: Round 2

|rowspan="6" |Nintendo 3DS

rowspan="2" |2016

|BoxBoxBoy!

Kirby: Planet Robobot

rowspan="5" |2017

|Bye-Bye BoxBoy!

Team Kirby Clash Deluxe

Kirby's Blowout Blast

Part Time UFO

|iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch

Kirby Battle Royale

|Nintendo 3DS

2018

|Kirby Star Allies

|Rowspan="3" |Nintendo Switch

rowspan="3" |2019

|BoxBoy! + BoxGirl!

Super Kirby Clash{{efn|Co-developed with Vanpool|name=vanpool}}

Housuu de Shoubu! Kame Sanpo

|iOS, Android

2020

|Kirby Fighters 2{{efn|name=vanpool}}

|Nintendo Switch

rowspan="2" |2022

|Kirby and the Forgotten Land

|Nintendo Switch

Kirby's Dream Buffet

|rowspan="2" |Nintendo Switch

2023

|Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe{{efn|name=vanpool}}

2025

|Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World

|Nintendo Switch 2

=Cancelled games=

Kirby's Air Ride (Nintendo 64)
EarthBound 64 (Nintendo 64DD, Nintendo 64)
Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble 2 (GameCube)
Battland (Game Boy Advance){{Cite web|url=https://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/07/battland-gba-cancelled/|title=Battland [GBA – Cancelled]|date=April 7, 2008|website=Unseen64|access-date=December 16, 2024}}
Luna Blaze (Game Boy Advance){{Cite web|url=https://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/07/luna-blaze-gba-cancelled/|title=Luna Blaze [GBA – Cancelled]|date=April 7, 2008|website=Unseen64|access-date=December 16, 2024}}
Kirby for Nintendo GameCube (GameCube)

=Other systems=

==[[VIC-20]]==

Alien
Avenger (Space Invaders clone)
Jelly Monsters (Pac-Man clone)
Jupiter Lander (Lunar Lander clone)
Mole Attack
Money Wars
Pin Ball (Cutie Q clone)
Poker
Radar Rat Race (Rally-X clone)
Road Race (Night Driver clone)
Slot Machine
Star Battle (Galaxian clone programmed by Satoru Iwata; ex-CEO of Nintendo and HAL Laboratory)

==[[MAX Machine]]/[[Commodore 64]]==

Source:{{Cite web |date=26 November 2008 |title=The Ultimax Collection |url=http://rittwage.com/c64pp/dp.php?pg=ultimax |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012043622/http://rittwage.com/c64pp/dp.php?pg=ultimax |archive-date=12 October 2017 |access-date=19 May 2012 |website=Commodore 64 Preservation Project}}