Let me tell you the story of a guy who went to Level Up Games and bought some stuff and then traded…read morein some stuff. Normal, right? Then fast forward at least 15 maybe even 20 years and this guy entirely forgot he had credit because his job took him away from Santa Cruz. But one day he returns to get the batteries changed in his old Pokemon games (which they did quickly and for a very reasonable price) and he was informed he had almost 20 bucks sitting there. That's me. I'm the guy. It's been so long that they could never have told me and I would never have been the wiser. Also, even if I remembered they could have kept the money after so much time had passed and I would have fully understood. But nope, they held on to it and even told me about it. Their collection of retro games is amazing and you can buy modern games there too? It's all you could want in a game store.

I've had a week to get distance from this experience and mull over whether or not I should write a…read morereview, but I felt that it's right to respond instead of just letting it slide because shoppers should be aware of what to expect. I took several gaming hardware items - controllers, adapters, chargers, cases, and a GBA game - to sell because I wanted to get rid of them. I've been a regular customer at this local game shop for years and have always had decent experiences there. When I dropped off the items, the employee at the counter gave me a very firm rundown about policy, percentages, and profit margins right off the bat - not exactly the warmest greeting, but fair enough. They had a backlog of other trade-ins to appraise, so they let me keep the items there and said they'd follow-up over the phone with their prices later, which they did after a couple of days. During that phone conversation with their employee (who was not the employee I dropped off the items with), I asked if she could list out the prices on each item. She provided me with that info and I told her that I agreed to the prices on the smaller items, but that I'd come by in a few days to pick up the GameCube controller because the price was lower than I was hoping for. I didn't argue about it - I just said I'd pass on that one and pick up the rest. About 3 days after that phone call, I came into the store to pick up my items and had what was honestly the worst customer service experience I've had at any local shop, which is why I'm writing this review. There were two employees behind the counter who I recognized from previous visits. After I walked in and asked for my items, one employee handed me the bag and then brought up an old issue from a few weeks earlier where I had attempted to purchase METROID PRIME 4: BEYOND from their website when it was mistakenly listed for $0.00. Immediately after checkout, they had sent me an email revoking the purchase, explaining it was an error on their site. I understood and moved on from it at the time - these things happen. I wasn't actually expecting the game. However, it felt strange to have this brought up again now, especially in a tone that seemed like I had done something wrong by placing the order in the first place. The employee said, "no worries," but the context made it feel like I was being called out rather than reassured. At this point, I was just standing there ready to complete the transaction for the items I'd agreed to sell (a GBA game and one of the cases aforementioned). But then the other employee - the same person I had dropped off the items with initially - told me that they had actually decided to pass on ALL the items and would be offering me $0 instead. I said, "Oh, so you changed your mind from what was offered on the phone?" He then told me that I had haggled with his coworker on the phone and had come back into the store in-person on a different day to push for better prices on all the items. This was completely incorrect. I never came back to the store between drop-off and this pickup, and I never haggled - I simply declined the controller and accepted the other prices. I tried to clarify: "That didn't happen. I didn't do that. You have the wrong information." He dismissed this and launched into a lengthy explanation about their policies and evaluation process, talking over me even when I tried to correct the misunderstanding a second time. His coworker even attempted to interject and redirect the conversation, but he waved him off and kept going. Eventually I just said, "have a good one" and left because I was feeling very uncomfortable. Look, I understand trade-in shops need to make a profit, and I understand that pricing errors happen on websites. What I don't understand is the conflicting information (being offered prices, then being offered nothing), the accusation about behavior I didn't engage in, and the unwillingness to hear me out when I tried to correct the record. I've spent a lot of money here over the years and have always been respectful and nice. I'm disappointed that this is how things ended, but I won't be returning to this shop or spending my money here ever again. I'm posting this so others know to get clear, written confirmation on any trade-in offers and to be prepared for potential communication issues as well as some pretty bad customer service overall - particularly from certain employees.

The Pokemon limit is outrageous because I went and it was 2 per customer for every item there was…read moreand I was in line and they ran out because of group of people that were in groups of more than 3 got a lot of of packs. They should make it one per customer for every Pokémon packs product

This location is awesome. Took in my Xbox series x for an overheating and bluetooth issue, for some…read morereason my controllers unpaired. After a quick diagnosis both repairs were quickly resolved and they answered all of my questions. I'm glad they were able to help me with my issue and now my series x runs smoothly without the issues I was having. Thank you for the professionalism, patience and understanding even though my issue was very minor. That alone goes along way - stay blessed and I recommend this location.

Any negative reviews that this place receives are left by people who grossly overestimate the…read morequality of service a hobby store should provide. Stores like these are becoming a dime a dozen because more often than not it is becoming less and less profitable to maintain a hobby shop with so many online competitors. The people who run stores like these are usually very passionate about the community and safety they can provide to individuals who sometimes struggle to find community on their own. Yes the service feels awkward and sometimes stand-off-ish but if you're in the store to begin with you've likely encountered personalities like this before that exist within the TCG circle. I always get what I want at an affordable price and I know I am welcomed even if the service doesn't explicitly read as welcoming when you first walk in. This store is great and I'm lucky to have it in my town - lower your standards and see what a privilege a shop like this is.

Me and my friends stopped in from out of town a few months ago. It was a Saturday afternoon, maybe…read morearound 5pm. Mind you, the store's hours said they were open well after that, so we had no reason to expect them to not be open to unexpected customers. We took a couple steps in and found that they had a game of D&D going in the middle of the store. This is nothing weird for game stores, but as we started looking around, not a single person acknowledged us beyond the random dirty look as though we were interfering by trying to shop IN A STORE. It was one of the most insane and awful customer experiences I've ever been involved in, and I would never recommend this place to anyone. If you're going to have a set day where you play in the store, just close the store at that time. It's not that complicated.

the owner is really rude and hostile towards his employees, he yelled at his employee and made her…read moreget off the register while in the middle of a transaction. if he feels he can create such an outburst in front of his customers im scared for how he acts with others alone. I encourage anyone looking for a good game store to look further into downtown as there are a few great ones nearby.

Customer service is a 11/10! The man behind the counter was…read morevery friendly and inviting! Asked me if he could help me find what I was looking for and I was stunned by the level of organization from this card shop. The prices of the cards I asked about are very reasonable and competitively priced. I almost walked out with a whole bunch but I didn't have too much time on my hands. Next time I'm in town I'm definitely dedicating a good chunk of time to fill in my decks with better cards from here. Awesome experience! The token cards are 10 cents each.

Store is really clean. Great selection of newer comics. Comic don't come with a bag and board which…read moreis a little odd. Second room has some back issues and a few 50 cent bins. Always fun to look through those. Staff was super friendly.

I've been on a hunt for a specific back issue of Dr. Strange so whenever I see a comic book store,…read moreI need to swing in. I'm so glad we just happened to park in the large parking lot next to this store. It was a delight. The store is much larger than it appears from the outside. Mainly because there's a whole second half you might not realize is there until you come in. The selection here is wonderful and the lay out newer issues in a very easy to browse way. The back issues are in your traditional long box that you need to flip through, but they're all labeled in a way that makes it easy to narrow down your search. While they did not have the specific issue I was looking for, they happily went online and found an online retailer that had it for a reasonable price. That's great customer service that no other store has ever shown me (including my own local comic book shop where I've been a regular for 10+ years). Even when I told them they didn't have to do that they insisted and had a site for me within a minute or two. I really appreciated that. The two workers were so friendly and helpful. When I mentioned I was from Los Angeles they asked where my local store was & immediately knew it and had nice things to say about the owner. You could tell they really loved what they did and the comic book community as a whole. While I don't know how often I will be in the area, if I am ever even remotely close I will absolutely come by again. This is one of the best shopping experiences I've has at a CBS outside of my area.

Bought a "refurbished" DS here for my kid's Christmas present here Dec. 2025 (and a bunch of other…read morevintage consoles and games over the years). Seemed to work fine to me, but my kid found a problem with the contrast and/or screen when he tried to play Christmas morning. We took it back to the location on Campbell Ave where I bought it. Showed the manager/owner and provided receipts. He said they would fix the DS because it was sold "refurbished." He said it would be ready in a few weeks, after the new year, and took my contact into. Never heard back. Called the store after the first month came and went. No answer. Months go by and my kid keeps asking about it. I keep calling the location but then I read on their instagram that the shop is permanently closed. But they they're still doing business online. So I reach out to their instagram and email the address on their Shopify, where in fact they are now selling a metallic blue DS, just like the one I bought in December! Still no reply. Hope to hear back now that I'm posting about this problem.

What a gem! These guys are why we all love to support small businesses! My son was able to get…read moreanime comic books at a great deal here. The sweetest part about this shop is how there are many arcade machines for kids (of all ages) to play with. They've got a deal where you pay by the hour or buy an all day pass. They've got a section in the back for group gaming too! Bring the kids for a few hours on the weekend or before summer is over.

EXTREMELY UNWELCOMING…read more -I went here for a pre release event a few months ago, One Piece OP-09. It went Ok, worker behind the counter was somewhat helpful as I have never been to a pre release event before. But him and no one else would have any kind of friendly/communication. I get it most people in this scene tend to be socially awkward. But that isn't what this review is about. Today I went to the next pre release event. A full house compared to last time. The "locals" crew was there looked me up and down, wasn't greeted and just looked at as if I should not be there. Very bad and unwelcoming energy. The guy behind the counter, (same as last time) verified me through the Bandai + app before i went to the room where the event and games would take place. One more "local" showed up and then he comes to the back, asks to look at my application again, and made an excuse saying I have the wrong one and that I am not part of the event anymore. Instead of causing a scene I just left. Absolutely terrible. Bandai makes the app and these events a specific way. Just because your group who comes to locals night regularly wants in and shows up late, you make up a reason to eject someone who was properly registered for an event. F- Will not be going back to this place again.

Came in to get some games and some trading cards. Guy working said hi and pretty much ignored us…read morethe rest of the time, he was to busy chatting with another customer and looking through Pokémon cards to help anyone else. Extremely disappointed. I would rather drive to the Capitola location where they are friendly and actually help people.

Planet Mix is a great little shop packed wall to wall with CDs, DVDs, some video games, and a few…read morefun collectibles. It has that nostalgic charm that makes you want to take your time and dig around for hidden gems. The worker inside was super friendly and welcoming, and I appreciated being able to browse at my own pace. Prices were fair, and the selection included everything from well-known classics to more obscure finds you don't see too often. The store is owned by The Record Man next door, which focuses more on vinyl records, so it's a nice combo if you're into all kinds of physical media. There's a small parking lot between the two shops which makes it convenient to check out both in one stop. I ended up finding a few cool items to add to my collection and will definitely come back whenever I'm in the area treasure hunting.

I came here out of curiosity and discovered an extensive collection of classical music records,…read moreincluding vintage Deutsche Grammophon records from tons of composers! All records in here are just $5, which made buying here an absolute treat. I walked out with 4 LPs for the price of a lunch. The two gentlemen at the front desk were very friendly. They went in the back to look for Pet Shop Boys and Depeche Mode when I asked, and brought out CDs even though they did not have the vinyls. It turns out they are attached to the neighboring Record Man store, and they suggested I look there for LPs. I would definitely come back and highly recommend!

I came in this area to visit a coffee shop but stumbled upon Comicopolis! It's such a cute comic…read morebook shop! They have tons of comics, graphic novels, manga & games! I looked mostly at the comic and game section but the comic section was very organized. They separated current/new issues from the vintage back issues which were alphabetized. I also glanced at the games and there's many lowkey ones & a section for 2 player games. I came across a choose your own adventure game I've been meaning to buy. This was a downtown area so most of the parking was metered street parking. Free parking after 8pm! I'm glad I found this gem and hope to stop by next time I'm in the area.

We were looking for Pokemon cards and went out of our way to go here based on a yelp review. Cool…read morestore, just not what my 6 year old needed.

My favorite bookstore ever!! They have created such a curated selection of the best books! And Gary…read morewill help you find any book you want or help you find a book to fit what you're hoping to read! I always come for one book and leave with a stack! So grateful for this wonderful shop! Cute little kids section too!

What a wonderful little bookshop in Santa Cruz. This bookstore is absolutely adorable with a good…read moreselection of recent and backlist books. I love the name and the logo too.