Switch 2 The Past

Before the world had smart phones and apps were just a tap away, there was a world where DS cartridges of “My Stop Smoking Coach” and “Imagine Girl Band” were found in the bin of your local drugstore. Yes it’s another shovelware episode from Switch 2 The Past. Friend of the show Erin from Fake Gamer Girls joins the show to discuss the DS, the explosion of shovelware for the console, and if Alan Carr really cured Sir Anthony Hopkins of his smoking addiction.

It's Bond, James Bond. It's been a bit over a month since First Light released after 15 years without a Bond game and oh boy, is there a lot to talk about. Join Mike & Neil and friend of the show Josh from the Still Loading Podcast for a deep dive into this game and what makes it such a worthy entry into the 007 family.

In June 2011 the world was blessed with the second American McGee game in the Alice franchise, Alice Madness Returns. Since then Neil, Mike and friend of the show Dan (who appears on Switch 2 the Past for the first time!) have been awaiting some sort of sign that the trilogy will one day be completed. Well thanks to EA that will probably never happen but while the boys wait, they'll discuss what makes Alice Madness Returns one of the most beautiful, haunting, grotesque, dark, and unique games to ever grace a console.

Despite E3 going the way of the dinosaur, June is still the big month for game announcements (could they just bring back E3 and make this easier for all of us?). Join Mike & Neil for an hour and change as they talk about some HUGE announcements like Godzilla Destroys All Monsters, Resident Evil Veronica, and Ocarina of Time!

It’s the Switch 2’s first birthday party!! Please leave a gift at the door, or leave a GIF for Neil, he’d really appreciate it. Time has flown by and with one year already since Mike held the Switch 2 in his arms for the first time, the boys look back on the last 12 months at Nintendo, give some reviews of the current games and hardware, and talk about their predictions for what we’ll see from S2 in June of 2027. Can’t wait for the Switch to enter the terrible twos!

While waiting for the Nintendo financial numbers to drop we were blessed by a surprise Star Fox direct to tell us all about the newest (oldest?) entry into the StarFox series. Mike & Neil discuss the upcoming game, as well as Nintendo's sale numbers for Q1 of 2026, and what the boys predict will be shown off in June's inevitable big direct.

Mike is back from Japan and is sad about Toronto's transit system, what else is new? Well he brought back some games to talk about which means it's another episode of japanese gamecube exclusives! Marcello @gamecubegalaxy on YouTube joins the show to discuss four interesting games for the cube that were only released in the land of the rising sun: Legend of Golfer, Pool Edge, Bomberman Land 2, and Donkey Konga 3!

It’s time for the Nintendo Financial Times report, with Mike & Neil. Last quarter of course was the holiday season so we got some big numbers from the N64 as well as the GameBoy. With the release of the GameCube and GameBoy Advance just around the corner the boys are extremely excited for what 2001 is going to offer. Of course it’s not all great news, the Dreamcast was officially discontinued meaning the long running console wars are officially over. What comes next for Nintendo in the 21st century? Find out right here on the Switch To The Past show, your #1 source of information on the world wide web.

It's an encore! Time to continue the Guitar Hero 3 journey with friend of the show @luigisappartment joining the podcast for part 2. Luigi joins the show to talk about his first memories of playing Guitar Hero and what it was like to be in college when this phenomenon was taking over the world! This game and genre may have mostly gone away in the public eye but are still very much beloved by millions and services like Clone Hero or Yarg continue to push the legacy. Even Fortnite (Harmonix is owned by Epic Games) has successfully pushed their own rhythm experience so the nostalgia is ripe and ready for Guitar Hero to make a comeback. Do we see it in 2026?? Find out in this episode!!

It's 2007, you're in your friend's basement and they bust out a plastic Gibson Les Paul. They put their Wii remote in it and voila, it's a magical guitar with 5 buttons and a whammy bar! All of a sudden Through The Fire And Flames was everywhere, every kid could sing the lyrics to Slow Ride, and Slash was once again a household name. Guitar Hero 3 was the absolute peak of rhythm games for so many reasons. Neil and Mike are joined by friend of the show Ali to breakdown why this game was so successful and the impact that both Guitar Hero and Rockband had on the world. This is part 1 of a special 2 part episode, look out for the other half next week!

A Rareware game for a Nintendo system with a cute, cuddly squirrel as it's mascot? What a great family platformer! Well many parents may have thought this 25 years ago, it turns out that this is one of the most vulgar, crass, funny games full of innuendo and pop culture references that would go way over a kid's head. Friend of the show Harrison joins the pod to discuss playing this game secretly as a kid and then only somewhat secretly as an adult while Neil pours one out for Rare (he still has his Rare Replay disc at least). Happy 25th birthday to a game that we may never see again!

No this isn't a sequel to Pokémon Stadium as so many often mistake it for, this is one of the longest, grindiest, but most unique Pokemon games to ever exist. It's the JRPG-inspired 2004 cult classic Colosseum! Here on Switch 2 The Past Mike & Neil are celebrating 30 years of Pokemon by talking about a game with no random encounters, not created by GameFreak, and one which you SNAG other people's Pokemon! Friend of the show Erin from the Fake Gamer Girls podcast joins the show to talk about her memories of the game, protagonist Wes as the ultimate edgy 2004 teen, and how this game tells you absolutely nothing, but we still love it all the same.

Change court! It’s Mario Tennis time here on Switch 2 The Past as Mike & Neil celebrate the inclusion of a new game in the Franchise, Mario Tennis Fever! Joining the show to chat tennis and of course some N64 is Dave from the Remember64 podcast who reminisces about his favourite shots, courts and characters. Mario Tennis 64 still hits hard after all these years and there’s still much reason to go back to it. AND it’s of course the debut of the number one Nintendo character of all time, Waluigi!

Financial earnings? A recent direct? That means its time for the NFT report! No that’s not Non Fudgesicle Tokens, it’s the Nintendo Financial Times report, with Mike & Neil, reporting on all of the fun stats, figures and news from Ninty. Q4 of course being the holiday season we got some big numbers from the Switch 2 as well as the Switch officially becoming the best selling Nintendo console of all time! The boys also discuss the most recent partner showcase and what they would really like to see done to the Virtual Boy's library. It's all here! (except for fudgesicles).

WAHHHHH. It's time to go back to 2003. No not to F-Zero GX, or Windwaker, or Soul Calibur....no it's everyone's favourite Treasure developed game, Wario World! An absolute gem for the GameCube, Mike & Neil covered this wayyy back in the day on The GameCube Was Cool and are bringing it back for it's inclusion on the Switch 2's GameCube Online Service! Friend of the show @gamecubegalaxy on YouTube joins the podcast to chat all about his favourite memories and stage from the game and why Nintendo REALLY needs to show the ol' purple and yellow some more love.

With the darkest days upon us (as well as snow for almost everyone on the east coast of North America), this episode felt extremely appropriate to record at this time of year. One of the best pure survival games in recent memory, this game from indie Canadian studio Hinterland has become a cult favourite and undercover hit selling over 6m units! Friend of the show Marty joins the episode and the boys could think of no one better to bring on as he's racked up 1400 hours playing this game and knows what it's like to get cabin fever after running away from some bears chasing you in Bleak Inlet. Don't know what that means? Listen to this very special episode to learn all about this terrific game and what makes it so special 12 years after it's release.

2026 is gonna be a big year full of some great anniversaries, new games, and lots more GameCube content! Mike & Neil talk about things to look forward this year for the podcast and for the world of gaming while diving into some news in the Nintendo world and wondering why people need salt content warning labels on jars of pickles.

It's time for the annual year in review! After taking a break from podcasting in 2024 Mike & Neil look back on the year that was, their achievements in life and podcasting as well as some of the year's biggest stories in the game industry. The boys will be returning in January next year after a little holiday break so stay tuned for new episodes in 2026!

”We can almost put a stamp of certainty that Kirby Air Ride will never come to a console” said Mike in May of 2021. It takes big men to admit their mistakes and here at Switch 2 The Past, we are those big men. To celebrate the fact that Neil and Mike were both wrong and Kirby Air Riders has released 22 years later, the boys discuss the original game with @gamecubegalaxy joining the show. Though it’s main modes leave a lot to be desired, Kirby Air Ride truly shines in City Trial mode and makes for a chaotic yet addicting game. Additionally Mike & Neil revisit their Kirby eating contest. Can you guess what snack they loudly and obnoxiously crunched into the microphone???

Wiiiiii would like to play! It’s time to talk about some of the strangest, funniest and generally unplayable games ever to grace Nintendo’s second best-selling console. It’s the Wii Shovelware episode! Erin from the Fake Gamer Girls podcast joins the show to recount some of her favourite memories around playing games such as Party Babyz, Action Girlz Racing, Bratz Kidz, and The Bee Movie Game (wow no Z on that one?). The Wii was truly the perfect storm for high quatity, low quality games that were created mostly to dupe consumers into buying the much cheaper option than the Mario and Zeldas on the shelves at the time. Jump into the show and see why Safe Cracker (yes that is a game) was Mike’s pick as the greatest of this very small sample of Wii Shovelware.

20 years ago the world was introduced to Mario Kart DS, and after 24 million units sold this title is still one of the strongest in the franchise. With some of the most memorable courses like Waluigi Pinball and Peach Gardens, the game’s stages and karts shine like no other. And yes, R.O.B. is a playable character for some reason! Mike & Neil recount their memories of first playing this gem before inviting friend of the show Kira (@kira.loves.zelda) on the show to have her talk about her vivid memories of how this game and console shaped her gaming experience growing up. Get out those stylists and start making some inappropriate custom emblems!Thank you to this month’s sponsor Jsaux, check out their Switch 2 case inventory here and save 10% on your purchase! ⁠https://www.jsaux.com?sca_ref=9980950.daB67avMO6

It’s time to unleash the Dragon of Dojima on this very special episode celebrating Yakuza 0! As the Yakuza games have now found their way to the Nintendo Switch, Mike & Neil wanted to bring on friend of the show Ali to discuss the games, their impact, and their future. Minigames are the name of the game here with some of the best pool, batting cage, poker, and yes even Mahjong sims you’ll ever encounter! Not only that, Yakuza 0 packs a punch with an 80s-style story of Japan’s real estate bubble and some of the best cut scenes you’ll ever see in a game. Whether you’re a Majima or a Kiryu, it’s all here on Switch 2 The Past!Thank you to this month’s sponsor Jsaux, check out their Switch 2 case inventory here and save 10% on your purchase! https://www.jsaux.com?sca_ref=9980950.daB67avMO6

It’s the NFT report! Not to be confused with the hottest craze in art collecting in 2021, instead this NFT stands for Nintendo Financial Times! Mike and Neil sit down to talk about Switch 2 sales, and the Switch on the cusp becoming Nintendo's best selling console of all time. The boys also talk about some gaming news as well as some upcoming games like Metroid Prime 4 that have them super excited.

It’s halloween! which means it’s the perfect time to dive into some spooky games here on Switch 2 The Past. To celebrate the release of Little Nightmares III as well as the enhanced edition of the original game coming on Switch 2, we go back to 2017 and explore one of the most disturbing, beautiful, atmospheric, and unique games to come out in the last decade. Cam @cpawx joins the show to discuss Little Nightmares and how this short experience is so gripping that it makes you HUNGER for more (see what we did there). And please don’t forget to hug a nome! Also this game is 4 hours long so yes, there will be spoilers…

It's not quite Pikmin, not quite Animal Crossing, it's not really a platformer but it's also not really an adventure game...so what even is Chibi-Robo?? This is what Mike and guest Kira @kira.loves.zelda try and figure out while celebrating it's inclusion on the Switch online service for the Nintendo GameCube! A game that is sure to find a spot on every "hidden gem on the GameCube" list, Chibi-Robo is approaching 20 years old and for it's almost birthday + inclusion on GameCube online, it was time to finally do this game justice and give it the love (and happiness) it deserves.

25 years ago Nintendo held their annual Space World to announce some games and technology that would forever change the gaming industry. The GameCube and GameBoy Advance were revealed to the public for the first time (with a slightly different GCN controller!). Tech demos were all the rage with a dark, ocarina-like Zelda, 128 Marios on the screen at once, and yes, even Meowth having his own party game. Dave of the Remember 64 podcast joins this unique episode to talk about the conference, the demos, and how this was very much a precursor to the modern-day Nintendo Direct.

It's time to once again talk some Spidey. 5 years ago the boys covered all the Spider-Man games for the GameCube but only had time to talk about this gem for 15 minutes! Well, now to celebrate it's 20th Anniversary, Neil and Mike are back to bring justice to Ultimate Spider-Man and celebrate 20 years of the friendly neighbourhood spider. Join Mike & Neil as they dive into what makes this game so great after two decades and what they wish they could have in an eventual sequel (hint, they want Venom to eat more people).

Get ready to live dangerously or die trying here on the Switch 2 The Past and we finally make a return to the Burnout series. Way back in 2020 Mike & Neil first talked about Burnout 1 and 2 for a whole 15 minutes, barely doing this franchise justice. Now joining the show is racing game expert Ali who dives into the two GameCube classics as well as his personal favourite, Burnout 3: Takedown. Get your crash modes ready and enjoy a DJ Atomica time capsule here on this latest and greatest episode.

It's part two of our Galaxy adventure here at Switch 2 The Past. Josh of Still Loading Podcast is back on the show to continue his chats about his memories, his favourite galaxies, and of course the absolutely beautiful and iconic soundtrack of this game. One of the first fully orchestrated soundtracks in video games, Super Mario Galaxy shines so much brighter with this incredible score and emphasizes how important good music can be in a game. Stay tuned for the back of the case and to hear Josh tell Mike why no, Mario Galaxy is NOT a Zelda game

SUPER MARIOOO GALAXYYY. One of the greatest games of the Wii era, this 2007 classic gets the two-parter treatment here on Switch 2 The Past. Friend of the show Josh of the Still Loading Podcast joins the show to talk about his memories, Rosalina's storybook, and the chair that he'll forever associate Galaxy with. Put on your Mario Boo suit moustache and get ready for a jam packed session of Mario-lore.

It’s the NFT report! Not to be confused with the hottest craze in art collecting in 2021, instead this NFT stands for Nintendo Financial Times! Mike and Neil sit down for a full episode and talk about the first 5 and a half million Switch 2s sold, the indie world direct as well what has the boys excited from the recent partner showcase.

IF YOU SMELL, WHAT THE ROCK IS COOKING!!!! It’s time to finally breakdown one of the greatest wrestling games of all time. WWF No Mercy for the N64. It’s been 25 years since this gem, developed by wrestling game masters AKI corporation graced consoles in 2000 and it is as fun as ever to pick up and play today. Mike is joined by friends of the show Rob and Harrison to breakdown why this game has stood the test of time and to ask the question, who’s choosing Linda McMahon?

Years before cuphead made 1930s animation cool again, Mike & Neil take you back to Epic Mickey, one of the most unique games Disney has ever created that received a fantastic remaster last year which Neil just platinumed! To celebrate 15 years of this so called hidden Wii gem, the boys go on a journey to the Wasteland and learn about the crazy trade that brought Oswald the Lucky Rabbit back to Disney, the good and bad paths that change the outcome of the game, and of course the diferences between the Wii and remastered version. Bring along your paint brush and enjoy a throwback Mike & Neil adventure!

THIS IS ROCKET LEAGUE! It’s been 10 years since Rocket League, the sequel to Super Sonic Acrobatic Rocket Powered Battle Cars released in July of 2015 and since then it’s gone on to become an abosulte phenomonon. Friend of the show @luigisappartment joins the episode to discuss the impact this game has had on the gaming world since it’s launch and of course those awesome mario, luigi, and metroid cars we got with the Switch release back in 2017. Choose your car, your goal explosion, your trail and of course your antenna and let’s go!

For the third and final game in the “launch day trilogy” of the GameCube virtual console, Mike & Neil set their sights once again on Outset island and revisit one of the most iconic games ever for the cube, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. A game that started it’s life as perhaps the most controversial ever for Nintendo and gradually turned into a flagship title, it’s had as strange a journey as Link through the Great Sea. Friend of the show Kira (@toonietwirls) joins the episode to chat about perhaps her favourite game ever and it’s continuing impact on her life and many others. Sit back, relax, and listen to this GameCube-centric episode while we eagerly await for the next batch of games!

YOU GOT BOOST POWER. The fastest game on earth comes to the GameCube virtual console and Mike & Neil can barely keep up! Marcello (@gamecubegalaxy) joins the show to offer his views on the port and the history behind one of the most unique, frustrating, and exilerating games that has ever been released. With it’s inclusion in the day one lineup of the GameCube’s online service, the boys can only hope that this means a new game is not that far away…

WELCOME TO THE STAGE OF HISTORY. It’s time to talk about the GameCube virtual console and the three “launch” games so to speak, starting the trilogy with Soul Calibur II, a game Mike & Neil covered over 4 years ago and now get to look at with fresh eyes. Friend of the show Luigi (@luigisappartment) joins the episode to dive into the world of Link, the Soul Edge, and the unique relationship Nintendo and Namco had in the early 2000s that made this nearly unthinkable inclusion happen.

This is a preview of a Patreon Exclusive episode! To become a member and hear Mike & Neil talk all about Mario Kart World, GameCube Virtual Console, and those amazing Switch 2 magnets, become a patron and help make the show even better!

Another day, another Kong here on the Switch 2 The Past as Mike & Neil once again dive into Donkey Kong Country 1 and 2! There simply wasn’t enough hours in the day to cover these two fantastic games in one episode. Friend of the show Cam @cpawx joins the show to talk about some of his favourite memories of the games, including his mom absolutely fooling him on Christmas morning and his wind level trauma. Big question though, can Cam identify the level just based on the iconic soundtrack? Listen till the end to find out!

It’s DK time here at the Switch 2 The Past as Mike & Neil celebrate all things Kong-like in this part 1 of 2 episodes all about the big ape himself. Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Country 2 Diddy’s Kong Quest were iconic SNES games released 31 and 30 years ago respectively and have truly stood the test of time. This week friend of the show Kira @toonietwirls joins once again to discuss her love of the franchise and Diddy and Dixie in particular. And yes, the unbelievable David Wise score is discussed at length so stick around and you just may hear some Stickerbush Symphony sprinkled in.

In their third release of their second generation, Pokemon decided to go for it and made a game that pioneers nearly everything we know and love about the series today. Animated sprites, battle towers, and YES you can play as a girl. Despite being the lowest selling mainline Pokemon game it’s become known as one of the greatest and also one of the most valuable on the market. Friend of the show Ramon joins the show to discuss his memories of Crystal, how he lost his save file (RIP), and his disdain for the babies of this gen. Join the boys this week and as they try to catch em all!

This is where the fun begins. Mike & Neil are back to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Revenge of the Sith coming to theatres. A lot has changed since 2005 but the boys’ love of Episode III remains constant. Josh, host of Star Wars Escape Pod joins the show to discuss his early memories of the movie and to talk about the Revenge of the Sith game for GameBoy Advance. Tune in to this very special episode, DO IT.

Video games have truly entered the age of remakes yet the terms are extremely divisive amongst gamers (just go to reddit for an eye popping amount of squabbling). To bring some of that reddit energy here, except without the hate and vicious arguing, friend of the show Kira (@toonietwirls) joins the episode to discuss her thoughts on remakes, remasters, reimaginings, ports, funky editions, and everything in between.

There have been many great achievements in human history and on June 5th 2025, The Nintendo GameCube will finally be acknowledged by Nintendo and take it's rightful place on their online service, a truly massive accomplishment. Mike & Neil definitely take a big chunk of the credit but another tireless GameCube advocate is friend of the show Marcello (@gamecubegalaxy) who joins Mike to discuss this monumental news and what he thinks the future holds for this new service.

"Yoshi!! Gulp!" Switch 2 The Past continues it’s torrid pace with episode 2 all about Mario’s most faithful sidekick. No not Luigi, but he is green, it’s Yoshi! Travel back 30 years in the past to a simpler time when dinosaurs did indeed roam the earth. Special guests Dave (@remember64) and Cam (@cpawx) return to the podcast to chat about their favourite memories and reveal a few scandalous secrets about the game too. Sit back, relax and don’t let that timer go down to zero!

We are back!!!! Mike & Neil get the podcast back on track with a new name and new format. It’s been almost a year and a half since the two last spoke on the air and there’s so much to discuss. There have been a lot of life sidequests going on in the past year but the boys are ready to sit down and chat about not one but TWO nintendo directs that we received within the week. Of course one was much bigger than the other featuring a brand new console, a few great new games, and yes, THE GAMECUBE VIRTUAL CONSOLE at long last. So sit back, relax, and enjoy, and thanks for waiting.

On April 25th 2020 Mike & Neil sat down at their desks for the first time to try and record a test episode of their upcoming podcast "The GameCube Was Cool". After being sealed away in the GameCube vault the boys are bringing it back. You'll hear a very rough version of what the podcast would become that will hopefully make you appreciate how far they've come. The boys rank their top 10 GameCube games (as of 2020) and talk about the history of the system and their plans for the podcast. Enjoy looking back on these fresh faced lads with some remastered audio for 2024.

As is tradition Mike & Neil take some time in the last episode of the year to talk about their favourite games, movies, albums, and other big events that happened in 2023. With that also comes news of 2024. The boys will be taking a hiatus for the better part of next year, taking some time to do some life sidequests and having a little break after nearly 4 years of podcasting. Mike & Neil will of course be back in the future with some exciting new plans and will have a few new episodes peppered in so keep your ears peeled for that. Until then enjoy the highlights of 2023 with the latest episode of the podcast. Thank you so much to everyone for listening and writing in this year!

You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you? Well if you have maybe this podcast has the answer to your problems. Sit down, grab your favourite mask, and enjoy Mike & Neil and friend of the show Kira (@toonietwirls) chat about The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. With only an 18 month turnaround for development time after Ocarina, MM, the first true Zelda sequel took things on a dark turn and added in a timed gameplay mechanic allowing the user to replay the same 72 hours over and over again to stop the moon from crashing into Termina. Divisive at first but now hailed as one of the best games ever made, the gang chats about their favourite moments, the sidequests that pull your heartstrings, and the amazing story behind all of it.

Today is a BEEG episode of the original Super Mario RPG released way back in 1996 for the SNES. Mario's first foray into the RPG genre proved extremely successful for both Nintendo and developer Square. A mix of the nintendo charm and Final Fantasy style gameplay, it continues to be one of the greatest entries in the Mario universe. The success stopped when Nintendo chose to go cartridge for their next console and Square went with Sony to create Final Fantasy 7 that made a sequel impossible (though we did get two spin-off franchises in Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi). Cam (@cpawx) joins the boys for his first ever non-zelda episode to chat about playing the original in 1997, having his Mom help him on the final boss and what it's like to play the remake 27 years later.