Ant-Man star Paul Rudd reappears for Nintendo Switch 2 commercial 34 years after original SNES advertisement
Paul Rudd and Nintendo Switch 2 create a nostalgic combo in Nintendo’s latest ad campaign, evoking the vibe from his iconic 1991 Super Nintendo Entertainment System commercial. He is still rocking that indie-teen vibe with the trench coat, necklace, and windswept hair; this time, he swaps out the classic SNES cartridges for a shiny new Switch 2 and a sleek new Dock setup.
Read on to learn more.
Paul Rudd makes a nostalgic return in a new Nintendo Switch 2 commercial
The original 90s ad featured Rudd crashing a drive-in with an SNES in hand, booting up F-Zero, SimCity, Pilotwings, and Zelda: A Link to the Past for an on-screen gaming session that made everyone stop and stare. The new one flips that script — this time, he’s indoors, firing up Mario Kart World on the Nintendo Switch 2, hanging out with Joe Lo Truglio, Jordan Carlos, and a kid who casually calls him Uncle Paul. The drama is still present, though.
There’s even a fan blowing his hair back, and a fog machine for that '90s flair. You can tell everyone’s in on the joke — and it works.
GameChat and the New Nintendo Switch 2 Features
Now here’s the Switch 2 twist: Paul Rudd drops the old “Now You’re Playing With Power” tagline and replaces it with “Now You’re Playing Together.” That’s where GameChat kicks in. You can start a chat mid-game with the C button on the new right Joy-Con 2.
No need for a headset — the built-in mic picks you up even from across the room. And if that’s not enough, screen sharing is now available. You and your buddies don’t even need to be playing the same game to jump on a video chat, as long as you’ve got that USB-C camera plugged in. Up to four people on video? Not too shabby.
The ad wraps up with some ribbing between the characters — jokes about his necklace, the '90s dramatics, and the overly intense setup. Honestly, it’s rare for a console ad to lean this heavily into nostalgia without completely overdoing it. But somehow, Paul Rudd returning to Nintendo’s spotlight three decades later feels right.
Nintendo Switch 2 Price and release date
For anyone still wondering, the Nintendo Switch 2 hits store shelves on June 5, 2025. It is priced at $449.99 in the US, £395.99 in the UK, and €469.99 across Europe. Preorders will open back up on April 24, 2025.
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