Five years have passed since the release of a new album from the iconic duo of Jack Black and Kyle Gass, also known as Tenacious D. Alas, there is no news of a new album we would be thrilled to share with you, but there is a fresh single and music video, “Video Games.”
This song and accompanying animated video may be short, clocking in at only about a minute and a half, but it packs a punch that leaves us entertained and contemplating the existential issue of growing up. The central song’s theme is about the reality of having less time to play games as we get older and our responsibilities increase.
The song begins with a bold statement from Jables that he no longer plays video games at all, but as it progresses, we see exceptions here and there. The lyrics become more relatable, reflecting the realities of adult life, rather than just a catchy nursery rhyme.
Although the song doesn’t make direct references to fighting games, Ryu, the iconic Street Fighter character, makes a cameo appearance. Jack Black’s avatar dons Ryu’s classic red headband and keikogi while launching a hadoooken. The music video also features cameos from beloved characters such as Mario, Mega-Man, Link, and Steve from Super Smash Bros.
While the references to popular video games are plenty, the end of the video may also have a nod to one of Kung Lao‘s fatalities in Mortal Kombat. It is worth noting that the music video contains some NSFW words and visuals, as expected from Tenacious D.
Take a moment to watch the music video and answer a question, have you found yourself making similar arguments to justify playing video games in your adult life?