Saturday Night Live recently aired a sketch that humorously pitted Grand Theft Auto 6 against The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. This latest Nintendo-adjacent skit has prompted former Nintendo employees Krysta Yang and Kit Ellis to recall an older, more controversial Saturday Night Live appearance by Elon Musk.
During a recent episode of the Kit and Krysta podcast, Yang and Ellis, who together hosted Nintendo Minute for over a decade, discussed the 2018 SNL sketch where Elon Musk portrayed Wario. In the skit, Musk, dressed as the Wario character, was put on trial for being evil. The sketch included jokes about Mario's alleged drug use and risqué content involving Luigi, all while Musk's Wario claimed to be misunderstood.
"That was uncomfortable," Yang stated, recalling the sketch's reception within Nintendo. Ellis added, "That was one that was not beloved by the people... That was not received well at Nintendo." Yang echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the sketch was "not received well at Nintendo."
Ellis noted that the Wario sketch felt particularly out of place because it lacked any apparent connection to current Nintendo releases or marketing efforts. "Why is Elon Musk Wario?" he remembered people at the company wondering, adding that "some of the stuff was getting into subject matter that was uncomfortable for Nintendo."
The former Nintendo employees stressed that the company had no involvement in the sketch's production. However, they acknowledged that Nintendo maintains communication channels with SNL producers and other late-night show representatives, with a dedicated team within Nintendo's communications department focused on managing these relationships and securing media access for game releases.
In contrast to the Musk sketch, Yang and Ellis offered a more measured critique of SNL's recent GTA 6 vs. Zelda skit. While they praised the detail of the Link costume, describing it as "custom-made to the remake," their reaction to the sketch itself was less enthusiastic. "I thought this was generally fine," Yang commented, "I wasn't rolling on the floor laughing or anything like that. There were some moments where it's a little cringey."
The Ocarina of Time remake, set for release on November 5, has generated discussion regarding its updated art style and performance adjustments. Grand Theft Auto 6, meanwhile, is anticipated for its November 19 release.