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 of Samus

(1:26:40) NintenDO or NintenDON’T

Find Kristal on Instagram - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/revoltingingenue/Find the Lazy Circles on Instagram - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thelazycircles/⁠

Metroid manual: https://www.nintendo.co.jp/clv/manuals/en/pdf/CLV-P-NAAQE.pdf
Metroid 2 manual: https://metroid.retropixel.net/games/metroid2/manual/metroid2_manual.pdf

Famicom Disk System: The More You Play It, the More You'll Want to Play! [Disk 1] | Originally Vol 118 of Nintendo Dream in 2004, translation on Metroid-Database: https://web.archive.org/web/20161021110628/http://www.metroid-database.com/m1/fds-interview-p4.php

Metroid: Zero Mission Director Roundtable by Craig Harris | IGN: https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/01/30/metroid-zero-mission-director-roundtable?page=3⁠

Metroid Password Generator: https://www.truepeacein.space/⁠ 

Metroid FlawlessNES Playthrough [ No Hit / Damage / Death ] | Slackanater: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHXzXMbfv5Y⁠

Nintendo Power #26, July 1991: https://archive.org/details/nintendo-power-issue-026-july-1991/page/n57/mode/2up⁠

Metroid Recon: https://metroid.retropixel.net/⁠

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: https://www.retrogames.cz/manualy/SNES/Pilotwings_-_SNES_-_Manual.pdf

Pilotwings 64 manual: https://www.retrogames.cz/manualy/N64/Pilotwings_64_-_Nintendo_64_-_Manual.pdf

Dragonfly (Pilot Wings) [Beta – SNES] | Unseen64: https://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/14/pilotwings-snes-proto/

Track by Track - The Dark Side of the Moon Redux | Roger Waters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNtZawT1iJY&t=292s 

Pilotwings 64 Speedrun in 33:39 by Graviton - Live at SGDQ 2013 | Graviton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieL3eLRgpp8

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 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

(1:06) Welcoming Jackie, Sarah, and Kyle

(3:42) Intro to Mario Party

(6:12) Blooper Games Round 1: EnTitled Screens

(13:15) Mario Party Trivia

(30:11) Blooper Games Round 2: Thanks for the Number-ies

(32:00) JoyPros of Mario Party

(58:14) Blooper Games Round 3: Sigma-bet!

(1:01:12) JoyCons of Martio Party

(1:06:27) NintenDo or NintenDon’t

(1:09:27) Blooper Games Awards Ceremony

(1:11:02) Outro

You can find poetry and pics from Jaymo’s wife Jackie at https://www.instagram.com/jaclynfrances

Sign up for Kyle’s thought-provoking newsletter at https://newsletter.houseofkyle.com/

Want to talk movies and television with Sarah? Join streamteam.club or hit Kyle up on the SwitchAroo Discord!

Mario Party Manual: https://www.gamesdatabase.org/Media/SYSTEM/Nintendo_N64/Manual/formated/Mario_Party_-_1999_-_Nintendo.pdf

Voice Actor Says Wario Was Originally Intended To Be A German Character by Casey | SiliconEra: https://www.siliconera.com/voice-actor-says-wario-originally-intended-german-character/

That Time Nintendo Gave Gloves to Mario Party Players as Part of a Lawsuit by by Jason Capp | NintendoLink: https://www.nintendolink.com/2022/09/07/that-time-nintendo-gave-gloves-to-mario-party-players-as-part-of-a-lawsuit/

Why Senior Citizens Love the Wii by Laura Conaway | NPR: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2009/07/why_senior_citizens_love_the_w.html

Twitch streamer RiRiYells and the Underrated movie podcast’s Derick McDuff are instrumental in exploring  The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Game Boy / Game Boy Color 1993/1998) as Mike and Jaymo continue on season 3 of their epic quest to research and review every retro game in the Nintendo Switch Online catalog!

In this episode, we’ll learn t how Link’s Awakening was like an afterschool project with a life of its own, try to figure out the boundaries of reality in this Lynchian entry of  the franchise, and discover how so many unexpected Nintendo characters were snuck into Link’s Awakening roster of enemies. Think you can name them all? Play along with our trivia round: CameO or CameNo? Last but not least, stay tuned until the end of the episode for our first-ever Ranking Retro segment, where we decide the pecking order of the first 5 games in the prolific Zelda series.

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

(1:12) Welcoming Derick from the Underrated movie podcast

(1:32) Welcoming RiRiYells

(4:02) The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

(35:54) Mini-Game Minute: Cameo or CameNo

(1:24:24) Ranking Retro

(1:27:18) NintenDO or NintenDON’T

You can find more from Derick and the Underrated movie podcast at https://underratedmoviepodcast.com/ wherever you get your podcasts and on social media.

You can join RiRiYells on Twitch at https://www.twitch.tv/ririyells

Link’s Awakening manual: https://www.gamesdatabase.org/game/nintendo-game-boy-color/legend-of-zelda-links-awakening-dx

Iwata Asks| Volume 2 : The History of Handheld The Legend of Zelda Games: https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/ds/zelda/1/0/

As we wrap up our season-break episodes of The Old SwitchAroo: Lite Switch, Mike and Jaymo dive into their gaming adventures during this downtime. Mike shares his experience with the emotional journey of the To the Moon series, discussing its unique storytelling and how it resonates on a personal level. Jaymo, on the other hand, introduces listeners to the exciting open beta of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, a long-awaited sequel that blends 2D fighting with modern graphics.

The duo also explores Piczle Cross Adventure, a puzzle game that adds a narrative twist to the classic Picross format, and Jaymo's rekindled love for Marvel Snap, now with new features and a fresh publisher. Finally, Mike is checking out space shipping game Starstruck Vagabond, but Jaymo is predicting some star-crossed lovers.

Thanks for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe or follow us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you listen to podcasts to catch all the exciting content coming your way. Visit https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com for more updates and to join our Discord community!

Game on, everyone!

(0:00) Intro

(1:20) To the Moon Series

(10:46) Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves

(17:13) Piczle Cross Adventure

(22:30) Jaymo's turn at Balatro

(28:15) The return of Marvel Snap

(32:00) Starstruck Vagabond

(42:34) Wrap-Up and Season 3 Preview

Show notes created by https://headliner.app

It’s time to cross swords over Animal Crossing! In this episode of The Old SwitchAroo: Lite Switch, Jaymo continues his break from researching, reviewing, and playfully ribbing all 250+ games in the Nintendo Switch Online retro catalog. Today, he faces off against returning guest Lisa from the Geek Pop Podcast in a competition to see whose Animal Crossing island has the best house, villagers, and overall theming. Their guest judge is fellow Geek Popper and Animal Crossing aficionado, Big Chris; he brings his wit and wisdom to the islands of Jaymorea and Cacahuete to declare one tropical paradise as The Bells of the Ball!

Which isle will make him smile? Will he blush at Jaymo’s Classic Art Peep Show? Or will he go flush at the sight of Lisa’s infamous Toilet Gardens? Which villagers will have him in a gift-giving frenzy, and who deserves to be voted off the island? Come along on this jovial journey; you can even judge the custom creations for yourself using the Dream Addresses listed below!

Thanks for listening, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Don’t forget to 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 ourDiscord, voicemail, and so much more!

Game on, everyone.

(0:00) Intro  

(1:20) Welcoming Lisa & Big Chris

(5:05) Animal Crossing: Past, Present, & Future

(15:40) Loved Island Competition: Round 1- Islands & Theming

(25:12) Loved Island Competition: Round 2- The Villagers

(32:28) Loved Island Competition: Round 3- House & Home

(39:49) Winners, Losers, & Geek Poppy Plugs

Lisa’s Dream Address (Cacahuete): DA-1617-7429-0168

Jaymo’s Dream Address (Jaymorea): DA-9883-8979-8371

You can find Lisa, Chris and the whole Geek Pop podcast at https://geekpoppodcast.wordpress.com/ as well as on Twitter (geekpoppodcast), Instagram (geekpop), and Facebook (GeekPoppin).

Join Mike and Jaymo for another engaging episode of The Old SwitchAroo: Lite Switch, as they continue their break from the usual Nintendo Switch Online catalog to dive into Jaymo's top twenty games of all time. This episode is packed with nostalgia, excitement, and a few surprises as they explore the games that shaped Jaymo's gaming journey.

The discussion kicks off with the thrilling announcement of the Switch 2, sparking debates about backward compatibility and the potential for enhanced gameplay experiences. Mike and Jaymo share their thoughts on the new Joy-Con features and the intriguing Mouse Con peripheral, pondering how these innovations might impact their gaming adventures.

As they transition into Jaymo's top 20, Mike and Jaymo cover the best video game finish they've ever had, some of their favorite multiplayer modes, and what it takes to make Sonic really shine.

Thanks for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe or follow us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you listen to podcasts to stay updated for the exciting launch of Season 3. Visit https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com to find all our social media links and join our Discord to share your thoughts on this episode or what you'd like to hear in future ones. We want to hear about your top games too!

Game on, everyone.

(0:00) Intro

(1:03) Nintendo announcement: Switch 2

(12:14) Jaymo's Top 20 Games Overview

(55:42) Outro

Show notes created by https://headliner.app

Check out Jaymo talking about Street Fighter III: Third Strike on the Cable Club League podcast: https://www.thecableclub.com/ep-32-if-the-boys-wanna-fight-you-better-let-em-street-fighter-iii-third-strike/

Some of the other games we talk about have been discussed before on The Old SwitchAroo, and you can check out those episodes as well

Mario Kart 64: https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com/s1e15-rainbow-road-warriors/

Splatoon 3: https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com/lite-switch-march-22-2024-x-men-97-balatro-burnout-paradise-and-more/

Marvel Snap: https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com/lite-switch-april-5-2024-marvel-snap-tangle-tower-slipstream-rogue-space-and-more/

Sonic the Hedgehog 2: https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com/s2e01-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-or-welcome-to-the-next-level/

Street Fighter III: Third Strike: https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com/lite-switch-jan-15-2025-street-fighter-iii-the-duck-detective-sonic-galactic-and-more/

Join Mike and Jaymo for a laid-back season-break episode of The Old SwitchAroo: Lite Switch, where they take a breather from their usual deep dives into the Nintendo Switch Online catalog to share what they've been playing during the offseason. This time, it's all about the games that have captured their attention while they gear up for the exciting launch of Season 3.

Jaymo kicks things off with his love for retro fighting games, diving into his experience on the Cable Club League podcast where he championed Street Fighter 3: Third Strike. He shares nostalgic tales of college arcade days and the game's crunchy mechanics that keep him coming back. Meanwhile, Mike explores the quirky world of Duck Detective: The Secret Salami, a noir-inspired mystery game that's as entertaining as it is unique.

They also touch on Marvel vs. Capcom Collection, a nostalgic trip through classic crossover fighting games, and Jaymo's recent venture into Sonic Galactic, a fan-made game that imagines what a true Sega Saturn Sonic the Hedgehog game might have been. With discussions ranging from arcade nostalgia to modern indie gems, this episode is a delightful mix of gaming past and present.

Thanks for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe or follow us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you listen to podcasts so you're ready for the exciting launch of Season 3. Visit https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com to find all our social media links and share your thoughts on this episode or what you'd like to hear in future ones. We'd love to hear about the games you're playing, too!

Game on, everyone.

(0:00) Intro

(1:03) Street Fighter III: Third Strike

(8:07)Marvel vs. Capcom Collection Nostalgia

(9:45) Mike's Take on Duck Detective: The Secret Salami

(15:19) Exploring Sonic Galactic

(19:29) Outro

Show notes created by https://headliner.app

Check out Jaymo on Episode 32 of the Cable Club League (https://www.thecableclub.com/) podcast to talk about Street Fighter III: Third Strike at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16MNSYhIeLE

To hear our friends Derick and RiRiYells talk about the Ace Attorney movie, check out the Underrated movie podcast (https://underratedmoviepodcast.com/) episode https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/underrated/episodes/Ace-Attorney-e2q14g4

Join Mike and Jaymo for a special episode of The Old SwitchAroo: Lite Switch, where they take a break from their usual deep dives into the Nintendo Switch Online catalog to share what gaming and gaming-related activities they've been up to during the offseason.

In this special SPOILER-FILLED episode, the boys are joined by two lifelong Sonic fans, Jaymo’s brothers Justin & Jonathan, to recap and review the 2024 hit movie, Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

After a quick rundown of Sonic’s various multimedia appearances over the last three decades, our panel spin-dashes through nearly every aspect of the blockbuster threequel, from its eye-catching posters, amusing Japanese rebranding, subversive Cyberpunk easter egg, and even a scene-by-scene recap of the movie that’s got everyone across the country rushing to their local cinema.

Thanks for tuning in, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Don't forget to subscribe or follow us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you listen to podcasts so you're ready for the exciting launch of Season 3.

Visit https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com to find all our social media links and share your thoughts on this episode or what you'd like to hear in future ones. Or even better, join our Discord and play a round or two of Star Wars: Hunters with our lovely community!

Game on, everyone.

(0:00) Intro

(6:29) Poster Impressions & Tubular Trivia

(13:11) Recap Pt 1: Enter Shadow

(19:01) Recap Pt 2: Unlikely Alliances

(27:38) Recap Pt 3: Crybaby Backstory

(31:48) Recap Pt 4: Super-Powered Showdown

(39:08) Recap Pt 5: Welcome to the Final Level

(52:48) JoyContest: Ranking the Reels

(58:38) NintenDo or NintenDon’t

(1:01:55) Outro

Join Mike and Jaymo for a special episode of The Old SwitchAroo: Lite Switch, where they take a break from their usual deep dives into the Nintendo Switch Online catalog to share what gaming and gaming-related activities they've been up to during the offseason.

In this very special episode, the boys are joined by SwitchAroo alums Bryan & Lisa to rank all 16 characters in the Switch/mobile free-to-play hero shooter, Star Wars: Hunters (coming  soon to PC!)

After recapping their personal histories with the Star Wars franchise, our intrepid hosts pit the heroes from each class against each other in a fight to the finish. It's Sith vs Jedi, Wookiee vs Ewok, and more Droid-on-Droid violence than the galaxy can handle! May the Force be with them, in all ways!

Thanks for tuning in, and a very special thanks to Kristal Fields of The Lazy Circles for our catchy theme song! Don't forget to subscribe or follow us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you listen to podcasts, so you're ready for the exciting launch of Season 3. 

Visit https://www.theoldswitcharoo.com to find all our social media links and share your thoughts on this episode or what you'd like to hear in future ones. Or even better, join our Discord and play a round or two of Hunters with our lovely community! 

Game on, everyone.

(0:00) Intro

(4:00) Getting to Know the Panel

(13:30) Round 1: Close-Range Damage Class

(26:37) Round 2: Long-Range Damage Class

(37:20) Round 3: Tank Class

(52:15) Round 4: Support Class

(59:40) Final Round: Which Hunter is the Huntest?

(1:04:00) Outro/Outtakes

Find Bryan on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/bryan.s.lee) and YouTube (http://youtube.com/bryanlee)

You can find Lisa and the whole Geek Pop podcast at https://geekpoppodcast.wordpress.com/ as well as on Twitter (https://x.com/geekpoppodcast), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/geekpop/), and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/GeekPoppin/).

Explore the Star Wars: Hunters universe at https://starwarshunters.com/, and get hyped for the PC launch on January 27th!