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The best HAL Laboratory games

The 16 best games from HAL Laboratory, ranked from 4,467 critic and player ratings.

The best HAL Laboratory game is EarthBound, with a critic score of 93/100. Updated November 2026.

Ranked releases span 1985 to 2022.
Average critic score across the 16 ranked games: 77/100.
4,467 critic and player ratings behind this ranking.

How this ranking is built

Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
Release window covered: 1970 to 2026.
16 games are listed on this page, carrying 4,467 ratings between them.
Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 13 November 2026.

Top 16

Played them? Give your tier with the + next to each game. No account needed to try — create one to keep your tiers.

C EarthBound 1994 · 577 ratings · 2 Tier votes A turn-based JRPG and sequel to then-Japan-only Earthbound Beginnings (1989) in which Ness, a young boy living in a land based on the USA, leaves home to go on an adventure through strange locations, get to know quirky characters and defeat an unknowable alien threat called Giygas while facing up to the realities of growing up and becoming familiar with the real world. 93 /100

Super Smash Bros. Melee 2001 · 1,115 ratings Super Smash Bros. Melee is the second installment in the Super Smash Bros. series and the follow-up to the Nintendo 64 title. It includes all playable characters from the first game, and also adds characters from franchises such as Fire Emblem, of which no games had been released outside Japan at the time. Super Smash Bros. Melee builds on the first game by adding new gameplay features and playable characters: it's major focus is the multiplayer mode, while still offering a number of single-player modes. 92 /100

C Super Smash Bros. Brawl 2008 · 602 ratings · 1 Tier vote Super Smash Bros. Brawl is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series and the follow-up to Super Smash Bros. Melee. This edition introduces super attacks referred to as final smashes, as well as a brand-new adventure mode in The Subspace Emissary which is a side-scrolling adventure in the style of a platformer. It retains all basic mechanics of the Super Smash Bros. series, such as a damage meter, stocks, and Smash-style attacks. 91 /100

Super Smash Bros. 1999 · 476 ratings Super Smash Bros. is a crossover fighting video game between several different Nintendo franchises, and the first installment in the Super Smash Bros. series. Players must defeat their opponents multiple times in a fighting frenzy of items and power-ups. Super Smash Bros. is a departure from the general genre of fighting games: instead of depleting an opponent's life bar, the players seek to knock opposing characters off a stage. Each player has a damage total, represented by a percentage, which rises as the damage is taken. 88 /100

Kirby and the Forgotten Land 2022 · 100 ratings Join Kirby in an unforgettable journey through a mysterious world in a delightful 3D platforming adventure. Take control of the powerful pink puffball, Kirby, and move around freely in 3D stages as you discover a mysterious world with abandoned structures from a past civilization - like a shopping mall?! Copy enemies’ abilities like Sword and Ice and use them to attack and explore your surroundings! What journey awaits Kirby? Take a deep breath and get ready for an unforgettable adventure! 88 /100

Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land 2002 · 108 ratings A remake of the original Kirby's Adventure for the NES. 81 /100

Kirby & the Amazing Mirror 2004 · 112 ratings Once again, Kirby must save the kingdom from evil. But this time he'll need some backup. As Kirby, you can call up one of four alter egos for help during your quest. Each character features new copy abilities that range from arrow-shooting to melee moves. Practice your skills in new side games, such as Crackity Hack and Speed Eaters. In addition to new abilities and subgames, Kirby & the Amazing Mirror also introduces new multiplayer modes. 80 /100

Kirby Super Star (1996) 1996 · 140 ratings Kirby Super Star, released as Kirby's Fun Pak in PAL regions, is a platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo. The game was advertised as featuring eight games: seven short subsections with the same basic gameplay, and two minigames. Kirby Super Star sees players take on the role of Kirby, who can float around the screen, inhale blocks and enemies and spit them out. By swallowing certain enemies after inhaling them, Kirby can copy their abilities and use them as his own, becoming able to perform a wide range of attacks. A unique feature of the game is the addition of helpers. When Kirby is in possession of an ability, he can choose to transform it into a helper character which can be controlled by a second player or the computer AI. 80 /100

Pokémon Snap 1999 · 255 ratings Traverse various areas and take photographs of different types of Pokémon by discovering their secrets. Capture the perfect frame to gain bonus points from Professor Oak in order to unlock helpful items and locate and photograph the elusive Mew, a legendary Pokémon whose existence has never been recorded. 77 /100

Kirby Super Star Ultra 2008 · 90 ratings Kirby Super Star Ultra for the Nintendo DS re-imagines one of the most beloved Kirby games of all time. The game features new graphics and fully rendered animated cut scenes. With so many adventures waiting to be unlocked, there will never be a dull moment as Kirby runs, floats, copies enemies and uses Helpers to fight King Dedede and Meta Knight. New modes like Revenge of the King and Meta Knight Ultra await, along with classics like The Great Cave Offensive and Milky Way Wishes. On top of the main modes, there are also three new touch-screen-controlled mini-games that can be played with up to three friends via DS Download Play. Not only that, but players can go on Kirby adventures with a friend via local wireless as well. 77 /100

Kirby: Star Allies 2018 · 80 ratings 74 /100

SimCity 2000 1993 · 213 ratings 71 /100

Balloon Fight (1985) 1985 · 114 ratings 69 /100

B Kirby's Adventure 1993 · 203 ratings · 1 Tier vote 60 /100

Pokémon Stadium 2 2000 · 181 ratings 60 /100

Pokémon Ranger 2006 · 101 ratings 55 /100

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What is the best HAL Laboratory game?

EarthBound currently tops the ranking with a score of 93/100 across 577 ratings. Ranking updated November 2026.

How is this ranking built?

Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.

The best HAL Laboratory games

How this ranking is built

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