All-Day Switch ‘N’ Shoot Tournament Q&A

Well, the cat has crawled out of its proverbial bag: I’ll run a Switch ‘N’ Shoot tournament early next month, in collaboration with indie musician Groovy Kaiju.

In case you missed my article on the subject, the Wilcox Arcade all-day Switch ‘N’ Shoot tournament kicks off Saturday, August 2^nd, at Know-a-Guy in Murray, Kentucky — with prizes provided in part by Groovy Kaiju. (That’s the 50,000-foot view at least.)

Because some parts of this event will be unprecedented, I figured it would behoove to centralize the answers to everyone’s questions before the big day. Goodness knows I don’t want anyone missing out on the fun due to confusion.

Without further ado, let’s rock out this Q&A.

How can I participate in the all-day Switch ‘N’ Shoot tournament?

Stop by Know-a-Guy in Murray, Kentucky, any time during normal operating hours (11 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST) on Saturday, August 2^nd, 2025. While you’re there, play Switch ‘N’ Shoot as many times as you’d like, until you’ve earned a score that you deemed satisfactory. Then, submit your score to an onsite Wilcox Arcade representative to be in the running to win cool stuff.

Do I need to be there at a certain time?

To reiterate — no, you do not need to participate at any specific time, as long as you play during normal operating hours on Saturday, August 2^nd, 2025. The idea is to come and go as you please, playing Switch ‘N’ Shoot when it’s convenient for you.

What are the prizes?

The top five players, determined after all scores have been submitted, will each receive one CD copy of the album “Monster Tape Zero” by Groovy Kaiju. The top three players will also receive Wilcox Arcade merchandise. The first-place player will receive a Wilcox Arcade frisbee and can cooler; the second-place player will receive a Wilcox Arcade drawstring bag; and the third-place player will receive a Wilcox Arcade keychain.

How will winners be notified of and receive their prizes?

Participating players will submit their contact information alongside their scores, so a Wilcox Arcade representative (most likely me, Dustin Wilcox) will notify winners through those aforementioned means. It’s also pretty dang likely that I’ll hand-deliver the prizes wherever we choose to meet each other. I’m just a guy; ya know?

What is Switch ‘N’ Shoot?

Switch ‘N’ Shoot is an indie shoot-em-up developed by Matt Glannville and published in arcades by DSM Arcade. The game bears just one button — pressing which switches the direction of your ship and shoots a bullet simultaneously. Otherwise, your ship will continue to move in direction on the x-axis in perpetuity, sort of like Pac-Man.

How do you play Switch ‘N’ Shoot?

As mentioned above, Switch ‘N’ Shoot has only one button, so it’s the epitome of the Nolan Bushnell principle: “Easy to learn; difficult to master.” However, if you do want to master it, I’d recommend shooting as many oncoming aliens as you can while collecting yellow power-ups and blue shields to bolster your defense.

How much does it cost to play Switch ‘N’ Shoot?

Switch ‘N’ Shoot costs only $0.25 per credit if you pay with quarters — but for cashless payment, it’s still a comfortable $0.45. Don’t forget that you can exchange one-dollar bills for four quarters via my onsite change machine.

What is Know-a-Guy?

Know-a-Guy owner Toby Monts describes his establishment as a “nostalgia store.” Similarly, I’ve described it as a “lifestyle store.” To be more specific, Know-a-Guy offers used video games, consoles, and accessories; movies and music; toys; sneakers; and so much more. The fact that he lets me keep a few of my arcade games there is just an added bonus.

Where is Know-a-Guy?

Know-a-Guy is located at 607 N. 16th Street in Murray, Kentucky. The store is right across from the Marathon gas station on Coldwater Road — and it’s part of the intersection residents colloquially call “five-points.”

Who is Groovy Kaiju?

Aaron Turner — best-known by his alias Groovy Kaiju, and formerly known as Groovy Godzilla — produces future funk, vaporfunk, and vaporwave music. This artist has been active since 2014 and first spoke to Wilcox Arcade in January 2023. (I discovered Groovy Kaiju through an Instagram advertisement, and the rest is history.)

What is “Monster Tape Zero”?

Groovy Kaiju describes “Monster Tape Zero” as his first “deep-cut album,” meaning it’s a collection of songs not strictly connected by any overarching theme. Every CD copy of “Monster Tape Zero” on offer during the all-day Switch ‘N’ Shoot tournament has been signed by Groovy Kaiju himself.