The 'Sad Guy' Ad For Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Was Based On Real Life

While "Tears of the Kingdom" is full of tragic details, there's no denying the joy that the game has brought to so many. Reviewers and critics agree that the game is a masterpiece, full of adventure, puzzling, and nostalgia in equal parts. In fact, it's that nostalgia that many players are discussing — and that Nintendo is capitalizing on. Take, for example, the moving (or ridiculous — it's up for debate) ad that Nintendo Australia produced.

In the ad, a Millennial (or maybe Gen-X — it's hard to tell) man is seen riding a bus. He looks, in a word, downtrodden. Life is clearly gray for him even though he has (presumably) a wife at home and, frankly, a beautiful house that many of us could only aspire to have. Now, depression is no laughing matter, and it can strike anyone, so let's have some empathy for Sad Man as he goes about his day somewhat listlessly. Then — a miracle! Sad Man starts the (actually) wonderful journey that is "Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom," and his depression lifts. As he goes around as Link, solving puzzles and fighting baddies, he is seen smiling. He rides the bus to work the next day, playing the Switch, looks around and seems to realize that life is actually beautiful, and the journey that had been bland before now is quite pretty.

It may seem like a stretch of the imagination that a hearty dose of nostalgia can cure one's ills and help remind one that life is beautiful, but that Australian ad? It may actually be based on a Japanese review of the last "Zelda" installment, "Breath of the Wild."

While Kotaku was the first to notice the correlation between the ad and the review, anyone can read the ad itself, thanks to Amazon's handy translation feature. Of course, for a more, ahem, readable translation, a Kotaku reader who reads Japanese offered their own interpretation.

The review itself is equal parts heart-warming and heartbreaking. The reviewer discusses how the title reminded him of his childhood, which he didn't (and likely couldn't at the time: Hindsight being 20/20 and everything) fully appreciate, and how it helped spark life back into his day-to-day routine. To anyone who wants to read the ad, do grab some tissues.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.