I was worried going in, because 1.) I have a very low opinion of the current culture surrounding retro gaming, collecting, and reselling. It's really disgusting how 80% of people in the hobby are larping manchildren that are no better than TCG resellers. 2.) I find that retro game shops across the US are generally really terribly ran with insane pricing, dirty interiors, bad selection, and rude staff. I'm happy to say that Gameshop Downstairs is the SOLE EXCEPTION. Their staff are very polite and genuinely want to help you find what you're looking for, even when swamped with customers on a busy day. Their selection is unlike anything I have seen in any game shop in the entire NorCal region, especially for late 2000s-2010s era games such as Wii, DS, and 3DS. I also appreciate that they have a wide selection of DVDs and BluRays - old anime, movies, and cartoons alike. They even regularly stock CRTs, and while a bit expensive, they do in fact sell at fair market price. On that note, their pricing is extremely fair, and even the more contentious pricing I saw was actually on the dot with fair market pricing when checking online. Even if some things are slightly marked up, I think they easily make up for it with the sheer amount of stuff they carry. I can't emphasize enough how good their collection is, I spent a whole hour here. The museum is really cool too. The mix of 80s-90s and 2000s-2010s gear made it a perfect trip for my Dad & I, since that represents the generations of technology we grew up with respectively. read more

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If you're looking for a piece of nostalgia or to walk down memory lane of your childhood, this is definitely a place that you would want to check out. They have new school, old school video game, consoles games, movies and Pokémon cards. I just wish that they were open on Sundays. Service is friendly but parking at times can be a bit difficult since it is on a busy street in downtown San Jose. Definitely recommend checking them out and supporting this business. read more

Gameshop Downstairs - Video Game Stores Near Me - San Jose, California

If you want the closest thing to an authentic Japanese Super Potato experience, Gameshop Downstairs is the place to go to. The interior aesthetic completely reminds me of visiting game shops in Japan. They have vintage games, consoles, and collectables from all sorts of eras (Vectrex, anyone?). Things I've seen in the shop: - VHS tapes / Laserdiscs from popular anime and western films at the time - Lots of old Macintosh / Apple II computers - PC games from the 80s and 90s - 70s-2000s era consoles and video games, this also includes Japanese variants as well and also arcade boards such as the Neo Geo MVS - Pokemon and Yu-gi-oh cards - Lots of collectors editions of consoles and video games Staff is really friendly and extremely helpful, and it's clear that they have a passion for this stuff as well! read more

Absolutely fantastic shop! I found myself randomly in need of a mouse for a beautiful old Atari 520ST computer I'm restoring, and a pal suggested I reach out to Gameshop Downstairs. To my happy surprise, the had the mice in stock and at a very reasonable price. I stopped in and was amazed by the awesome displays, massive inventory, and super friendly and helpful staff. We're blessed to have a few retro-gaming stores around the Bay, and this is right up there with the best of them. I can't wait to go back! read more

Gameshop Downstairs - Atari 520ST up and running with a mouse purchased at Gameshop Downstairs - Video Game Stores Near Me - San Jose, California

First of all the stores ambiance visually was so cool I'm just a game nerd so it was like being a kid in a candy store but they have a crazy selection of things like if you had it as a kid they'll most likely have it along with great prices. I got my little brother a seal TLOU2 collectible there for below retail with it being near mint condition, the two dudes that run the registers are really cool and helpful too so shoutout to them read more

Anthony is the man. I asked him how many titles he thought he had. He estimated in the thousands. I believed him. The store is a time warp. A museum of so many childhoods. And you can play Crazy Taxi there! And Oregon Trail! read more

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This has to be one of the best game stores in the Bay Area! At ground floor, you'll see a bunch of anime figures, but they have a basement where it's a game store where you can find literally gaming consoles from all generations: PSP, PS2, Wii, Wii U, Original Xbox, etc. They even sell new games too! Not only they collect video game consoles but even very old iMacs as well as arcade machines. Literally this store has mostly products that you want! It's like a museum here except that you can purchase any product here. Just make sure you ask the employees here to check if they have the products you want. I asked an employee to see if they stocked Wii Remotes somewhere, and he said that it's behind the counter. So make sure you ask haha It's not guaranteed that they have every product stored here. For instance, I tried looking for Timesplitters Future Perfect, but don't have it. Also, most of the games I believe are cheaper since I looked at the prices. read more

Game Shop Downstairs in downtown San Jose is so awesome! They have a bunch of old computers, gaming systems, manga, games, TCGs, collectibles and more. I easily spent an hour in here checking things out. Perfect for a game collector or enthusiast. Super chill low key vibes read more

Freaking amazing I love this shop! There's so much cool shit they have in store-South Park VHS tapes, old-school movies and games, awesome case with the Power Glove and other Nintendo stuff!!! Anthony is very knowledgeable and helpful and so his is his wife. One of my favorite places on East Santa Clara st. I recommend everyone to visit this shop when they're in San Jose read more

My favorite game shop this side of the galaxy and I've been to them all. They have the biggest selection and fair prices. The folks there are also very knowledgeable and fun to chat with. I often find myself coming here when I'm sad cause it always cheers me up. At least once a month, I'll bring my kids here. We'll visit the shop and then grab some lunch and boba afterwards. Can't recommend this place enough. Just ask any local gamer, they'll tell you the same. A must see if you are visiting from out of town. read more

I love to go to this store whenever I'm in San Jose. If you love video games and/or anime this is the place for you. The layout of the store is cool and they have a large variety of things. I'll be back again for sure. read more

Gameshop Downstairs - Inside - Video Game Stores Near Me - San Jose, California

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Had a great experience here! Anthony is very kind and gave me great recommendations for entry level RPGS on the DS. They have an awesome selection, fair prices, and good vibes! read more

Sold old console and it was a quick process. Cant complain about the deal as I have no idea what's the value so I'll take what I can. They have a large variety of games. read more

What a hidden gem! This basement shop literally has some of everything. Whether you're looking for retro systems (incl the old computers and pre-Atari's) or current consoles, they have it. And games? So many games. And TCGs! Drawer loads of MtG and Pokémon cards. Guides and manuals galore. Figures, books, VHS movies. My husband had so many great memories come back from seeing all this stuff he used to play with at his cousin's house when they were kids. The employees are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable, even when asked about import titles (yes they've got some imports!), but also aren't pushy and will leave you on your own to browse for as long as you'd like. We were concerned about parking but found street parking just a block away. The staircase going down feels non-OSHA compliant, so watch your step. So happy a place like this exists! It's a bit of a jaunt for us but totally worth it. read more

Good atmosphere, lots of retro stuff and video games. I have to say this game shop captures a very good atmosphere. You have to go through two doors to enter, and it really feels like you are stepping into another world. The shop has a good selection of just about every retro media--magazines, VHS tapes, and most of your retro video game needs. However, for me to be a returning customer, I feel there are kinks the shop needs to work out. Inconsistent hours, customer service, and a poor return policy. There have been multiple times I have checked the hours for this location only to sit through traffic, find parking, and walk to the store, only for it to be closed. This happened multiple times despite me going during the posted open hours and days. So now, every time I go, I make sure to call just to ensure I am not wasting my gas and time. Another critique I have is their hours. I am sorry, but most retro gamers also have jobs and cannot make it downtown before 6 PM and have to sit through San Jose traffic. In reality, I only go to the shop on the weekend, even though I would like to go on weekday evenings. To add insult to injury, they are closed on Sunday--a weekend day--such restrictive hours. Every time I go to the shop, I feel like customer service is a mixed bag. I either get a really chill person behind the counter or an egotistical gamer that treats the shop like a museum. An example of this is when I went into the shop and the woman behind the counter asked my girlfriend and me if we needed any help finding anything within the store, we could just ask. But the very next day we returned, searching for a different game. This time we actually needed help, so we went to the counter and asked the gentleman for assistance. The response we got was, "What you see is what we got." I am not an expert on customer service, but I do not expect that kind of response from someone behind the counter. Now, this is a smaller game shop so I can understand why their return policy is not the best, but I would like my money back for a used game rather than in-store credit. This is especially true when the hours for your store are not great and the location is harder to get to for me. Just be warned: if you do buy a video game from here, you are stuck with it or you are stuck returning to this place with store credit. This is tough considering GameStop is down the street on Coleman also selling retro and is willing to give you your money back within seven days which is more reasonable in my opinion. The return policy is so restrictive I would wish the cashier would tell me that sells are basically final or at least clear signage at the cash register. Seeing game stores closing left and right I think this store needs to level up before it becomes one of the relics they sell. read more

5 stars for being chill about returning a controller that ended up being defective. Cool atmosphere and wide selection of retro games. Plenty of poggers deals in here too. read more

biggest selection of vintage items. the people greeted me immediately and was helped quickly as well. There are many games and consoles ranging from dreamcast, psp and game boy allllllllllllllll the way to todays ps4 and nintendo switch. Beside games they hAve loads of old tech and tvs that really bring me back to the early 2000's read more

The best game store in the Bay Area and it's not even close. They offer fair pricing, great trade in value, and always offer something new each time you come in read more

This store has a great ambiance and nostalgia to it. Although I have been here several times, the service today felt better than the weekends. It was not hectic but there was plenty of customers looking around as well. Compared to other retro game shops I have checked out in the South Bay, the variety and selection of games is huge. I came down here to get some PS3 games and thankfully, they were available. All of them are fairly price from $5 (especially sports games) and others being at $8-$10. While I was looking for Sims 3 and GTA 4, they were easy to find in the right shelf. When trading in a few games including Madden and Call of Duty, they offered me $10 store credit for me and it was an acceptable value because those games have little to no value. Despite the shop being downstairs (hence the name) and being kind of compact, the place was cool overall. read more

I found this place while perusing IG. Went on a Saturday and was able to find parking. Most parking in the area seemed to be pay-for parking. It's a trip when you walk in the doors and it's so cool to see the stairs that lead you down to the gameshop. The amount of old school games and items is pretty crazy. There's quite a bit of things to look at and especially if you're looking for video games - it probably had what you're looking for. The aisles are narrow and you have to make sure you look all around to not miss anything as you're walking through the shop. We are really into toys and they didn't have AS MUCH but still cool to see the things they did have. read more

Gameshop Downstairs is one of the absolute best game stores I've bought video games from and I will continue to buy more games from this store. I highly recommend this store to everyone. read more

Gameshop Downstairs - Super Mario Galaxy - Video Game Stores Near Me - San Jose, California

This probably has to be my favorite establishment in my entire city. The owner Anthony is very friendly and you feel welcomed as soon as you step down those stairs. They have an amazing selection of anime movies, manga vintage toys and video games from all generations. I've found some very nice gems such as a CIB Gameboy Micro and GBA Pokemon games for such amazing prices. Every time I come in here I spend at least 20 minutes inside just browsing their great selection of manga, GBA and GameCube games. Today I picked up a OEM GBA GameCube adapter and a Nintendo DS Lite for an unbeatable price. I have also traded in many different types of games/consoles/figures and they are very fair on the store credit they offer. I recommend this shop to absolutely anyone who likes video games no matter how little. read more

Gameshop Downstairs - Nintendo DS Lite & GBA GameCube adapter cable - Video Game Stores Near Me - San Jose, California

Had every classic Xbox 360 game I was looking for. Now just need to go back and get myself an N64! Also the staff are very kind and super helpful when you are looking for a specific game. They also price things very fairly which is awesome and somewhat unexpected in 2024. Love this place. read more

Felt like it was a secret club walking down the stairs in a good way! You soon see the case full with grails then make a turn and realize that you made the right choice to come here. This store honestly reminds me of a rasputins but for video games haha anyways Came here looking for 2 specific need for speed games and they had them both haha. Prices were honest and amazing compared to other stores nearby. These are honest people who love video games and you can tell. Will 100% be coming back here soon. read more

Gameshop Downstairs - Video Game Stores Near Me - San Jose, California

Interesting little spot to look for some old school consoles, i bought my PS1 and cant wait to play it

Great shop. Cool cyberpunk black-market vibe going on. Staff is knowledgeable, friendly, and rad. More imports and obscure carts than you can shake a stick at, as well as CRTs, accessories, VHS, Laserdisc, i even saw some Betamax in the mix. Super reasonable prices for what youre buying. I will definitely be going back. read more

Went to browse. Cool shop cool vibes and helpful nice staff. They have a card drawer of pokemon bulk cards. I'll bring my kid by one day to just grab what he likes for a few bucks. read more

Update: Buyer beware! Owner tried to take this review down! DO NOT spend your money here! I bought a PS4 controller from them that didn't work. I brought it back and they wouldn't exchange it. Then I was told they have other controllers for sale. Why would I buy another broken controller from this place? Save your money and your time - do NOT go here. Go to Gamestop or any other used gamed store. This company will literally sell you merchandise that doesn't work and refuse to give you an exchange UPDATE: just saw the owner's post. I did NOT get that controller from over a year ago. And when they sold it to me, it was a faulty, busted controller. Even if I did buy more than a year ago, which I didn't, it doesn't change the fact that they still sold me faulty merchandise and refused a refund. SCAM. Do NOT buy any hardware from this store, games may be okay. When it comes to controllers or anything else, you will be much better off going to Gamestop, an actualy legitimate videogame store that this store is clearly trying to rip off in name and logo read more

Gameshop Downstairs - They sell broken merchandise and refuse refunds. Straight up theft. Also their sign looks just like Gamestop. Rip. Off. - Video Game Stores Near Me - San Jose, California

Love this place awesome vhs and game selection for great prices :) I go here all the time and have never once been disappointed

Awesome place. Great prices for the games and gaming systems. The employees are helpful.

I would like to thank tik tok for showing me this place I would of never known. These places need to survive it feels like a nerds den where I feel comfortable the staff was friendly and nice. Prices were on point and you definitely need to check it out would go again read more

Coolest retro game store you'll find around. Big selection of games, imports and great prices too! read more

Cool owner, he helped me with card prices and was very patient and nice. Good deals, good variety of cards, and incredible decoration.

I frequent all retro video game stores in the South Bay. But for some reason, this underground little shop in Downtown San Jose is the only place where I actually end up buying anything. They seem to have more choice, at better prices, with nicer staff. Great place. read more

This store within a store fits a niche that I didn't know I needed fulfilled. Great variety of stock, I was greeted by multiple team members, and you could hear that the team members were well versed in discussing their merchandise with customers. Come here if you're shopping for that friend who seems to have everything- I guarantee this place will have the next piece for their collection. read more

A neat little shop for your retro gaming needs. They have old consoles like the SNES to Atari 2600. I traded in some old games that other hobby and game stores wouldn't take and got a decent amount of store credit. (Helpful tip: sports games aren't worth much.) The clerks are knowledgeable and I've found some relatively rare NES games. However, when the management changed, the computer system changed, which almost lost my store credit until I showed them a receipt with the signature of the previous manager. They thankfully restored my store credit and I was able to purchase another game respectively. read more

Gameshop Downstairs is what Plato meant when discussing his theory of forms. This is the vintage game store, it is what every other store ought to strive to be. Walking in, you'll be greeted by a Gameboy Camera offering a great selfie opportunity. They had a lot of old games and systems like GameCube, Dream Cast and Sega Saturn. It was a walk down memory lane. read more

Straight up. Felt like a secret club. They literally have every retro system you can think of and games. It truly was an amazing experience even though I didn't purchase anything I spent over an hour browsing. read more

Great game store ! They have tons of things other than just games. Anime, cartoons, card games, and a bunch of other things I enjoy ! The owner is very nice and communicates with every one of his customers. Definitely a place to come check out if you're around the area ! read more

Gameshop Downstairs - Haul ! - Video Game Stores Near Me - San Jose, California

Totally the hidden gem of downtown. The Gameshop Downstairs is a gamerz/comic collectorst those who collect toys that should be called pieces of art dream come true!! Everyone even my cynical daughter found something she loved! If you don't know now you know...Ya heard! read more

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