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

Mike and Jaymo
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Video Games
  • Updated Biweekly

Explore the retro video games in the Nintendo Switch Online catalog every two weeks as lifelong pals Mike & Jaymo are joined by a whole host of new and old friends. Each episode is a new set of retro games from the NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Virtual Boy and Sega Genesis/Mega Drive as they further their quest to research & review all 300+ games available on the Nintendo Switch Online Nintendo Classics catalog. Dust off your d-pads and game on, everyone. Check out www.theoldswitcharoo.com for more about the show and bonus game reviews

  1. Sep 23

    Screentime: Resident Evil (2026) Spoiler Discussion

    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) (1:04:10) NintenDO or NintenDON’T To hear Zach Cregger share some of his insight into writing and making Weapons, check out the episode he did with fellow WKUK Timmy Williams (and from our Ninja Gaiden episodes) on the horror movie podcast Timmy cohosts, Urn Fulla Popcorn: Episode 22 - Weapons (2025) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPPOQMtd04Q For a little more of Derick’s opinion on Dolby Vision, you can check out the Underrated movie podcast’s recording of the Next Stages of Movie and Theater Evolution panel from San Diego Comic-Con 2026 where Derick talks a bit about why he likes that format during the first question: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vktTm0OxFsQ

    Screentime: Resident Evil (2026) Spoiler Discussion

  2. Sep 9

    LiteSwitch: Lock's Quest with Jackie Kashian and Andy Ashcraft

    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, 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 (1:09) Welcoming Jackie Kashian and Andy Ashcraft (30:06) Lock’s Quest (1:10:50) Mini-Game Minute: Components Opponents (1:15:06) Lock’s Quest (con’t) (1:20:49) NintenDO or NintenDON’T (1:21:50) Jackie’s plugs (1:23:33) Andy’s plugs (1:24:20) Outro For more of Jackie Kashian, you can check out her two podcasts, The Dork Forest (https://jackiekashian.com/the-dork-forrest) where she’s having comedians share the things they’re really into and The Jackie and Laurie Show (https://jackieandlaurieshow.com/) with her and Laurie Kilmartin. For her albums, stand-up specials, tour dates, and more, the one-stop shop is: https://jackiekashian.com/ For more of Andy Ashcraft, you can check out his podcast Ethics and Video Games (https://ethicsandvideogames.com/) that he co-hosted with Shlomo Sher, and Andy also recommends checking out his Schlomo Sher’s related book, Play Nice: The Ethics of Video Games

    LiteSwitch: Lock's Quest with Jackie Kashian and Andy Ashcraft

  3. Aug 26 ·  Bonus

    Screentime: X-Men ‘97 Season Two Elimination Bracket (SPOILERS AHEAD!)

    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 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 (1:08) Welcoming Bryan (2:41) Welcoming Ryan (6:15) Preliminary Bracket: Round 1 (18:09) Preliminary Bracket: Round 2 (38:14) Preliminary Bracket: Round 3 (55:01) Preliminary Bracket: Round 4 (1:13:25) Semi-Finals Round 1 (1:14:49) Semi-Finals Round 2 (1:16:51) Finals (1:24:49) Season 1 vs Season 2 (1:27:00) Outro

    Screentime: X-Men ‘97 Season Two Elimination Bracket (SPOILERS AHEAD!)

  4. Aug 12

    S4E15: Double Dragon and Double Dragon 2 -or- Brothers in Arms

    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 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 (1:20) Welcoming Scharonne from 40 Something Gamers (7:15) Double Dragon (36:43) NintenDIS-or-DAT (39:22) Double Dragon (con’t) (43:17) Double Dragon II: The Revenge (1:08:30) NintenDO or NintenDON’T Check out Scharonne on the 40 Something Gamers podcast on all podcast platforms, including Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3YfII057Bl61WCY5WPWkIE Double Dragon manual: https://www.thegameisafootarcade.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Double-Dragon-Game-Manual-1.pdf   Double Dragon II manual: https://www.nintendo.co.jp/clv/manuals/en/pdf/CLV-P-NACHE.pdf   The Man Who Created Double Dragon by Matt Leone | Polygon: https://www.polygon.com/2012/10/12/3495124/the-man-who-created-double-dragon/ “Did Double Dragon have the most random redesigns of any game heroes? The answer: YES!” | NeoGAF: https://www.neogaf.com/threads/did-double-dragon-have-the-most-random-redesigns-of-any-game-heroes-the-answer-yes.479304/ Double Dragon by LRock in 12:04 - SGDQ2018 | Games Done Quick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ-VKdb2dNE Double Dragon II: Wander of the Dragons | Metacritic: https://www.metacritic.com/game/double-dragon-ii-wander-of-the-dragons/ The Double Dragon II remake is so bad you shouldn't even waste time reading this review by Chad Sapieha | Financial Post: http://business.financialpost.com/2013/04/09/the-double-dragon-ii-remake-is-so-bad-you-shouldnt-even-waste-time-reading-this-review/ Review: Double Dragon II: Wander of the Dragons by Nikola Suprak | Hard Core Gamer: https://web.archive.org/web/20190502161917/http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2013/04/18/review-double-dragon-ii-wander-of-the-dragons/ Double Dragon II: Wander Of The Dragons review – worst game ever by David Jenkins | Metro GameCentral: http://metro.co.uk/2013/04/15/double-dragon-ii-wander-of-the-dragons-review-worst-game-ever-3616685/ Double Dragon II: The Revenge by sinister1 in 13:01 - SGDQ2018 | Games Done Quick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrhLgH5Rhk0

    S4E15: Double Dragon and Double Dragon 2 -or- Brothers in Arms

  5. Jul 29

    S4E14: Fire Emblem- Path of Radiance - or- Hitting the Griddy

    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 so much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (1:20) Welcoming Stiltskin (5:46) Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (GameCube) (1:03:45) Mini-Game Minute: Clash or Pass (1:10:14) Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (con’t) (1:33:17) NintenDO or NintenDON’T Join Stiltskin and the shrugbuds community on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/shrugbuds and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@shrugbuds Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance Manual: https://www.scribd.com/document/505304853/Fire-Emblem-Path-of-Radiance-Manual My Roommate Won't Stop Sneezing (STILTSKIN - Episode #6) | Shrugbuds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFjOk6tAHjM Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn Development Staff Interview | Nintendo Dream, April 2007: https://web.archive.org/web/20070618061417/http://www.nindori.com/interview/156FE/index.html Ancient Language | Serenesforest.net: https://serenesforest.net/path-of-radiance/miscellaneous/ancient-language/ List of characters in Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance | Fire Emblem Wiki: https://fireemblemwiki.org/wiki/List_of_characters_in_Fire_Emblem:_Path_of_Radiance

    S4E14: Fire Emblem- Path of Radiance - or- Hitting the Griddy

  6. Jul 15

    S4E13: Killer Instinct -or- ULTRA COMBO!

    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 much more! Game on, everyone. (0:00) Intro (1:00) Welcoming Butch (4:13) Killer Instinct (SNES) vs Killer Instinct Gold (N64) (1:03:24) NintenDO or NintenDON’T Check out SSJ3Butch on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/ssj3butch Killer Instinct SNES Manual: https://www.videogamemanual.com/snes/Killer%20Instinct%20(USA).pdf Killer Instinct 64 Manual: https://www.videogamemanual.com/n64/Killer%20Instinct%20Gold%20(USA).pdf Killer Instinct (Arcade) | The Cutting Room Floor: https://tcrf.net/Killer_Instinct_(Arcade) FIGHT ON: The Killer Instinct Story (Documentary) | Hold Back to Block: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks4eZoG94Vs Killer Instinct - All Character Endings! (SNES) | White Boy Gaming: https://youtu.be/f2pzSHWcW7Y?si=yr73297Gm1OIHgCV   Nintendo 64 - Killer Instinct Gold - Longplay All Endings | ElewPlay: https://youtu.be/Br7rIjgBop4?si=1-H082eD_tWfY8gB

    S4E13: Killer Instinct -or- ULTRA COMBO!

  7. Jul 1

    S4E12: Ninja Gaiden II and Super Ninja Boy -or- Widest Kicks U' Throw

    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 Ninja Boy is the game that finally breaks Jaymo! 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 (0:59) Welcoming Timmy Williams (3:10) Whitest Kids U’ Know - Mars (11:12) Super Ninja Boy (SNES) (51:29) Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos (NES) (1:23:49) NintenDO or NintenDON’T (1:41:52) Outro Timmy Williams can be found talking horror movies with his co-host Shandi on Urn Fulla Popcorn: https://urnfullapopcorn.com/   For more info about the Whitest Kids U’ Know’s final project, the animated movie Mars, check out https://wkukmars.com/ or order it directly from MediaOCD: https://mediaocd.com/product/whitest-kids-u-know-mars-blu-ray/ Ninja Gaiden 2 manual: https://www.thegameisafootarcade.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Ninja-Gaiden-II-The-Dark-Sword-of-Chaos-Game-Manual.pdf Super Ninja Boy manual: https://www.videogamemanual.com/snes/Super%20Ninja%20Boy%20(USA).pdf Proto:Super Ninja Boy | The Cutting Room Floor: https://tcrf.net/Proto:Super_Ninja_Boy Presidential Props, Season 3, Episode 3 | Whitest Kids U’ Know: https://youtu.be/oTNNQIXK9Nk?si=16yFXjXroB0VBitI&t=42 Office Insubordination, Season 2, Episode 9 | Whitest Kids U’ Know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfrsFiBB_wA Super Ninja Boy Walkthrough by Dalton Of Zeal | RPGClassics: https://shrines.rpgclassics.com/snes/snb/walkthrough.shtml NES Longplay [058] Ninja Gaiden II: Dark Sword of Chaos | World of Longplays: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzb4Tonx0WI Ninja Gaiden II by TheRetroRunner in 10:49 - Awesome Games Done Quick 2025 | Games Done Quick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1qCrkDvpH8

    S4E12: Ninja Gaiden II and Super Ninja Boy -or- Widest Kicks U' Throw

  8. Jun 17

    S4E11: Tetris -or- Playing the Classics

    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 modern classical music performances. Once they pick up the controllers, Jennifer helps contextualize the music attached to Tetris, from the now-iconic Tetris theme Korobeiniki and The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy to the original music created for Tetris DX. We’ll also take a very big leap down the rabbit hole that has been the quest to beat Tetris on the NES, including discussing the Classic Tetris World Championship and how players have met every new challenge that has been found in Tetris over the last few years. And Mike will share one of the most unpredictable Tetris reviews he thinks you’ve ever heard. 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 (0:59) Welcoming Jennifer Miller Hammel (16:45) Tetris (GB) (50:20) Tetris (NES) (1:11:53) Tetris DX (Game Boy Color) (1:19:28) Tetris 99 (Nintendo Switch) (1:28:53) NintenDO or NintenDON’T (1:36:25) Outro Catch Jennifer Miller Hammel in the mornings on Classical California or anytime by checking out the always-streaming Arcade: https://www.classicalcalifornia.org/arcade Tetris (NES) Manual: https://www.retrogames.cz/manualy/NES/Tetris_(Nintendo)_-_NES_-_Manual.pdf Tetris DX Manual: https://www.thegameisafootarcade.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Tetris-DX-Game-Manual.pdf Tetris Opera - Video Games Live (VGL) - Vocals by Jillian Aversa | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1yZEs-hBHo Objective Ministries Tetris Review: https://objectiveministries.org/zounds/gaming.html Tetris Official Website - Fun Facts: https://tetris.com/news/fun-facts First person to play a videogame in space | Guinness World Records: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/109300-first-person-to-play-a-videogame-in-space Jeopardy! messed up by taking a silly gaming meme at face value by Michael McWhertor | Polygon: https://www.polygon.com/2019/10/9/20906250/jeopardy-tetris-viral-photoshop-joke/ World’s biggest game of Tetris played out on 2,000 drones by Anthony Cuthbertson | The Independent: https://www.the-independent.com/tech/worlds-biggest-game-of-tetris-drones-b2885283.html Complete History Of The Soviet Union, Arranged To The Melody Of Tetris | pigwiththefaceofaboy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWTFG3J1CP8 Nintendo A Cappella by Redefined: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSBIAGCulDw The History of Tetris World Records | Summoning Salt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOJlg8g8_yw

    S4E11: Tetris -or- Playing the Classics
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Explore the retro video games in the Nintendo Switch Online catalog every two weeks as lifelong pals Mike & Jaymo are joined by a whole host of new and old friends. Each episode is a new set of retro games from the NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Virtual Boy and Sega Genesis/Mega Drive as they further their quest to research & review all 300+ games available on the Nintendo Switch Online Nintendo Classics catalog. Dust off your d-pads and game on, everyone. Check out www.theoldswitcharoo.com for more about the show and bonus game reviews

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