Do you remember that slightly funny, slightly unnerving launch commercial for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom? We now have an incredible story behind that story.
When we had initially reported on the commercial at it first started going viral, we focused on the humor that could be seen it, calling it a commercial for dads. We looked at the little clues that the main character could be a father (looks middle aged, SO walked away instead of staying with him, a Nintendo Switch game that was left unattended), but it seems other fans saw something else.
A lot of fans read that the man was more than bored, but even depressed. Others felt that there was something quite strange about how it seemed nothing else could make the man happy than the new Zelda game.
It seems we were not really able to verbalize what we were collectively thinking; that many of us gamers who play and talk about playing and write about video games, are in the same age range as the man in the commercial. And it was hard to verbalize because it’s too close to our experiences at where we are in our lives, and it makes us uncomfortable.
But maybe we can get more meaning out of the commercial now that we know its inspiration. As reported by GoNintendo, it has come to light that that commercial was actually inspired by a real middle-aged The Legend of Zelda player, who left a long and thoughtful review of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in Amazon Japan.
We’ll share the full text of the review as it has been translated at the bottom of this article, but for those who need it, we’ll share a summary here.
This middle aged Japanese man is discontent with his life and his position in the world. He works to the point of overtime and doesn’t find time to enjoy his life outside of work. And yes, his commute is also miserable.
When he saw the Zelda game he picked up, he remembered that he was old enough to experience the rise of the PlayStation, and that his peers discouraged him from talking Nintendo 64 and Mario 64.
He wasn’t sure why he even bought the game, but later, when he was commuting, he looked at the same hill he would see in his commute from years, and thought that he could climb that hill too. And it made him cry.
This man’s story ends with the realization of what was special about video games that he experienced as a child, and how to get other adults to play Zelda and relive that experience too.
Maybe not everyone reading this right now is an older adult. But if you are, you’re clearly a gamer. Surely you can appreciate what it’s like when another adult rediscovers the magic of video games.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available on Nintendo Switch. You can read the text of the full review below, and also watch that original commercial.
“I am a working adult, so-called businessmen. I’m jostled by the commuter rush, bowing down to customers and bosses, being forced to train junior staff and doing many things, and I end up working overtime every day. Even the mountain I see on my way to work, which I don’t even know the name of, irritates me. When I get back home I’m dizzy and have no energy to eat food, so I just drink alcohol and sleep. If I have time to play games I should be going to seminars or looking for a marriage partner, which makes me more impatient than I should be. I spend my days plainly wondering why I’m still alive.
I went to buy alcohol because I ran out and saw the Switch on sale in the shops. Then I remembered the day. When I was a child and really into Mario 64, my friend said, “lame to play Mario nowadays! Now it’s the era of PlayStation!” and I felt embarrassed. At the time, I didn’t want my friend to dislike me, so I also remember that I replied, “Yeah, you’re right. Mario is already old-fashioned!”
The beauty of FF7 at that time and the shock of being able to listen to the CD on TV… the recent kids may not understand these feelings. That’s how attractive and innovative it was for kids back then.
I’m still not sure why I picked up the Switch at the time. I just held a beer in one hand and bought the console and Zelda, thinking I could sell it if it was boring.
Yesterday, my work day, I looked out of the train window at a mountain I didn’t even know the name of and thought, “Looks like I can climb that.” At that moment, I burst into tears and couldn’t stop. The businessmen of the same age who were beside me must have thought, “What the hell is this guy.”
I would recommend it to all my fellow businessmen who are pressed for time and scrambling day after day to maintain the status quo, even if everyone hates you. Don’t say it’s just a game. We were born during the golden age of video games. Have you ever seen your family move their entire body when Mario jumps? Do you remember playing Mario Kart or Smash Bros with your friends bringing their own controllers? Have you ever discussed Chrono Trigger or FF7 strategies with your friends? Now I know. When I was a brat, my parents bought me expensive consoles and software for my birthday, Christmas and something. My parents, who were always nagging me, managed to raise money from their living budget to buy expensive games for me.
I’m touched to belatedly realize many things that I didn’t realize due to the busyness of living my own life. I should have been more filial.
The 5-stars reviews are all good ones, so there’s nothing for me to talk about now. This Zelda gives me the “challenge and reward” I forgot about. I can freely explore the world without maps, it’s an exciting adventure experience. People my age are sick every day to overcome tomorrow. But don’t despair of your life. The adventure I wanted was in such a place.
P. S. I feel like thanking this Zelda and I would like to apologize to the Mario 64 development team and Nintendo. I’d like to apologize for the lies I told that day, saying that Mario 64 was old-fashioned, even though I loved it. I am sincerely looking forward to Mario Odyssey being released this winter.
Postscript, 7 May: after 180 hours of play, I got all “recovered memory” and saw the ending. More than anything, I’d like to thank all the people who read my awful, long, cluttered and embarrassing review written emotionally. I’d also like to thank all the people who gave it a “helpful” rating, not only for reading it. I’ve never been appreciated by so many people even in my job. I really enjoyed my 180 hours spent running around Hyrule. I’d like to thank not only Nintendo but also all the Zelda fans who have continued to support Zelda. Thank you for a great adventure.”
