Old gaming ads seem to be making a comeback. Just last week, we were seeing a lot of love for a David Fincher Xbox advert that rekindles an early 2000s feel. Now Nintendo is going further back with Switch 2 advert that references a spot it ran all of 34 years ago.
In what might seem like an obscure reference to anyone who doesn't remember the Paul Rudd Super Nintendo commercial from 1991, the new Switch 2 ad brings back the actor back for a reprise – and this time he gets a speaking role.
The Switch 2 ad showcases the new console's GameChat feature, which allows voice chat during games. Rudd appears dressed as he did in the original SNES commercial, in which he marched into a drive-in cinema with Nintendo's then-latest console to play the likes of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, F-Zero and Sim City on the big screen.
The SNES slogan was "Now you're playing with power." For Switch 2, it's "Now you're playing together" to reflect the addition of voice chat. Rudd is in a living room not a cinema, but he still has the smoke effects as he plays online with comedians Joe Lo Truglio and Jordan Carlos and a kid who calls him "Uncle Paul", who all tease him about his 90s look.
It strikes me that younger fans might be a bit lost, and Nintendo seems to recognised that too. For anyone who doesn't remember (or is too young to remember), it's uploaded the original ad to YouTube to help people understand the reference:
The new ad is even cornier than the NES original, but it's a nice touch for fans who remember these kinds of details – and it shows a brand alignment and evolution over the years as well as an ability to laugh at itself. It could even be read to suggest that Nintendo is ageless, as Rudd barely seems to have aged in all this time.
Here's where to check for Switch 2 preorders. If you don't have luck, you might want to check out an even more unique and retro-looking console with the launch of Playdate Season 2.
