The Old SwitchAroo: Gaming Retro with Mike and Jaymo |A Nintendo Switch Online retro gaming podcast

Mike & Jaymo are joined by costumed guests Bryan and Sarah to square up against Legendary Pictures’ “Street Fighter.” Released October 16th, 2026, this over-the-top action comedy isn’t for everyone, but is it a NintenDO or a NintenDON’T? We break down the poster, the plot, give you the play-by-play for all the brawls, and Mike confuses the subtexts of Sparticus and Ben-Hur in a most embarrassing way. Can you handle it? SURE-YOU-CAN!Thanks for listening! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com, where you'll find links to our Discord, social media, and so much more! Game on, everyone. Be sure to follow Bryan on Instagram for all his latest adventures in cosplay & activism at @bryan.s.lee: https://www.instagram.com/bryan.s.lee/ or on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@BryanLee IGN has all the deets on Callina Liang’s transformation into Chun-Li right…

On this episode of The Old SwitchAroo: Lite Switch, we take a break from our usual quest to cover all 300+ games in the Nintendo Classics catalog to explore the darkest, most spoiler-filled regions of Little Nightmares 3: Secrets of the Spiral DLC on Nintendo Switch 2. Today Jaymo is joined by Zelda/Horror Game Streamer, Twitch’s very own RiriYells! Having beaten every level of the game as a co-op pair (included the newly released DLC), RiRi and Jaymo revisit their reviews of the base game and dive deep into the gameplay and lore of The Backstage & The Shores DLC. We discuss every monster, trap, and lore drop! Be sure to check out RiriYells on Twitch! https://www.twitch.tv/ririyells Want to see RiRi and Jaymo’s review of “vanilla” Little Nightmares 3? Check it out here: https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com/lite-switch-oct-22-2025-little-nightmares-3/ https://youtu.be/bdKDr4M_OxE 0:00 Intro 0:44 RiRi’s Dragon Con Recap 3:23 Revisiting our Review of Little Nightmares 3 (Base Game) 3:57 The Backstage DLC 11:22 The…

It’s time to celebrate the end of our biggest season yet of The Old SwitchAroo with the 16th-bit Retro-spective Season 4 Finale as Mike and Jaymo reflect on their epic quest to research and review every retro game in the Nintendo Switch Online catalog! In this episode, we start off with another edition of "Guest Hosts", this time with our guest Guess Host guest host Ryan warboss5 as he skippers the way through another head-to-head video game trivia competition with questions from many of the wonderful guests that we've had this season. In the Old Switcharoonies, Mike and Jaymo will award some of the more notable games that got played this season. They'll also look back at some of the memorable parts of this season and discuss what they're hoping to see next from Nintendo Classics and Nintendo Switch Online (they can't keep not releasing Cruis'n USA forever). Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy new theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to…

Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil is putting video games back on the big screen as he puts his spin on how to recreate the experience and sensation of playing a survival horror game into a film. Mike and Jaymo have both checked out the movie, so Jaymo can come at the movie from the perspective of someone that played the games and Mike as someone that saw one of the gimmicky 3D movies once but never played the games. We’ll also touch a little on our experience with Zach Cregger’s other horror films before we get into a very spoiler-filled discussion of the whole movie. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed. You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com, where you'll find links to our Discord, social media, and so much more! (0:00) Intro (1:15) Resident Evil prior experiences (4:32) Zach Cregger films (7:20) Resident Evil (2026)…

Comedian Jackie Kashian and game designer Andy Ashcraft are locking in for a spoiler-laced talk about Lock’s Quest (Nintendo DS, 2008) with Mike and Jaymo as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog. In this episode, we discuss how Jackie’s using stand-up comedy to be a force for good and dig back to some old merch that Mike had to explain to his mom, Jaymo nerds out about Andy’s experiences working on Flagen Brothers for the Sega Dreamcast, Jackie shares some memorable gaming moments like the Bonita Zakos from Stretch Panic on the Sony PlayStation, and everybody explains to Mike what gaming on the Nintendo DS was like. In the main event, as we get deep into the world of Lock’s Quest, Andy shares inside perspectives from his role as a creative manager for THQ working with the developer 5th Cell to make Lock’s Quest. Watch out for spoilers for Lock’s Quest, Planet of the Apes, and Citizen Kane. Thanks for listening,…

SPOILER WARNING: In this episode of “The Old SwitchAroo: Screentime,” we debate which episode of X-Men ‘97: Season 2 reigns supreme! Jaymo is once again joined by cosplay influencer Bryan Lee along with returning guest, Ryan “Warboss5” Lay. After recapping each episode with a little amateur poetry, we pit each story from this wild season against one another in a single-elimination bracket until a winner is declared 'Best Episode of X-Men '97: Season Two!' Want to see more of Bryan’s cosplay & social-activism? Hit him on on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/@BryanLee And on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bryan.s.lee/ Dare you venture into Ryan’s Dungeons & Dragons campaigns? Check out his page at the Dungeon Masters Guild here: https://site.dmsguild.com/browse.php?author=Ryan%20Lay Enjoy the rockin’ chiptune cover of the X-Men theme? Plenty more where that came from! Check out 8 Bit Composer’s YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@8bitcomposer Thanks for listening!! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to…

Scharonne from 40 Something Gamers brings a beat down in beat’em ups Double Dragon (NES, 1988) and Double Dragon II: The Revenge (NES, 1990) with Mike and Jaymo as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog. In this episode, Scharonne shares his artistic influences, we look at how Double Dragon and Double Dragon II: The Revenge changed when they were both ported from the arcade to the home console and wonder if the losses were worth it, the charm that came from 90s video game movies including the Los Angeles-set mayhem of 1994’s Double Dragon movie, and Jaymo may find some vindication about Zelda II. Finally, Double Dragon may have one of the most unforgivable video game manuals of all time. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun…

Stiltskin from the shrugbuds joins the party for some Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (GameCube, 2005) with Mike and Jaymo as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog. In this episode, we welcome our first fairy tale creature that predates video games, discuss the place for tactical combat in the JRPG genre, try to understand the significance of Anna as a recurring character in the Fire Emblem franchise, weigh the pros and cons of the weapons triangle, and even touch upon how video games can create worlds that explore patterns that can mirror the dangers that human nature produce in the real world. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com, where you'll find links to our Discord, social media, and…

SSj3Butch returns to the arena to help pit Killer Instinct (SNES, 1994) and Killer Instinct Gold (N64, 1996) to help Mike and Jaymo decide which Killer Instinct reigns supreme as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog. In this episode, we discuss the video game music that was so good that the SNES release came with an included CD, how robots gave Killer Instinct a mechanical leg up over competitors like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter, try to disentangle some of the ways that Killer Instinct parodied Street Fighter, and assess whether the XBox One reboot of Killer Instinct ever delivered. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com, where you'll find links to our Discord, social media, and so…

Timmy Williams, part of Whitest Kids U’ Know and co-host of the Urn Fulla Popcorn podcast, is ready to enter the ninja games as he makes his return to The Old SwitchAroo to explore the ninja sequels Ninja Gaiden II (NES, 1990) and Super Ninja Boy (SNES, 1993) with Mike and Jaymo as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog. In this episode, Timmy shares some of the experiences involved in making Mars, the Whitest Kids U’ Know animated movie that was released to the masses earlier this year with both a limited theatrical run and a Blu-Ray release. Then we get down to business to defeat the games, covering along the way a weird Pepto-Bismol reference, the risque sprites that didn’t make it to the final version of Super Ninja Boy, how Europe had three different non-compatible versions of the NES including one from Mattel, and if anyone working on Ninja Gaiden II was a fan of Lucio Fulci’s The Beyond. Find out if Super…

Jennifer Miller Hammel, host of Classical California’s Arcade, is t-spinning her way in to discuss the titanic tuneful tetrad of Tetris (Game Boy, 1989), Tetris (NES, 1989), Tetris DX (Game Boy Color, 1998), and Tetris 99 (Nintendo Switch, 2018) with Mike and Jaymo as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog. In this episode, Jennifer shares her efforts to get video game music from game rooms to the concert hall, including how she’s brought video game music into both Classical California’s mornings and always streaming on Classical California’s Arcade featuring both video game music and the classical music that influenced it. Everyone shares some of their favorite video game soundtracks, from Street Fighter and Cruis’n USA to Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, and Jennifer gives her perspective on how video game music can follow the same trajectory that John Williams took film scores on to get the music integrated into…

Blindfolded speedrunner BlazeingPhoenix is ready to barrel through Donkey Kong (NES, 1986) and Donkey Kong (Game Boy, 1994) with Mike and Jaymo as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog. In this episode, we talk about the impressive world of blindfolded speedruns and BlazeingPhoenix takes us on his journey into blindfolded speedrunning, including watching Ocarina of Time blindfolded as part of Games Done Quick and trying to beat Kingdom Hearts blindfolded before submitting the first blindfolded Donkey Kong speed run and speedrunning Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition for GDQ Hotfix. Along the way, we’ll also look at how Donkey Kong began design as a Popeye-themed game before evolving to the giant gorilla we all know in a decision that would see Nintendo and Universal Studios face off over the rights to King Kong, what causes the Donkey Kong kill screen, and how Donkey Kong on the Game Boy nearly had a level…

Markivus Nious from 40 Something Gamers is ready to run and gun through Contra: Hard Corps (Sega Genesis / Mega Drive, 1994) with Mike and Jaymo as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog. In this episode, Markivus shares his perspective as a musician on video game music, we discuss how the American version of Contra: Hard Corps was much more difficult than the Japanese version of the game in order to stymie the American rental market, how the Contra franchise turned into Probotector in some parts of Europe, and the way a Castlevania cameo in Contra: Hard Corps stands in between the player and primate romance. We also get a bit more serious with a look at Contra’s roots in the Iran-Contra Affair and how games like Contra relate - or don’t relate - to violence in the real world. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old…

SPOILER WARNING: Today we’re joined once again by Kyle Ford (ByeDoom, Steam Team) and Instragram’s Bryan.S.Lee to present an in-depth review of Mortal Kombat 2, in theatres everywhere May 2026. We break down the theatrical poster, present some behind-the-scenes trivia from The Crypt (aka IMDB.com) and even play a game of “Choose Your Fighter” before breaking down the JoyPros and JoyCons of every fight and fatality! Thanks for listening, and big thanks to HubRobert for the incredible violin cover! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com, where you'll find links to our Discord, social media, and so much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (1:00) Introducing Bryan (1:23) Introducing Kyle (3:25) Poster Breakdown (6:42) IMDB Behind-the-Scenes Trivia (10:48) Mini-Game Minute: Choose Your Fighter (30:13) JoyPros/JoyCons: Prologue (40:21) JoyPros/JoyCons: Round 1 (54:00) Joy Pros/JoyCons: Round 2…

Steve Guntli from CinemArcade, Ultra 64, and Wii Universe takes a seat at the round table to discuss Zelda clone Quest for Camelot for the Game Boy Color (1998) - and the film of the same name - with Mike and Jaymo as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog. In this episode, we discuss how the Quest for Camelot movie was shaped (and dwarfed) by the Disney Renaissance, the struggles of Warner Brothers Feature Animation (and the underappreciated film that is Cats Don’t Dance), how not to rip off The Legend of Zelda games, the illustrious resume of Titus Interactive, and Jaymo and Steve pitch their ideas on how to make a good Quest for Camelot game. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com, where…

Josh from Smashing Game Time and Star Wars cosplayer Bryan Lee hit the track with Jaymo in this special Lite Switch episode devoted to Star Wars Episode One: Racer, released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999. We begin our discussion by comparing the trilogy of Star Wars trilogies in our Mini-Game Minute: Marry, Force, Kill! From there, we blast our way through the unconventional box art, debate the problematic characterizations of Star Wars aliens, and even reveal the collectible card games that threaten total destruction of our wallets! Happy Early Star Wars Day, and May the Force Be With You, Always… Thanks for listening! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com, where you'll find links to our Discord, social media, and so much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (1:30) Welcoming Bryan (2:12) Welcoming Josh (2:47) May the 4th Be With You (4:20) Mini-Game Minute: Marry, Force, Kill (14:36) Box Art…

Jaymo’s brothers are back from outer space to see who will survive Alien Storm (Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, 1991), joining Mike and Jaymo as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog! In this episode, Jaymo pulls back the curtain on Sega’s AM1 Division and Team Shinobi as the Amusement Machine behind Alien Storm, we compare this to its stylistic forebearer Golden Axe and speculate about how the continues could’ve been handled better, and we all try to figure out what it is about the Nintendo Switch Online games that leads to such inconsistent frame rate performance when playing online multiplayer. Then Jaymo hosts a Mini-Game Minute: AI for Detail. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com, where…

You gotta catch this exclusive first-look at Jason Paige: The Game in an interview with The Voice of a Generation himself! As the original singer of the Pokémon theme song, Jason is beloved by fans around the globe, and his upcoming limited-run game (published by Ultra Dolphin Revolution) is a loving tribute to not only his career but the legacy of 8-bit handheld gaming and the emotional rollercoaster of collecting trading cards. If you’re looking for the inside scoop on one of the hottest upcoming collectibles, there’s no need to search far and wide! In this episode full of friendship and fun, Jason shares some of his favorite memories of "being the very best, like no one ever was" and reveals some cheeky secrets that fans will want to look out for after ordering the game at www.mysterypak.com. Plus, he spills the tea on the rare in-game achievement that will unlock a one-of-a-kind real-life collectible: a signed Jason Paige trading card available only in the limited-edition blind box! Thanks for listening,…

SPOILER WARNING: Bryan and Lisa join Mike & Jaymo to discuss the blockbuster animated sequel, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” starring Chris Pratt, Brie Larson, and Donald Glover. Released April 1st, 2026 (no seriously), this colorful Illumination family-film has split the room, but whose hot-take will wind up on top? We break down the poster, the plot, and even play a quick round of trivia for our Mini-Game Minute. Let’s-a-go! Thanks for listening! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com, where you'll find links to our Discord, social media, and so much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (1:00) Welcoming Bryan and Lisa (2:45) The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (6:38) Mini-Game Minute: Smartio Galaxy the Movie (14:24) The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (cont’d) (1:00:10) NintenDO or NintenDON’T Be sure to follow Bryan on Instagram for all his latest adventures in cosplay & activism @bryan.s.lee:…

Taylor Bartle from the Wild Mouse podcast is joining the party and taking a ride through the world of the legendary RPG EarthBound (SNES, 1994 and Mother2 in Japan) with Mike and Jaymo as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog! In this episode, we talk about some of the best examples of gamifying theme park rides, how EarthBound’s Onett borrows Los Angeles Superior Court’s Spring Street Courthouse as a police station, and the confusion of first being introduced to Ness in Super Smash Bros for the Nintendo 64. We’ll also go over the massive 135 page player’s guide that was produced instead of a manual, how pricey this game was to get hold of for years, and Mike and Taylor will go head-to-head trying to get to the truth of EarthBound in Mother Myth-Busters. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro…

Cyril from Defunct Games is stepping into the ring to take on Teleroboxer (1995) and the Nintendo Virtual Boy with Mike and Jaymo as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog! In this episode, Cyril takes us back to what it was like being at the unveiling of the Nintendo Virtual Boy at the winter Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in 1995, we try to wrap our heads around the LED technology behind the Virtual Boy’s 3D stereoscopic effects, Cyril and Jaymo try to get to the bottom of why the Virtual Boy sales were such a disappointment, and we evaluate the new Nintendo accessories available to play the Virtual Boy games on the Switch. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com, where you'll find…

In this bonus mid-season LiteSwitch episode, Derick from the Underrated Movie Podcast and SSJ3Butch from Twitch return to discuss all the announcements from Pokémon’s 30th Anniversary celebration! In this episode, we give our reactions to retro re-releases like Fire Red, Leaf Green, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Pokémon TCG’s Celebration Collection, and the baffling Game Boy Jukebox! We also discuss a flurry of upcoming entries: Pokopia, Pokémon Champions, Pokémon Wind & Waves, and the brand-new Pokémon XP Convention in San Francisco! Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com, where you'll find links to our Discord, social media, and so much more! Also, So Cal gamers, come to WonderCon Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (0:50) Welcoming Butch (1:20) Welcoming Derick (2:07) Mini-Game Minute:…

Alex will be sharing his wisdom as he joins Mike and Jaymo for Solomon’s Key (NES, 1987) as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog! In this episode, Alex shares how he first saw Solomon’s Key beaten on a VHS tape, we look at Solomon’s Key’s reskins and sequels, and Jaymo puts Mike and Alex to the test with a challenge of riddles. Plus, we get sidetracked with a bit of a revisit to Punch-Out!! Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com, where you'll find links to our Discord, social media, and so much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (1:02) Welcoming Alex (1:58) Solomon’s Key (43:00) Mini-Game Minute: Who’s That Solomon? (46:14) Solomon’s Key (cont’d) (58:30) NintenDO or NintenDON’T…

This episode’s visiting team is Brad and Jordan from Arcadiology, and they’re in position at the line of scrimmage for Tecmo Bowl (NES, 1989) as they face off against Mike and Jaymo as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog! In this episode, Jordan shares his history with football on and off the field, we’ll look at how player likeness rights changed the later releases of Tecmo Bowl, no one is able to make any sense of Tecmo Bowl’s original team logos, and Brad and Jaymo will compare this to the 1987 Tecmo Bowl arcade game, available for purchase on the Nintendo Switch. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com, where you'll find links to our Discord, social media, and so much more! Game on,…

In this bonus midseason LiteSwitch episode, Cyril from Defunct Games is here to talk to Mike and Jaymo about GameShark Returns: The Complete Cheat Code Compendium, a book that Cyril’s working on with InterAct Accessories co-founder Todd Hays. With an already successful kickstarter campaign, GameShark Returns: The Complete Cheat Code Compendium is currently set for release in Fall 2026. In this episode, we talk about what the differences are between easter eggs, glitches, and cheat codes, how cheat codes and hidden strategies were used to sell video game magazines, try to recollect if cheat codes were stigmatized in the 90s, and how cheat codes functioned as early accessibility options. Along the way we also look back on the loss of rentals in the video game ecosystem, try to figure out why Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s debug mode doesn’t get more attention, and decry how DLC is replacing cheat codes. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song!…

Lawson from Super Wall Jump is here to create happiness by talking about Chibi-Robo! Plug into Adventure! (GameCube, 2005) as he joins Mike and Jaymo for the first GameCube game of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog! In this episode, we talk about how Chibi-Robo evolved from a point-and-click game foiling robbers to the platforming chore-completing game that was released, dig into the pop culture references that Chibi-Robo seems to pull in, and Lawson introduces us to everyone’s favorite new “Smash Brothers”-based drinking game, Yoshi Roulette. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com, where you'll find links to our Discord, social media, and so much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (1:30)…

SPOILER WARNING: Derick McDuff from the Underrated Movie Podcast joins Jaymo to discuss the much-anticipated “Return to Silent Hill”, directed by Christophe Gans and starring Justin Irvine and Hannah Emily Anderson. Released January 23rd, 2026, this psychological-horror film based on the classic 2001 PS2 title “Silent Hill 2” has riled the fanbase, but is it really as bad as people claim? We break down the poster, acting, special effects, plot, and sly easter eggs that only true fans of the series will recognize. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com, where you'll find links to our Discord, social media, and so much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro + Underrated Flashback (0:29) Welcoming Derick (3:50) Poster breakdown (4:45) Behind the Scenes Trivia (7:30) First Impressions: spoiler-free (12:53) Detailed Plot Breakdown (55:02) NintenDo or NintenDon’t Check out the…

Derick from the Underrated movie podcast and RiRiYells from Twitch cared who Link was before he put on the mask, so they’re both back to talk about The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (N64, 2000) as they join Mike and Jaymo to launch Season 4 of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog! In this episode, we talk about Majora’s Mask’s origins in an intended redesign of Ocarina of Time called Ura Zelda, how game development crunch time was so intense that it became a feature of NPC dialogue, and correct some misconceptions about the origins of the name Majora. Plus we start the season with double the mini-games, with RiRi giving a read of the rest of the panel based on their favorite masks and Two Masks and a Lie dipping into everyone’s past costumes. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness…

Mike and Jaymo are back for Season 4 to check out more retro games with great guests as they gear up to add Nintendo GameCube and Virtual Boy games to the NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, N64, and Sega Genesis games that they've already covered in the first three seasons exploring the Nintendo Classics catalog available with Nintendo Switch Online.

In this final Lite Switch episode of The Old SwitchAroo before Season Four, Mike and Jaymo are closing out 2025 by introducing the AndStandings, a list that combines their individual rankings for all 98 games that have been covered so far, including ranking 95 Nintendo Switch Online games as part of their quest to rate and review the over 300 games on the Nintendo Switch Online catalog. What makes the top 10 may surprise you. Jaymo and Mike start off with a little bit of Christmas talk, including a bit about Christmas specials and Jaymo shows off The Old SwitchAroo-branded washcloths he was given for Christmas. Then, we introduce the AndStandings, first by having Mike and Jaymo share their bottom ten and top ten games from their individual rankings, then going over the entire combined rankings from 98 all the way to number 1 (check the timestamp if you want to jump to the top 10). Their full lists are both available on the website here: https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com/p/andstandings/ . Finally, Mike and…

In this Lite Switch episode of The Old SwitchAroo, Kyle Ford from Stream Team joins to discuss the Analogue 3D and how it compares to the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics service as a gateway to playing Nintendo 64 games during Mike and Jaymo’s break before season four starts next month. Mike, Jaymo, and Kyle talk about what it was like to try out the Analogue 3D for an old-fashioned game night on some fresh N64 carts. They’ll also discuss the retro gaming niche that Analogue’s products have been filling and a few of the challenges in playing N64 games on modern TVs, and compare what the Analogue 3D is like versus playing N64 games on Nintendo Classics using the Switch or Switch 2. Finally, they’ll give their verdicts on if the Analogue 3D is worth it or not. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join…

In this Lite Switch episode of The Old SwitchAroo, Mike and Jaymo are celebrating Gamesgiving with an extra special episode during the season break as they prepare for season four. We start off with some general talk about Thanksgiving dinners and Jaymo has a list of quick food questions intended to divide the dining table in his Turkey Day NintenDO or NintenDON’Ts. Then, we’ll craft the ideal meal using just the power ups in the retro games we’ve played in past episodes in the Ultimate Power Up Plate. Finally, Mike and Jaymo each craft their ideal line-up of Nintendo Classics games for a Thanksgiving celebration in the Ultimate Nintendo Classics Three-Course Meal. Finally, Mike and Jaymo each share what they’re most thankful for about the The Old SwitchAroo. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on…

In this Lite Switch episode of The Old SwitchAroo, Mike and Jaymo give their first thoughts on last week’s Super Mario Galaxy movie Nintendo direct, and talk about the games that they’ve been playing during the season break. We start off with a bit of discussion about both the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros and the 2023 The Super Mario Bros. Movie from Illumination before going over the new footage from the Nintendo Direct and if it’s moved the needle on our expectations. Mike gives his first impressions of two card games that have been sitting in his backlog for years, Inscryption and Slay the Spire, and Jaymo talks about playing Split Fiction with his brother as a way for gaming to keep people in touch. Finally, they revisit Marvel Snap now that Mike has tried it out and Jaymo is excited to see if Marvel Snap has what it takes to win over newer players. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get…

In this Lite Switch episode of The Old SwitchAroo, we have some bonus content that couldn't fit in out Season 3 16th bit retrospective. See if you can beat Jaymo at our returning trivia game RTFM, or Read The F---ing Manual, where he's challenged to see how many characters and places he can name based off of how they're described in the original video game manuals that the retro games we played this year would've come with. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com⁠⁠⁠, where you'll find access to our Discord, voicemail, and so much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (0:57) RTFM Introduction (2:56) RTFM Round One (7:10) RTFM Round Two (15:24) RTFM Round Three (26:50) Outro

On this episode of The Old SwitchAroo: Lite Switch, we take a break from our usual quest to cover all 300+ games in the Nintendo Classics catalog to explore the horrific secrets of the Little Nightmares series with Twitch's RiRiYells! We explore the obscurest regions of Mike's horror movie collection, draw parallels between Six and the demons she fights, and theorize the ways the latest entry, Little Nightmares 3, could come to a chilling end! Be sure to check out Riri on Twitch and tune in at the end of October to watch her and Jaymo roll credits for the first time on Little Nightmares 3!) Find RiRiYells on Twitch: https://twitch.tv/ririyells

It’s time to celebrate the end of another season of The Old SwitchAroo with the 16th-bit Retro-spective Season 3 Finale as Mike and Jaymo reflect on their epic quest to research and review every retro game in the Nintendo Switch Online catalog! In this episode, we bring back “Guess Hosts” so Mike and Jaymo can go head-to-head in a trivia competition with questions brought to us by this season’s great guests, the Old Switcharoonies give a chance to mark the highs and lows of all the games played this season, and Mike and Jaymo talk a little bit about what’s to come in the next season of the podcast and also what they both hope to see coming down the line for Nintendo Switch Online and Nintendo Classics now that the Switch 2 is out. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy new theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com⁠⁠⁠, where…

Happney is as good as his sword when he talks Crystalis (NES, 1990) as he joins Mike & Jaymo on The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog! In this episode, we talk about the influence of Studio Ghibli films like Castle in the Sky and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind on Crystalis, try to figure out if this was SNK’s answer to The Legend of Zelda, and the ways that the aesthetics of this game seem to overlap with other classic Nintendo games. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy new theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com⁠⁠⁠, where you'll find access to our Discord, voicemail, and so much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (1:16) Welcoming Happney (2:50) Crystalis (42:58) Mini-Game Minute: Frozen in Time (50:05) Crystalis (cont’d)…

Cyril from Defunct Games armors up for Ghosts ‘n Goblins (NES), Ghouls ‘n Ghosts (Sega Genesis/Mega Drive), and Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts (SNES) as he joins Mike & Jaymo on The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog! In this episode, we talk about the value of preserving contemporary game reviews of retro video games, Capcom’s mostly forgotten former mascot Captain Commando and the Captain Commando Challenge Series, what the challenges are for ports of arcade games, and Cyril shares his experience as part of GamePro Magazine’s Team GamePro. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com⁠⁠⁠ where you'll find access to our Discord, voicemail, and so much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (1:19) Welcoming Cyril (5:20)…

Don from the Cable Club League is powering up his mega buster for Mega Man: The Wily Wars (Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, 1994) as he joins Mike & Jaymo on The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog! Mega Man: The Wily Wars is a compilation action platformer game combining Mega Man, Mega Man 2, and Mega Man 3 for the Nintendo Entertainment System plus a bonus game for the Sega Genesis, Wily Tower. In this episode, we look at the questionable gaming magazine advertising behind the short-lived Sega Channel, Rock the Rock to the musical stylings of the Protomen, the internet’s theories on Guts Man and Dr. Wiley scandalize Jaymo, and Mike generally disappoints Don. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy new theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com⁠⁠⁠,…

Chico D Mar is at the starting line for F-Zero (SNES, 1990) and F-Zero 99 (Switch, 2023) as he joins Mike and Jaymo on The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog! In this episode, we appreciate the character design from Takaya Imamura and the comic book artwork from Valiant Comics, including both the box art and an in-manual comic drawn by Arthur Nichols. We also learn how Captain Falcon was originally intended to be a mascot for the Super Famicom and how the music from F-Zero was so good that it led to a 1992 jazz album of the same name featuring musicians like blues, jazz, and rock guitarist Robben Ford and saxophonist Marc Russo. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy new theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com⁠⁠⁠, where you'll find access…

Andrew Linde from “Nothing New: A Remake Podcast” uncovers hard truths about Clu Clu Land (NES, 1985), Mario’s Picross (Game Boy, 1995), and Mario’s Super Picross (SNES, 1995) as he joins Mike & Jaymo on The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog! In this revealing episode, we discuss how Animal Crossing helped expose a new generation to retro titles, how Bubbles the balloonfish made waves as a female protagonist before the likes of Lara Croft and Samus Aran, why Mario’s Super Picross had to clear a Tetris, and our picks for the greatest movie remakes of all time. Plus, Mike & Andrew go head to head in our hilarious Pictionary-esque Mini-Game Minute: A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Squares! Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy new theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on…

Nate Brown (Twitch’s @nateblackest) brings down the house as he talks Blast Corps (N64, 1997) with Mike and Jaymo as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog! In this explosive episode, we explore the astronomical precision of the level select screen, the suspected censorship of a problematic televised roadster, and the timeless appeal of Nate’s hunt for the most “mid” movies of all time. Plus, we create a tier list for every vehicle in this Rare N64 classic. Which one is the Best Corps, and which is a Blast Corpse? And will this episode be the impetus for Jaymo’s very first tattoo? Time to get moving! Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy new theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com⁠⁠⁠, where you'll find access to our Discord,…

It’s-a him, Dempsey from the Overthinking Games podcast! In this colorful episode he links up with Mike and Jaymo to play Super Mario World (SNES, 1991) and its 2001 Game Boy Advance port, Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, as part of The Old SwitchAroo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog! In this episode, we unveil Yoshi’s unexpected upbringing in Christianity, expose the alleged animal abuse that did and did not make the final cut, and debate the merits of quality-of-life features in a post-Dark Souls age. Think you’re a Mario master? Test your knowledge in another fun-filled round of Mario MythBusters! Just don’t lose your cool when Jaymo recounts the near-death experience that threatened his love life and possibly influenced Super Mario World game design… Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy new theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness…

It’s an absolute punch-up as Timmy Williams from The Whitest Kids U’ Know joins Mike and Jaymo as they play the all-time classic Ninja Gaiden (NES, 1988) and the not-so-classic Kung Fu Heroes (NES, 1989) as part of their epic quest to research and review every retro game in the Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Classics catalog! In this episode, we explore how the Whitest Kids can be used as teaching tools,, learn why the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles weren’t allowed in Europe, behold the return of Nuts & Milk, and see how Ninja Gaiden squares up against 80s and 90s ninja movies (Surf Ninjas forever). Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy new theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com⁠, where you'll find access to our Discord, voicemail, and so much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (1:10) Welcoming Timmy (6:15) Kung Fu…

It’s music to our ears as RiriYells returns with fellow Twitch streamer KylTheSheikah to join Mike and Jaymo in Hyrule as they play The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64, 1998) as part of their epic quest to research and review every retro game in the Nintendo Switch Online catalog! In this episode, we find Hyrule’s hidden Arwings, discuss the highs and lows of Z-targeting, the coming-of-age moments spurred by the Great Fairies, and why Ocarina of Time is considered a milestone in puzzle-adventure games. We even get to know our panelists better in a lore-licious game of "Ocarina of Timeshare", and we end by ranking all 6 Zelda games covered in the show so far. Is Ocarina truly an all-timer? Come along and find out! Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy new theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on ⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com⁠⁠⁠, where you'll…

Josh Covel from the Still Loading podcast and his frequent guest Dexter Morrill join Mike and Jaymo to fly too close to the sun in Kid Icarus (NES, 1987) as part of an epic quest to research and review every retro game in the Nintendo Switch Online catalog! In this episode, Mike finally gets to talk too much about Captain N: The Game Master as we learn about Still Loading’s episode-by-episode watch through mini-series, how Kid Icarus was one of the first games to use the MMC1 mapper chip to scroll the screen in two directions, and even-more ground-breaking, how the game manual has more nudity than the average Nintendo release. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy new theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on ⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com⁠⁠⁠, where you'll find access to our Discord, voicemail, and so much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (1:50)…

Ryan (Warboss5) is rejoining the party for another quest with Mike and Jaymo as they play Phantasy Star IV (Sega Genesis/Megadrive, 1993), continuing their epic quest to research and review every retro game in the Nintendo Switch Online catalog! In this episode, we discuss when it’s appropriate to search through someone else’s belongings, try to figure out just how much Phantasy Star IV was really borrowing from Star Wars, and examine the virtues of direct translation compared to reinterpreted dialogue when translating media for an American audience. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy new theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on ⁠⁠https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com⁠⁠, where you'll find access to our Discord, voicemail, and so much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (1:05) Welcoming Ryan (4:45) Phantasy Star IV (39:00) Mini-Game Minute: Insanonyms…

Our theme song-genius Kristal Fields is back on board with her friend Nick to talk Metroid (NES, 1987) and Metroid II: Return of Samus (Game Boy, 1991) with Mike and Jaymo as part of their epic quest to research and review every retro game in the Nintendo Switch Online catalog! In this episode, we’ll work out just what a Metroid really is, where the Narpas Sword that World of Warcraft ‘borrowed’ from this series came from, in way the Alien franchise influenced Planet Zebes, and how Justin Bailey could help you see Samus in a whole new “revealing” light. Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on ⁠⁠https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com⁠⁠, where you'll find access to our Discord, voicemail, and so much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (0:57) Welcoming Kristal (1:49) Welcoming Nick (3:43) Metroid (59:55) Metroid II: Return…

Colleen is taking off into Pilotwings (SNES) and Pilotwings 64 (N64, 1996) with Mike and Jaymo on board as part of their epic quest to research and review every retro game in the Nintendo Switch Online catalog! In this episode, we’ll look at how Mode 7 graphics were originally destined for flying insects, argue over both American sea monsters and if these games should count as Mario games, remember the shuttle program, and spoil one of the big twists of The Phantom Menace (but an album did it first). Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the fun on ⁠⁠www.theoldswitcharoo.com⁠⁠, where you'll find access to our Discord, voicemail, and so much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (1:14) Welcoming Colleen (5:09) Pilotwings (34:30) Pilotwings 64 (1:17:45) NintenDO or NintenDON’T Pilotwings manual:…

Sarah and Kyle Ford from Stream Team party down with Instagram’s Jaclynfrances in the hit party game that birthed a franchise: Mario Party on the Nintendo 64. Mike and Jaymo’s epic quest to research and review every retro game in the Nintendo Switch Online catalog has never been more wild! In this raucous episode, we kick off the first annual Blooper Games! Play along with a series of wacky mini-games as our guest hosts attempt to match their auras with retro title screens, test their memory of behind-the-scenes trivia, and try to name as many Mario characters as they can before the clock runs out. We dive deep into Bowser’s closeted political affiliations, test the ethical boundaries of AI servitude, and litigate the controversial court case that rubbed Nintendo fans the wrong way… Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Subscribe to The Old SwitchAroo to get more retro goodness delivered straight to your feed! You can also join the…