This year marks the 40th anniversary of the creation of HAL Laboratory, a Japanese game development studio which has been closely affiliated with Nintendo for decades.
The exact date for the 40th anniversary was actually just three days ago; originally founded on 21st February 1980, the studio is perhaps best known for the Kirby series, Mother (or EarthBound), and Super Smash Bros., as well as that glorious dog and egg logo, of course.
As well as the video above, showing off a lovely piece of celebratory art, a new website has appeared which invites you on a journey through the company's history and a new code has been shared for Super Kirby Clash.
Speaking of its history, the studio has also worked on a number of Pokémon titles - including the likes of Pokémon Snap and Pokémon Stadium on N64 - and even the Face Raiders app on 3DS. It also developed 3DS puzzler BOXBOY!, resulting in this celebratory artwork which adorably replaces the logo's eggs with characters from the game.
Congrats, HAL! Here's to another 40 years...
[source gonintendo.com]
Comments 21
Happy Birthday HAL.
You may be named after a fictional computer that killed of an entire spaceship crew yet unlike the computer, you made many games.
That whiteboard illustration is just fantastic, and it's full of smaller things they've worked on.
Stuff like Revenge of the Gator on the Game Boy, their Part Time UFO Mobile game, their old HAL KEN logo, and even Escargoon tucked away in the corner.
I don't think I can see anything representing Ghostbusters 2 on the Famicom though. They developed a separate title for Ghostbusters 2, entirely separate from the western-developed NES title.
Congrats, HAL!
Now about that western release for Mother 3...
@ryancraddock There's one little thing I'm missing in your article: HAL Laboratory also offered an in-game password, which grants users a range of free stuff in Super Kirby clash:
http://static.n1ntendo.nl/file/misc/N1ntendoInsOuts/144.jpg
So, you might wanna add that...
@ThanosReXXX Yup, I was just digging out our old guide for passwords to add it in - it's all been updated now 🙂
I think a good way to celebrate would be to put Earthbound on the Online SNES downloads
Congratulations!
Lovely art, which reminds me that I'd love to see a new Adventures of Lolo game!
I love Hal. I mean... just look at that logo! <3
Happy Birthday HAL!
@Kawaiipikachu The name is actually a play off the name of the computer company IBM.
The idea is that each letter within HAL's name puts themselves ahead of IBM.
H > I, A > B, L > M.
Happy 40th Anniversary HAL.
@RupeeClock I also don't see anything for Day Dreaming Davey.
On a side note, I love the use of Kirby emoticons as the tagline. What better way to celebrate HAL's 40th anniversary than to have Kirby doing a victory dance?
I think we should thank Sakurai on this anniversary. His contributions, along with Iwata's, put HAL on the map.
Nice subtitle for the article
Happy 40th, HAL! I've enjoyed many of their games and am a newer casual fan of a certain pink eating machine.
Happy 40th Anniversary, Hal Laboratories! Everytime I beat Kirby's Adventure, and look through the credits, or when I think of the openings for Super Smash Bros., & Melee. Awesome stuff!
@Kawaiipikachu That or "we are 1 step ahead of (by being 1 letter before) IBM." H < I, A < B, L < M
The loveliest of Nintendo’s studios!
How bout celebrating by dropping some HAL classics in the eshop?? 😊
they also made pokemon ranger
40 Years! Happy Birthday!
Look at all these references! Revenge of the Gator, Adventures of Lolo, BOXBOY + BOXGIRL, Marx and Magolor, even Ness made the cut! <3 (though I always check for Adeleine).
What a great company! I wish they'd release a collection of their greatest hits and old forgotten classics, and MOTHER 1+2+3 in the west, but since it's their birthday it's their time for a wish.
Did Escargoon ever appear in an actual Kirby game? I haven't played every single Kirby game, so I always wondered if he and the two kids were ever featured outside of the Kirby: Right Back At Ya! tv show. I enjoyed the series, I watched it when it was released as the free download streaming app Kirby TV Channel for Wii.
Happy birthday HAL! Lets hope they move away from free-to-play Kirby's and deliver a big strong new Kirby on Switch!
Tap here to load 21 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...