Nintendo Tears of the Kingdom ad brings back Sad Zelda Dad

If, like me, you got a little bit overinvested in the sad plight of the central character of one of Nintendo’s launch ads for Tears of the Kingdom – The Legend of ZeldaHere is some comfort for you: Sad Zelda Dad returns, and the future is looking bright for him.

Nintendo Australia has made a sequel to “Rediscover your sense of adventure,” the viral commercial featuring an extremely tired, middle-aged office worker whose job and commute were grinding him down and leaving him little time to connect with his family. Sad Zelda father booted the game up in his darkened living room. Tears Of The KingdomHe was able to rejuvenate his life by immersing in the magical world of this book.

In the new follow-up (titled “Decide your own path”), Sad Zelda Dad is still playing the game, five months later. He hasn’t even picked up much better gear for his Link. This is yet another example of how the original advertisement was only partially tongue-in cheek: in the real world Extremely Tired Fathers play video games for about 30 minutes per week. But there’s a big difference — this time, his wife, instead of bidding him an early goodnight and disappearing, is sitting alongside him on the sofa.

Sad Zelda Dad still isn’t very good with Ultrahand, though. The wife offers to assist with an answer for a shrine. The familiar piano tune is heard and they beam with pride at their shared achievement. Next, cut to the same kitchen scene on another night. Sad Zelda Dad is completing the dishes in his new clothes, and he smiles at his wife as she heads back to bed. But wait — plot twist! — she has actually gone to fetch Switch her own So she can also play Tears Of The Kingdom On the couch next to him. And she’s figured out an alternative solution to the same shrine puzzle, because she is better than him.

“Nice,” says Sad Zelda Dad, who doesn’t seem very sad any more.

Once again, Nintendo Australia’s advertising bears out my own personal experience, which is that the route to marital harmony is two Switches and two copies of Tears Of The Kingdom. And sharing interests, making time to spend with each other, and not letting your work dictate how you live, etc. Nice, as the man put it.