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HAL Laboratory

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HAL Laboratory logo.png
The current company logo, depicting a dog incubating several eggs.

HAL Laboratory, Inc. (also known as HAL Labs and previously HALKEN) is a Japanese subsidiary of Nintendo that was originally formed from a small group of friends who shared the desire to create video games. [citation needed]

The corporate logo & symbol, Inutamago[1] (Japanese: 犬たまご "Dog Eggs") depicts a dog similar to a dachshund incubating several eggs. According to a 2003 Nintendo Power interview about Kirby Air Ride, producer Masayoshi Tanimura notes that the dog (referred to as the Dream Hatcher) is a fictional creation and that the team do not think of the dog as a dachshund. Tanimura explains that the logo represents deep thought into "incubating completely new ideas that eventually hatch into incredibly fun games".[2] Inutamago has become the symbol of HAL Laboratory since December, 1998.

Among the assembly who created HAL Laboratory is Satoru Iwata, the former president of Nintendo of Japan. HAL Laboratory's overall status is similar to Intelligent Systems, in that they are both a branch of Nintendo, and both create video games only for Nintendo. Among their many creations are the Kirby series and Super Smash Bros. series.

HAL Laboratory are not to be confused with HAL Corporation, a company that split apart from HAL Laboratory after a financial crisis. The result was that HAL Laboratory became a branch of Nintendo and HAL Corporation eventually closed in 2002. HAL Corporation worked on various games such as HAL Wrestling and Eggerland for Windows computers.[3]

Video Game Series Produced by HAL

Notable video game series produced by HAL include:

HAL was also involved in the creation and/or localization of EarthBound, Sim City 2000, various Pokémon spin-off titles, and others. They have also worked on hardware for Nintendo, including for their most recent console, the Nintendo Switch.

Staff works for HAL (past and present)

Presidents

The following people are past and present Presidents of HAL Laboratory.[4]

Key Creators

Composers

Trivia

  • The name "HAL" is used because each letter is one before those of IBM. This in turn was based off the fictional HAL 9000 computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
    • Additionally, the sentient computer Star Dream from Kirby: Planet Robobot bears a striking resemblance to the HAL 9000, including its 'cold' single eye, its style of speaking, and its role as a villain.
  • In some Kirby games, hidden HAL Rooms can be found.
    • The Japanese pronunciation of HAL (ハル) can be separated into 8 (ハ) and 6 (ル). Some HAL Rooms can only be entered if the unknown reader waits in a certain area for 86 seconds.
  • The Halberd, Halcandra, President Haltmann and his Haltmann Works Company may be named after HAL Laboratory.
  • In the Japanese version of Kirby Star Allies, the following places and characters may also be references to HAL.
    • The fortress, Jambastion, is called ジャマハルダ (Jamahalda).
    • The Staff ability enemy, Jammerjab, is called ジャハルビート (Jahalbeat).
    • Weaponless Jammerjab counterpart is called ジャハルビリーバ (Jahalbeliever).
    • The base, Jambandra, is called マジュハルガロア (Majuhalgaroa). The HAL letters can also be found on the surface of Jambandra.

External links

References