Game & Watch with Aaron & James

"Someone get this hothead outta here!" This week, Aaron, James, and a very special guest take on Christopher Nolan's trilogy-capping Batman film. Does Nolan balance Bane, Catwoman, and common sense, all in one script? Or do the results get blown to hell, like a four-megaton bomb over the bay of Gotham? Only one thing is for certain: Ben Mendelsohn is a treasure. So grab your popcorn and buckle up...

This week, Aaron and James take a journey into the mind. Gaming psychology takes center stage in this special episode, where the boys discuss completionism and game backlogs. How do we typically choose games to play? What are our completionist tendencies? Why do we let our backlogs get so big? What is "game dread," and why does it plague James's life? All this and more!

Listen up, you filthy [cute] animal [friends]. This week, Aaron and James are joined by special guests Rick the Hamster, Coo the Owl, and Kine the Sunfish, as they tackle the short-but-sweet Kirby classic for Game Boy. We never quite figure out why animals are being kept in sacks, but maybe that’s all part of the game’s charms.

Like overbearing mothers everywhere, Aaron and James go a little bit mad sometimes. This week’s madness involves Hitchcock’s classic 1960 thriller. Listen as the guys tiptoe around the most spoiled twist in movie history, dissect the three-act structure, and get smitten by the charming Anthony Perkins …until he’s not so charming. Enjoy!

The year is 1994. Some of us might have been wee lads, but our hearts were already filled with the love for gaming. Join Aaron, James, and three returning guests as they fantasy draft yet again -- this time from the 16-bit era! Buckle up for an absolutely insane variety of selections, from tried and true classics to wacky surprises. This draft is not one to miss!

"Why the hell didn't you make him finish school?!" This week, Aaron and James, adorned with fedoras and bullwhips in hand, break down the much-maligned entry in the Indiana Jones franchise. They discuss the ways in which they've warmed up to the film since its original release, but make sure to emphasize some of its most glaring missteps (useless characters included) along the way. Do they, like m...

What better time than the 4th of July to talk about the joy that a different country brings us? This week, Aaron and James share their top five favorite anime openings, or "OPs," as they're also called. First they share their criteria for the selections and then dive in to their lists - each of which have some modern favorites and some older classics. Check this episode out to see if your favorite...

Groovy? This week, plasma blasters in hand, Aaron and James dive into the 1994 platformer that launched one of the stranger franchises of the 90s. Join them as they discuss the game in relation to other mascot platformers of the era, its surreal art style, and its origins, all while asking the big question: did it stand the test of time, or, like many other games of the 8-and-16-bit eras, did it a...

From his comedic roles to his dramatic roles to his ... completely unhinged comedic roles, what isn't to love about Jim Carrey? Now that he's possibly retired, Aaron and James decided to go through their favorite performances of his. Will your favorite Carrey performance make their lists? Will "The Number 23" see a positive critical reevaluation in our lifetimes? Listen, and find out!

"Oh, there must be some mistake. Our children are in the backyard. Right, honey?" It’s the classic parenting blunder we’ll all make at some point: shrinking your kids. This week, Aaron and James take a trip to the backyard with this 1989 Disney comedy. Topics of discussion include questionable parenting styles, late-80s practical effects, Rick Moranis’ country music career, and whether Wayne Szali...

"Groovy." This week, armed with chansaws and sawed-off shotguns, Aaron and James take on Kandarian demons and have a hell of a time discussing this beloved horror/comedy classic. There is no shortage of praise here as they break down the exceptional camerawork, makeup, effects, and more!

Yes, yes, you should have seen this coming -- it’s draft time again. This time, Aaron and James are joined by three recurring guests to draft from one of the most monumental years in modern gaming. This draft has it all: surprises, passion picks, and some underplayed gems. Enjoy!

To the surprise of no one, Aaron and James still have Zelda fever, and so it’s time for another Zelda episode! This week, your hosts have curated a list of categories and are naming their favorite Zelda game for each one. Which game has the best Link? The best Zelda? The best story? The best music? Listen in to find out which games they picked for these and more! Lastly, stick around to hear their...

Now that Tears of the Kingdom is finally here, Aaron and James decided to pay homage this week to their favorite dungeons from the Legend of Zelda series. They've considered factors ranging from aesthetic to boss fights, and have come up with ironclad, official lists that they'll definitely never change or think twice about. Will your favorite dungeon make either of their lists? Listen in and find...

"Everyone chooses death too hastily." Join Aaron, James, and a rotating selection of party members like Cecil, Rosa, Rydia, and Kain, as they work their way through this JRPG classic. They discuss how Square successfully elevated this game compared to the first three entries in the series, debate whether the lack of party management is a good thing, laud the differences between the OG and the Pixe...

“You give me a time and a place, I give you a five minute window. Anything happens in that five minutes and I'm yours. No matter what. Anything happens a minute either side of that and you're on your own. Do you understand?" In this case, give Aaron and James a roughly two-hour window to discuss this Nicolas Winding Refn cult hit. Anything that happens in this two hours and we’re yours -- and that...

We’re drafting again! Join Aaron, James, and three special guests as they navigate the wealth of games released in 2002, reflect on their personal gaming histories, and share hearty stories about couch co-op and the earlier days of online gaming. The competition returns but, as always, common ground is found amongst all (particularly at the expense of one console). It’s the beauty of the medium. G...

Let’s-a-go! The wait is over and Mario is back on the big screen. Join Aaron and James along with a very special guest as they dive into the 2023 Super Mario Bros. Movie. Listen as they talk about their favorite (and least favorite) Easter eggs, analyze the discourse surrounding the movie, and try and figure out when they’ll introduce WaPeach into the franchise. And then stick around as they discu...

It's something Aaron and James have often pondered, both with each other and in their own heads -- what makes a television show one of our favorites? You'd think there should be a systematic, logical ranking system with agreed-upon criteria to evaluate such a thing, right? Well, it's not that simple. This week, join a sprawling romp through Aaron's and James' TV memories as they rank their persona...

"Kill the wabbit!" This week, Aaron and James, equipped with spears and magic helmets, break down this delightful, classic Looney Tunes short. Listen in as James reminisces about his early exposure to Looney Tunes and Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, all while your hosts contemplate how many children were first exposed to opera through this film.

Sometimes a topic comes along that can't wait -- a topic that begs, nay, screams to be discussed. This is one such emergency. From deep within his movie-making lair, famed flop auteur Tommy Wiseau has unleashed a trailer upon us all. Join Aaron and James as they break down the first trailer to the next Wiseau-ian masterpiece.

"A world where man will never stand ... to realize that world, I decided that I would engrave it on a canvas." This week, Aaron and James visit the Guertena Art Gallery and submit themselves to its Eldritch horrors as they explore every detail of this cult classic. Listen as they heap praise on the game’s premise and (most of its) tone, while also lamenting the ways in which it might have fallen s...

Now that Nintendo Switch Online has brought us a wealth of retro games from our childhoods and beyond, Aaron and James decided to evaluate the current catalog. Join them this week as they run through their personal favorites, discuss some confusing additions, and name their most-anticipated or most-hoped-for releases.

The year was 1997. We played outside, read Animorphs, and built LEGOs. But most of all, we played video games, and we stood in awe together as gaming continued to take its early steps into 3D. So, what better way to honor that year in gaming history than to host this podcast’s very first video game draft! Join Aaron, James, and two incredible return guests as they compete in good fun to draft thei...

"I don't know if what is happening is fair, but it's the only thing I can think of that's close to justice." This week, Aaron and James are joined by a very special guest to break down this surreal, tense psychological thriller/horror film. Listen in as they dissect the film's characters, construction, and tone, all while facing harsh truths about their own dark senses of humor. Everyone has a lin...