Switch 2 The Past

There's nothing more iconic to Mike and Neil than seeing Spongebob and Patrick driving out of Bikini Bottom in their pattymobile. Since debuting in 1999 Spongebob has taken the world by storm with everything the yellow sponge had done before serving as a lead up to getting his name on the big screen in 2004. The five year wait proved successful as the movie was a huge success and has lived in the hearts of minds of many fans for almost two decades. Mike & Neil sit down to go through the movie, what it does well, what it doesn't (barely anything?) and why watching it today is just as funny as it was in 2004 with our dads laughing at the pirates in the theatre.

It's hard to imagine that at one point in history Pokémon did not exist, and then one moment it was everywhere. In North America it's now been 25 years since we've been blessed with Pokemon Red and Blue, two of the most iconic games of many peoples childhoods. The music, the sounds, the battles, the characters, the fact that Charizard can't learn fly for some reason. These games are legendary in their myths and memories (no truck rumour to get Mew did not exist), and there are so many unique and interesting stories to tell regarding these games. Neil and Mike are joined by friend of the show Luigi of @luigisappartment fame to reminisce and delve into the immense social impact that these games had on kids and adults alike.

We are celebrating the release of Pikmin 4 with a dive back into our GameCube back catalogue and talking about the game that started it all - Pikmin! Released just after The GameCube in late 2001, this game took a love of gardening to a whole new level and represented a huge risk for Nintendo at the time. Neil has been demanding another Pikmin sequel for years now (you can listen to him talk about it on episode 5 of the GameCube Was Cool Podcast over three years ago!) and now he's finally got it. Joining the boys today is friend of the show Ramon to talk about the good but also the bad of the pikmin series as well as newcomer Dee who talks about her memories with the game and franchise and what she'd like to see in Pikmin 4.

Let's go there, let's talk about learning how to play guitar. From a young age, music was introduced to us through our parents, movies, video games and basically every other facet of life. When you find yourself at the age of 11, and you want to be just like Marty McFly at the 1955 Enchantment Under the Sea Dance, or you want to be like Mark Tremonti at the 2001 Dallas Cowboys halftime show, the realization hits you that you need to learn guitar!  This week, Neil and friend of the show Marty sit down and reminisce about the joys of learning how to play the guitar. Mike will make his grand return to the show next week!

I'M OLDDDDDDD. The third iteration of the Disney Freaky Friday franchise stars Lindsay Lohan and icon Jamie Lee Curtis. If you can believe it this movie came out 20 years ago this week so Neil and Mike wanted to make sure everyone felt old. The boys discuss the music, the outfits, the acting (Jamie got nominated for a GG for this!) and much more. Taking you back to a simpler time Freaky Friday was really the proto-mean girls and it shows. Hope you enjoy another movie related episode of Unlocking What Was Cool!

Mike & Neil push it to the limit on this patreon elected episode. GTA Vice City has been a staple for years in the video game industry yet Neil has actually never played it! Sit back, relax, put on some vice city radio as Neil interviews Mike on why this game is so great and why it needs a remake now more than ever. The story, the music, the action, the characters, the adventure, it's one of those games that's impossible to put down and makes for such a unique blend of a title. Thank you to all the patrons for voting on this episode!

GUH UH! Join Mike and Neil to celebrate 25 years of the bird and the bear with their first ever N64 episode! They are joined by friends of the show Josh from the Still Loading Podcast and Quinn making her Unlocking What Was Cool debut. The boys discuss the iconic music, the colourful graphics, the trademark Rare dialogue and charm, and of course the near perfect 3D platforming gameplay. Though it hasn't had a new title in almost 15 years Banjo Kazooie still lives on strong in the hearts and minds of many and hopefully we see this duo come back sooner than later. Happy 25th birthday Banjo!

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! it's time to talk about NHL Hitz, one of the most unique, lasting sports game series of all time. With only three entries and existing from 2002-2004 Hitz staying power on the heavily saturated sports video game scene of the early 2000s was not to be but it's legacy has certainly endured. With expertly crafted gameplay, animations, and so many features, the Hitz series embodied the perfect arcade sports game. With stellar soundtracks featuring Limp Bizkit, Powerman 5000, Hoobastank and of course the Zambonis, Hitz perfectly captured the sounds of the era. Mike & Neil bring on friend of the show Marty as well as Minds Behind the Sports Games author Patrick Hickey Jr. to break down why these games are still so much fun to play today and of course mention Rollin' at least 10 times.

Neil and Mike explore if this album really is all killer, and no filler and the answer? Yes, Dave's mom should NOT have had an abortion. Some Say (pun intended) that this album is the group's best and it's hard to argue that statement. With killer tracks like the ultimate summer jam 'In Too Deep', a crazy rap rock mix with 'Fat Lip' and an Iron Maiden-esque closer in 'Pain For Pleasure', Sum 41 showed off their chops and proved that they weren't just some one-off Canadian pop punk band, they were here to stay. The boys remember when they first heard some of these songs and go track by track as they breakdown the music, the lyrics, and even the iconic music videos. Come be a casualty of society and check out the latest album of Unlocking What Was Cool!

A show about nothing and a podcast about...something? Mike & Neil discuss the first season of the seemingly timeless Seinfeld to celebrate 25 years since the finale aired! While it didn't go out on the greatest stride this show has defined so many people's lives and has a had a huge impact and only gotten more relatable to Mike & Neil as they've aged. Season 1 with episodes like the stake out, male unbonding (the only episode not to have a "the" prefix) and of course the pilot, we see the roots of sitcom gold growing into a cultural phenomenon that still echoes loudly today.