MERRYCHRISTMASFROMNINTENDOOOOOGYAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

2018 has been a good year for video stalwart Nintendo. Switch sales continue to be strong with releases like Smash Bros. Special (or Ultimate overseas), so they have a lot to be happy about. And that happiness manifested itself in an expression of pure joy released on 18 December.

Much like Twitter user Soramame (@sonimame12) did, those who follow video Nintendo on the Japanese messaging app LINE received this special video to help ring in the holiday season and your ears. Listen if you dare.

https://twitter.com/sonimame12/status/1074970572293996544

As you could probably barely make out from behind all the blood pouring out of your ears, that was the peripherally popular Super Mario franchise character Toad (“Kinopio” in Japanese) singing a karaoke version of the carol “Joy to the World.”

However, for those who haven’t caught the few moments where Toad speaks in the games, his voice is somewhere in the neighborhood of comedian Gilbert Gottfried inhaling helium while repeatedly getting kicked in the crotch.

Reaction was largely critical, but some dug this rendition of the Christmas classic.

“That was A-W-F-U-L.”
“If you get past the grating voice, he was in tune.”
“Someone help him! He’s choking!”
“I like Toad. That was cute.”
“I can’t give that an ‘amen.'”
“I hope the voice actor is okay after that.”
“I’m thankful Twitter cuts off videos after 1:20.”
“It’s like an official MAD video.”

A MAD video are mashups of songs and chopped-up recordings of people, such as Ronald McDonald or that angry German kid who smashed his keyboard in the ’90s, to make them sound as if they are singing along. The result is usually a really loud mess of sound and imagery, kind of like this:

▼ Keyboard Smashing German kid singing the Anpanman theme song

The Nintendo video especially comes off like a MAD video with the seemingly inexplicable addition of Zelda footage playing along with the song. That’s partly because it’s meant to resemble the background video of an actual karaoke machine, which usually is just a stock footage afterthought.

But also this Japanese version of “Joy to the World” actually isn’t “Joy to the World” but another hymn called “Hark, the Glad Sound” written by Philip Doddridge in 1735. Several melodies are connected with this hymn, one of which is similar to “Joy to the World”. The lyrics to this song are somewhat similar too, but way more Zelda-ish.

1 Hark, the glad sound! The Savior comes,
the Savior promised long!
Let ev’ry heart prepare a throne,
and ev’ry voice a song.

2 He comes the pris’ners to release,
in Satan’s bondage held;
the gates of brass before Him burst,
the iron fetters yield.

[Only the first two verses appear in the video]

3 He comes the broken heart to bind,
the bleeding soul to cure,
and with the treasures of His grace
t’enrich the humbled poor.

4 Our glad Hosannas, Prince of Peace,
Thy welcome shall proclaim;
and heav’n’s eternal arches ring
with Thy beloved Name.

So this holiday season be sure to gather around with loved ones and boot up a copy of Breath of the Wild with this song – a professional version for the sake of everyone’s mental and physical health – playing in the background, so that we may fondly remember and honor our savior… Link.

Source: Twitter/@sonimame12, Wadai No Gazo
Feature image: Twitter/@sonimame12