Some of Nintendo's most prestigious celebrities, some with origins in this study, congratulate HAL after four decades in the industry.
Last February marked 40 years since the creators of one of the most popular characters in Nintendo history, Kirby, launched their career. We are talking about HAL Laboratory, a study based in Tokyo of just over 100 employees and whose anniversary have been congratulated by some of the most renowned creatives, such as Shigeru Miyamoto, Masahiro Sakurai or Junichi Masuda.
Nintendo legends congratulate HAL
All of them, and some others, have written extensive lines in the Japanese magazine Famitsu, translated by Nintendo Everything. “HAL was created when I was still developing Donkey Kong. Many of the people there have interesting development techniques, and each one makes them unique, ”recalls Miyamoto, a true video game legend. "It was fun working with them to create new things and make use of physics as well as programming techniques." It is in this text that he remembers Iwata as we saw the other day, acknowledging that he remembers him very often. “I realize that I talk a lot about Iwata, but his achievements are then still felt in the games that HAL is developing, and in Kirby's role outside of his own game. I hope that HAL's success continues and we can celebrate another 40 years. ”
Masahiro Sakurai, creator not only of Super Smash Bros, but also of Kirby, remembers them with longing, and his career consequently began in HAL. "When I started working there the company was already 10 years old," recalls Sakurai. “I remember the most veterans going on a trip to Saipan Island to celebrate the tenth anniversary, and I suppose that all those people I worked with have changed a lot. Even though I left the studio, I have continued to work with Kirby while developing Super Smash Bros, and I still enjoy it. ”
Junichi Masuda, director of Game Freak, creators of the Pokémon saga in video games, also wanted to join the congratulations. "HAL has been helping us with development equipment and tools since the early days of Pokémon, and in 1999 we worked together to make great games like Pokémon Snap and Super Smash Bros 64," says Masuda. “The Kirby series also has many fans, and in addition to its games, it expands with its music tour, coffee shops and other unique events. As always, I hope HAL continues to make fun games, and I wish you, once again, congratulations on your 40th anniversary. ”
It is also a good time to remember the story of the Kirby man, from the lawyer John Kirby, who defended Nintendo eight years earlier in a lawsuit against Universal Studios for an alleged copyright infringement case.
