formerly shortened as HALKEN, is a Japanese video game developer based in Nakano, Nakano, Tokyo, with an additional office in Kai, Yamanashi. It was founded on February 21, 1980 by Mitsuhiro Ikeda. The company is best known for the Kirby series, but also worked on the Mother and Super Smash Bros. series. The company, which started out developing games for home computers, has been a partner with Nintendo since 1984.
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 interview, he said the company was named HAL because "each letter put [them] 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 (Jelly Monsters) 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. (HAI), 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 Mother 2.
The company's current logo, Inutamago (literally "dog egg"), 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 editor, 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, 1-Up Studio, and Game Freak. At this point, HAL had just under 200 employees.
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.
On September 9, 2026, HAL left the Nintendo Tokyo building and moved their headquarters and Tokyo development base to Nakano.
Games
+ List of video games developed and/or published by HAL Laboratory Year Title Platform(s)1981Heiankyo Alien PC-8001Avenger (Space Invaders clone)VIC-20, Commodore 64Jelly Monsters (Pac-Man clone)VIC-20Jupiter Lander (Lunar Lander clone)VIC-20, Commodore 64Mole AttackPokerRadar Rat Race (Rally-X clone)Road Race (Night Driver clone)Star Battle (Galaxian clone)VIC-201982Kick ManCommodore 64Omega RacePinball SpectacularVIC-20, Commodore 64Money WarsLemansCommodore 641983BowlingClownsGorfSki (aka Slalom)BilliardsMSXButamaru PantsDragon AttackFruit SearchHeavy BoxingPicture PuzzleSpace Maze AttackSpace Trouble Step UpSuper SnakeSuper Billiards1984BalanceRollerballHole in OneMr. ChingPinballNintendo Entertainment SystemGolf F1 Race1985Mach RiderBalloon FightCue StarMSXEggerland MysteryKaramaru's Strange TripSwimming TangoTetsumanLot LotFamicom1986DunkshotMSXEggerland 2MSXGall Force: Defense of ChaosMSXGall Force: Eternal StoryFamicom Disk SystemHole in One ProfessionalMSXInspecteur ZMobile Planet StilsOthelloFamicom Disk System, Nintendo Entertainment System1987EggerlandFamicom Disk SystemFamily Computer Golf: Japan CourseFamily Computer Golf: U.S. CourseJoustNintendo Entertainment SystemDefender IIAir FortressMillipedeHole in One SpecialMSXNinja-Kid IIMSXTokoro-san no Mamoru mo Semeru moFamicomZukkoke Yajikita OnmitsudoutyuuMSX21988 Satsui no Kaisou: Power Soft Renzoku Satsujin JikenFamicomFire BamFamicom Disk SystemJumbo Ozaki no Hole in One ProfessionalFamicomVegas DreamNintendo Entertainment SystemFamicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot RallyFamicom Disk SystemEggerland: Meikyū no FukkatsuFamicomEggerland: Sōzō e no TabidachiFamicom Disk SystemTashiro Masashi no Princess ga IppaiMSXRollerballNintendo Entertainment System1989Adventures of Lolo (NES)MotherFamicomPachipro DensetsuMSXRevenge of the 'GatorGame BoyShanghaiGozonji Yajikita ChindochuFamicom1990Adventures of Lolo 2 (NES)Nintendo Entertainment SystemUchūkeibitai SDFFamicom HAL WrestlingGame BoyAdventures of Lolo 3Nintendo Entertainment SystemAdventures of Lolo 2 (Famicom)FamicomNew Ghostbusters IINintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy1991TraxGame BoyHAL's Hole in One GolfSuper NESKabuki: Quantum FighterNintendo Entertainment SystemMetal Slader GloryFamicomHyperZoneSuper NESNES Open Tournament GolfNintendo Entertainment System1992ArcanaSuper NESDay Dreamin' DaveyNintendo Entertainment SystemNCAA BasketballSuper NESKirby's Dream LandGame Boy1993Vegas StakesSuper NES, Game BoyKirby's AdventureNintendo Entertainment SystemKirby's Pinball LandGame BoyAlcahestSuper Famicom1994Adventures of LoloGame BoyEarthBoundSuper NESKirby's Dream Course1995Kirby's AvalancheKirby's Dream Land 2Game BoySimCity 2000Super NES1996Kirby's Toy BoxSuper Famicom (Satellaview)Kirby Super StarSuper NESEggerland Episode 0: Quest of LalaWindowsEggerland for Windows 95Special Tee ShotSuper Famicom (Satellaview)1997Kirby's Star StackerGame Boy, Super FamicomItoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1Super FamicomKirby's Dream Land 3Super NES 1999Super Smash Bros.Nintendo 64Pokémon SnapPokémon PinballGame Boy ColorMingle MagnetWonderSwan 2000SimCity 6464DDItoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1 Ketteihan!Nintendo 64Kirby 64: The Crystal ShardsMetal Slader Glory: Director's CutSuper Famicom2001Super Smash Bros. MeleeGameCube2002Kirby: Nightmare in Dream LandGame Boy Advance2003Kirby Air RideGameCube2004Kirby & the Amazing MirrorGame Boy Advance2005Kirby Canvas CurseNintendo DS2006Pokémon RangerMother 3Game Boy AdvanceCommon Sense TrainingNintendo DSKirby: Squeak Squad2008Minna no Joshikiryoku TVWiiKirby Super Star UltraNintendo DS2009Picross 3D2010Face Pilot: Fly with your Nintendo DSi Camera!Nintendo DSi2011Face RaidersNintendo 3DSAR GamesKirby Mass AttackNintendo DSKirby's Return to Dream LandWii2012Kirby's Dream Collection2014Kirby: Triple DeluxeNintendo 3DSKirby Fighters DeluxeDedede's Drum Dash Deluxe2015BoxBoy!Kirby and the Rainbow CurseWii UPicross 3D: Round 2Nintendo 3DS2016BoxBoxBoy!Kirby: Planet Robobot2017Bye-Bye BoxBoy!Team Kirby Clash DeluxeKirby's Blowout BlastPart Time UFOiOS, Android, Nintendo SwitchKirby Battle RoyaleNintendo 3DS2018Kirby Star AlliesNintendo Switch2019BoxBoy! + BoxGirl!Super Kirby ClashHousuu de Shoubu! Kame SanpoiOS, Android 2020Kirby Fighters 2Nintendo SwitchPart Time UFO2022Kirby and the Forgotten LandNintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2Kirby's Dream BuffetNintendo Switch2023Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe2025Kirby and the Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed WorldNintendo Switch 22027Kirby and the World Beyond
Cancelled games Kirby's Air Ride (Nintendo 64) EarthBound 64 (64DD, Nintendo 64) Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble 2 (GameCube) Battland (Game Boy Advance) Luna Blaze (Game Boy Advance) Kirby for Nintendo GameCube (GameCube)
Software
MAX BASIC Mii Studio for Wii U Mini BASIC Music Composer Music Machine My Nintendo 3DS & Wii U Memories Nintendo 3DS Electronic Manual Nintendo 3DS Internet Browser Nintendo eShop (Nintendo Switch) Nintendo Switch Web Browser Nintendo Switch Mii creation and management software Sysdolphin TV no Tomo Channel Welwalk WW-2000 (user interface) Wii U Electronic Manual Wii U Internet Browser
Hardware
BoxBoy! amiibo series CAT trackball GSX-8800 sound board HAL Catch HALFAX-9600/9600EX HAL Mouse Pocket HALNote HALScan