HAL Laboratory News Articles
Friday6th Jul 2018
News Adeleine And Ribbon Are the Newest Dream Friend In Kirby Star Allies
Update goes live later this month
A couple days ago, we shared an image that had popped up on Twitter showcasing a silhouette of the next Dream Friend that would be coming to Kirby Star Allies this summer. There were plenty of good guesses, although it seemed all too likely that this would be a “Jigglypuff, viewed form above” bait and switch...
Wednesday27th Jun 2018
News Three Kirby Soundtracks Are Now Available For Streaming
Take your pick
Over it’s multi-decade run, the Kirby series has accrued quite a collection of memorable tunes, many of which get revisited time and again in latter releases. Indeed, there’s a certain kind of wondrous playfulness to much of Kirby’s music; there’s nothing else out there quite like it. In celebration of this long musical...
Wednesday15th Nov 2017
Video BOXBOY! Trailer Hints At Possible New Title
An all-new Switch release, or a collection of previous games?
BOXBOY! studio HAL Laboratory has published a video which hints that the series will continue. The video - shown above - ends with a graphics that says "To be continued". Box Boy! was something of a sleep hit on the 3DS eShop and the character was popular enough to gets his own amiibo...
Tuesday22nd Aug 2017
News HAL Laboratory Opens HAL Egg, a Mobile Game Development Branch
And no, they aren't making a Kirby game yet
HAL Laboratory is a studio that is primarily known for one thing: Kirby. The series has arguably never been doing better, and with a new Kirby game due out on Switch next year, one would think that the company would be focusing all its resources on the super tuff pink puff, but a new announcement today has...
Wednesday10th May 2017
News Kirby Director Shares a Few Words on the Series’ 25th Anniversary
Happy birthday, Kirby!
It’s hard to believe, but this year marks the 25th anniversary of the Kirby franchise. The super tough pink puff has arguably proved himself to be Nintendo’s most flexible character yet, showing up in spinoffs spanning a wide variety of genres over the years. His latest game—Kirby: Planet Robobot—was pretty darned...
Friday21st Apr 2017
News Satoshi Ishida Hints at the Upcoming Kirby Multiplayer Game
An action fighting game?
Kirby: Planet Robobot was a standout release on the 3DS last year, polishing the gameplay of Kirby: Triple Deluxe even further while adding in some interesting new elements. As per series tradition, Planet Robobot also had some fun minigames that offered something a bit different form the core gameplay, and both are being...
Thursday13th Apr 2017
News BYE-BYE BOXBOY! Says Farewell to the Trilogy in North America
Series trilogy demo now available on the Nintendo 3DS eShop
The BoxBoy! trilogy says its final goodbye as BYE-BYE BOXBOY! is now available in North America on the Nintendo 3DS eShop; it arrived in Europe in late March. Featuring creative new puzzles and gameplay mechanics, this one has HAL Laboratory put in all of its creativity into this last game...
News New Kirby Titles Releasing In Honor Of 25th Anniversary
You're going to need to bring some friends
Today on the Nintendo Direct showcasing 3DS and Nintendo Switch titles, not one, not two, but three new Kirby titles were announced for the Nintendo 3DS. Retaining the stereotype that Nintendo likes to mark the end of its console support with a multitude of Kirby titles. The first of which is releasing...
Wednesday22nd Mar 2017
Video This BYE-BYE BOXBOY! Overview Trailer Shows Off the Clever Puzzles and Cuteness
One final unboxing
HAL Laboratory may be best known for the Kirby series, but it's a studio more than capable of applying its sense of whimsy to new ideas. The BOXBOY! series has done just that, and the third entry - BYE-BYE BOXBOY! - is now right around the corner in PAL territories. Out this week on the eShop (priced £4.49 / €4.99), the new...
Friday20th Jan 2017
News Goodbye! BOXBOY! Has Some Lovely Kirby-Related amiibo Support
A Game Boy screen filter, too
Slowly and surely, heading towards its third release in Japan, HAL Laboratory's BOXBOY! series continues to gain fans and momentum. Though a Western release is yet to be confirmed, early February will see the release of Goodbye! BOXBOY! in Japan, known locally as Sayonara! BOXBOY!, with a physical retail edition on the...
Tuesday6th Dec 2016
News Goodbye! BOXBOY! Has Been Announced for Nintendo 3DS
New Qbby amiibo will be sold alongside a collector's edition
A side project from HAL Laboratory, of Kirby fame, the BOXBOY! games have been a nice puzzle-platforming addition to the 3DS eShop, offering a diverse array of thought provoking levels. So far, we've gotten BOXBOY! and its follow up, BOXBOXBOY!, and now it's been announced that HAL will be...
Thursday8th Sep 2016
News Kirby: Planet Robobot Director Discusses How Copy Abilities Are Chosen
Balancing is key
Though the Kirby series is well known for branching out frequently into new and different gameplay styles, the core platforming series still firmly remains centered around Kirby's cope abilities. Ever since Kirby's Adventure, dozens of copy abilities have made their debut, though many have a tendency to disappear for a few games...
Wednesday22nd Jun 2016
Video Nintendo Opts for a Scientific Approach to Promote Kirby: Planet Robobot, Sort Of
The latest effort under the 'Play Nintendo' banner
Play Nintendo, the Nintendo of America promotional channel setup to grab the interest of young gamers and their parents, has published its latest quirky video - this time it's advertising Kirby: Planet Robobot. It adopts a 'quirky scientist' vibe, with a father and son doing their best Albert...
Wednesday15th Jun 2016
E3 2016 BOXBOXBOY! is Coming to the 3DS eShop on 30th June
No longer boxed into the Japanese eShop
During the Nintendo Treehouse live stream from E3 we got a good look at BOXBOXBOY!, the sequel to the rather charming BOXBOY!. This HAL Laboratory follow-up has been available in Japan for a little while, so fans of the original will no doubt be glad to see it roll out in the West - it's coming to both Europe...
Monday13th Jun 2016
News Kirby: Planet Robobot Transforms Into Top 20 Title in UK Charts
Yo-kai Watch clings on to top 40 spot
We're big fans of Kirby: Planet Robobot, the 3DS sequel that ups the ante on its original and introduces clever ideas to a classic formula. Since its launch it appears to have had a reasonable sales start in the UK, too, securing chart placings similar to its predecessor - Kirby: Triple Deluxe. It its first...
Wednesday8th Jun 2016
News Kirby: Planet Robobot Passes 300,000 Sales in Japan's Media Create Results
It was a quiet week in Japan
We're a little later than normal with the Media Create chart results this week, for elaborate reasons. Well, ok, we were distracted and forgot them, and the results reflect a rather unremarkable period in Japan regardless. Dragon Quest Heroes II remains at numbers one, two and three, which is just greedy. On the plus...
Thursday26th May 2016
Video Gear Up for Kirby: Planet Robobot With This Extended Overview Trailer
See more of the abilities, minigames and amiibo features
Kirby: Planet Robobot isn't out in the West until 10th June, but Nintendo is wasting little time in promoting the 3DS sequel to fans. The review embargo was surprisingly early, which gave us a chance to share how much we love it, and the online marketing campaign is picking up pace. Following...
Wednesday25th May 2016
News Kirby: Planet Robobot Continues Its Decent Sales in Japan
A quiet week sees a small gain in Wii U sales
The Japanese Media Create chart results are out, and this week isn't short of new releases - notably, however, some titles that are major names in the West have only made a modest impression in Japan. Kirby: Planet Robobot is still the best-placed game on Nintendo hardware, showing solid momentum in...
Thursday19th May 2016
Video Get Geared Up for Kirby: Planet Robobot With This Overview Trailer
It has Kirby in a mech, what more could you want?
Kirby: Planet Robobot could, based on our time with it so far, be a bit of a gem for the 3DS this year. Announced rather out of the blue (or pink?) in March, it sees the pink one take on mechanised foes that are disrupting his all-important nap time. Nintendo has been getting to work early with...
Wednesday18th May 2016
Random Solving The Mystery of the Super Smash Bros. Melee Lost Stage
The Game Theorists channel goes down the rabbit hole
Game development produces a lot of code and content that's ultimately left unused, eagerly found by fans that are determined enough to uncover such secrets. One example is a 'lost' - or test - stage in Super Smash Bros. Melee, which is hidden away in the game's code and features a crude set of...
Tuesday3rd May 2016
Video Fans Recreate Super Smash Bros. Melee's Opening
Retuning the nostalgia chords
It's often touted that the opening video to Super Smash Bros. Melee for the Nintendo GameCube is one of the greatest video game intros that Nintendo has produced. It was a video that set the scene for the excitement to come, all the while showcasing the all-star cast that Nintendo had to offer. It's even often used as a...
Thursday3rd Mar 2016
News Kirby Is Taking A Trip To Planet Robobot This June
Complete with amiibo support
During today's Nintendo Direct broadcast it was confirmed that Kirby is getting another outing on 3DS in the shape of Kirby: Planet Robobot. The title retains the 2.5D look of Kirby: Triple Deluxe, but adds mechs to the mix. It also comes with a special Team Kirby Clash mode: Invaders have mechanized Dream Land. To...
Wednesday6th Jan 2016
News BOXBOY! is Getting a Sequel
It's time for round two
Many of you will no doubt remember BOXBOY!, a quirky puzzle platformer from HAL Laboratories that came out last spring. We gave it a 6/10, noting that it's a solid game, but it plays things a little too safe. Nonetheless, it apparently was a fairly popular title, as Nintendo has just announced a sequel. The new game will be...
Monday7th Dec 2015
News Shinya Kumazaki Commemorates Kirby's 23rd Birthday on Miiverse
Claims his favorite spin-off game is Kirby Air Ride
Kirby is one of Nintendo's most beloved characters, having appeared in numerous games since his debut in 1992. While the super tough pink puff stars in his own series of mainstream platformers, Kirby is arguably most notable for how much experimentation he's been subject to. Kirby games are known...
Friday6th Nov 2015
News 1993 Kirby's Adventure Interview Reveals Cut Content, Alternative Names And Why Kirby Is Pink
"Normally a character like Kirby would have been yellow"
Kirby is now a firmly-established member in Nintendo's vast catalogue of intellectual properties, but back in 1993 he was very much a newcomer looking to prove himself - as this fascinating interview from the period attests. Freshly translated by Shumplations.com, the feature originally...
Friday8th May 2015
Out Now Kirby And The Rainbow Paintbrush
The drawn out release is here!
As you may have noticed we've been going kooky for Kirby this week, as the round, pink protagonist's latest adventure, Kirby And The Rainbow Paintbrush, has finally come to European shores. It's been a few months since the game's North American release, so you may already know quite a bit about it, a game we called "a...
Wednesday6th May 2015
Video Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush Launch Trailer Brings a Colourful Clay Overload
Finally arrives in PAL territories this week
Gamers in North America have been able to tackle Kirby and the Rainbow Curse on the Wii U for some time, wearing out GamePad touch screens in the latest HAL title starring the pink puffball. Its journey to PAL regions - as Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush - has taken longer, but it's finally due this week...
Tuesday28th Apr 2015
Weirdness Care for Your Own Virtual King Dedede
And pick up his royal poops
Remember Tamagotchi, the virtual pet on a keychain you could take care of until it died either through neglect or being sent through the wash? Artist Paperbeatsscissors has brought back all the fun in browser-based form, and with everybody's favourite stretchy, penguinny dictator! It's enough to fill that King Dedede...
Thursday2nd Apr 2015
News HAL's 3DS Puzzle Platformer BOXBOY! Will Be Available To Download Today
Announced during yesterday's Nintendo Direct
HAL Laboratory's retro-themed puzzle platformer BOXBOY! will be available for download on the North American and European 3DS eShops today. Announced during yesterday's Nintendo Direct, the game tasks you with guiding a box-like character through increasingly tricky levels, using his ability to generate...
Wednesday11th Mar 2015
News Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush to Roll Into Europe on 8th May
A little earlier than expected
Update: Also arrives in Australia and New Zealand on 9th May. Original Article: Kirby and the Rainbow Curse has been out in North America since 20th February, providing Wii U gamers in the region with their first major retail release on the home console of 2015. Until now gamers in Europe were simply told it was...
