Additive manufacturing (AM), i.e. 3D printing technology, is a rapid prototyping method (RP) developed in the 1980s, by which some complex structures can be efficiently manufactured. It also provides a platform for the development of complex geometrics, and is instrumental in cost-savings and time-savings of the production. Energy-absorbing materials and structures are used to absorb energy in collisions and to minimize the damage of the impact target, and their geometries are becoming increasingly complicated in order to achieve higher performances. Therefore, novel energy absorbers usually need the AM technology to produce. Meanwhile, their developments have received extensive attention in many research fields, as nearly all major industries are enjoying the benefits of them. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of new energy absorbers characterized by cellular structures, which includes introductions of various lattice morphologies, design methods and the additive manufacturing technologies they used, supplemented by the summarization of advantages, challenges and the application prospect of the structure.