To Promote the Nintendo Switch 2, Paul Rudd Recreates Classic 1991 Commercial

In 1991, Nintendo wanted customers to feel the excitement of the Super Nintendo’s extra power. As such, they made this commercial. In it, a man, played by Paul Rudd, walks into a drive-in theater that seems to be abandoned. But then, he inserts a cartridge into a Super Nintendo, and the screen jumps to life, showing off footage from various games. A crowd gathers around to watch the man play F-Zero, Pilotwings, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and more. The message is clear: the Super Nintendo is the future of super gaming power, and no one will want to miss it.

The Nintendo Switch 2 Version

The new version begins similarly, with Paul Rudd now walking into a darkened living room and then whipping out a Nintendo Switch 2. The narration also begins similarly to the 1991 commercial, but then Rudd’s family and friends show up in the game chat. After Rudd tells the others about his old SNES commercial, the ad shows them exchanging good-natured jabs as they play Mario Kart World together. At the end, Rudd declares that, “it’s nice playing with power, but this is better, because now we’re playing together: super together.” While the old commercial focused on the Super Nintendo’s power, this one focuses on multiplayer fun.

How Effective is the Ad?

Nintendo clearly wants people to get excited about the Switch 2’s new game chat feature, but one has to wonder how much people will actually use it. In addition, the commercial shows off the Nintendo Switch 2 camera, which doesn’t come with the system. Instead, it will cost an extra $54.99. Given how so many people are complaining about the system’s high price, it is unlikely that most of them will put out the extra money just to put their face on the screen. Still, it’s an appealing commercial, and it’s neat that Nintendo decided to dig up one of their old ads to promote the new system.