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HAL Laboratory, Inc.,[b] formerly shortened asHALKEN, is a Japanesevideo game developer based inChiyoda, Tokyo. It was founded on February 21, 1980 by Mitsuhiro Ikeda. The company started out developing games forhome computers of the era, but has since established a strong relationship withNintendo, and is often referred to as asecond-party developer.[4] In 1991, a second office inKai, Yamanashi was established.[5] The company is best known for its work on theKirby andMother series, and the first twoSuper Smash Bros. games.
Its logo, Inutamago,[c] which depicts a dog incubating eggs, is meant to represent "an unexpected bond [...] one that brings the birth of something new."
HAL Laboratory was founded on February 21, 1980, and originally developed games for home computers, such as theMSX andVIC-20.[6] There have been conflicting claims on the origin of the company's name. During aGDC 2005 keynote,Satoru Iwata stated that HAL was named after the computer from2001: A Space Odyssey.[7] However, in a 2012Iwata Asks interview, he said the company was named HAL because "each letter put [them] one step ahead ofIBM."[8]
In 1984, the company began its business relationship withNintendo. HAL assisted in the development of first-partyFamicom games such asPinball andGolf, while also creating original titles such asF1 Race.[7] 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 inBeaverton, Oregon, USA.[9]
In 1992, following the protracted development ofMetal Slader Glory, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. Nintendo offered to rescue HAL on the condition thatSatoru Iwata were to be appointed its president, a role he took from 1993 to 2000.[10][11]
The company's current logo, Inutamago, was created in 1998 byShigesato Itoi. The imagery is meant to represent "an unexpected bond [...] one that brings the birth of something new". Reception was reportedly lukewarm at first.[12][13]
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.[15] The first title released under the brand name wasPart Time UFO.[16] The company released miniature versions of theMZ-80C andPC-8001 computers in October 2017 and October 2019, respectively.[17][18]
