Let me tell you the story of a guy who went to Level Up Games and bought some stuff and then traded in 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. read more

I've had a week to get distance from this experience and mull over whether or not I should write a review, 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. read more

If in the area, you must come by and check this place out. My son loves comics and collectibles, a great find during our last visit was definitely the 'FALLOUT' Jones cola! He was super excited as he had been on the hunt for this drink for a while. He originally bought 2 but then decided to go back and just get the pack. Definitely a new place to keep coming too. read more

Level Up Video Games - Yes!!! - Video Game Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Yay a great addition to Santa Cruz downtown! Something for the gamers! Wonderful selection including retro games that you don't find easily So much merch like hello kitty, Pokémon, super Mario bags, hats, backpacks, shirts. Love the selection, little something for everyone regardless which console or games you're into read more

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Place is neatly organized with a decent selection. That being said their prices are a little high for used merchandise. Even more so it looks like they expect you to be selling them used items in pristine condition & that doesn't make the most sense. But when they are interested in something they definitely will lowball you & pay maybe 25% of what the item sells for on the market currently. read more

Amazing customer service. From out of town, the sales associate Rio was very helpful and knowledgeable. So many cool and retro games. I highly appreciated how everything was in alphabetical order as well. Great experience and amazing staff. Will come back again! read more

They have a great assortment of "old school" video games, consoles and accessories. Extremely friendly and we were in and out in under 5 minutes. Highly recommend. read more

I can't believe I actually got it some store had it I can't believe my childhood is complete to that I have it Pokemon ultra moon they don't even sell these anymore the man at the counter was so nice too if you love video games I would recommend going to level up read more

The had rare games that I thought were lost media, like Tak, and Destroy All Monsters. A lot of the stuff there was surprisingly cheap despite the excellent quality and condition of the games. The cashier was very friendly and called my brother using the information he had on file when I accidently left my wallet behind when I left. Very professional. read more

They got used consoles, games n all types of little video game ornaments n pins. IMO they Could have a bigger selection of used games perhaps but overall still a pretty nice store to browse through and admire. I loved their book collection with Kingdom Hearts, Halo and Dead Space most. read more

Super cool store. I visited today with my daughter and at first thought I was entering a tiny museum with all the retro items on display. I spotted an Intellivision console, something I haven't seen in decades. Lots of games here, including hard to find stuff. As a bonus, the two guys behind the counter were cracking me up with their amusing banter. Sounded like dialogue from a movie. The entire experience really made my day. Thanks, guys! read more

LevelUp Games is easily one of the greatest video game stores I have ever been to, quite possibly THE BEST! Jerry is the best, he is even greater than the Jerry from Seignfeld. There is also an awesome selection of games in the store and the prices are literally some of the best and most honest prices. Not only is the game selection always pretty solid but the selection of Japanese import games is where this store really shines, I have loved every moment I have looked through this store. What makes this place even better is that they also fix broken consoles, they are very knowledgeable and do great jobs at repairing old consoles I thought were gone for good. If it were up to me I wouldn't call this store LevelUp Games, I would call it Max Level Games because you can't get much better than here. Also Videogamedunkey called this store in one of his funny youtube videos and I think that's pretty epic. read more

One of the best businesses I've ever been in. Professional, friendly, courteous, knowledgeable employees. A great selection and a fantastic work ethic. I got a hard drive for my Xbox 360 (hopelessly outdated, but they still had what I needed) and the owner built it and installed it for me, and even loaded a patch he said I needed to play "backwards compatible " games. We need more businesses like this. read more

Stopped in here today since I was in town and wanted to check for hidden gems. For context, I collect Pokemon stuff and handheld Nintendo consoles for the most part, which is why I thought I'd check it out. First impression is that the layout was super nostalgic to me. If you were going to Gamestop from like 2005 to 2013, you'll feel right at home. All of the game cases and the way they are displayed just felt very familiar to me. There was a pretty good selection of console games - we didn't spend a long time looking through everything but we did pick up a couple of Wii games for pretty great prices! I did find their handheld selection to be pretty lacking. I'm sure it's just that things sell and turn over quickly, but I was a little bit disappointed in the cartridge selection and didn't find anything to take home. That being said, the way they were displayed in the glass case was very clean and easy to look through! They also had a small rack of Pokemon plush that were very high quality. I was in a bit of a hurry when I saw them, but I'm pretty sure they were official Pokemon Center merchandise and not bootlegs of any kind. Pretty nice to see in a small shop like this! The guy at the cashier when we were there was also really nice and chill. Charismatic and helpful but not overbearing at all. This is a plus for me since I really like to be left alone in stores like this. lol Overall, if you're in the area and like to look at games and cool stuff then I'd stop in and take a look - the shop is pretty small and won't take you long to look through! Now more than ever, supporting small businesses over ordering stuff online is a great thing to do when you can. Good luck and stay safe! read more

I live in Concord which is about 70 miles from this store but it it always a treat to visit . They have environment for gamers to indulge in their hobby and their prices on throwback games are really good. One of my favorite places to visit with read more

Level Up Video Games - Video Game Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

*** nostalgia central alert *** If you grew up playing Super Mario Bros, Duck Hunt, Battle Toads, Contra, Dr. Mario, Tetris, and the likes then this place is for you. Came here because I need to get a PS3 controller for my kids. No, they do not play video games but the console acts as their Blu-Ray player. They had plenty of used PS2 controllers on sale but none for the PS3. I bought a generic one for about $35. It is clear and is wireless and is working perfectly! Gavin likes it that it lights up blue every time I use it. I need to get Call Of Duty | Black Ops sometimes. I remember forgetting to eat because I was too busy trying to be a sniper. Resident Evil for the PS1 had me scared to walk through my grandma's hallway alone. This place has it all; NES, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Play Boy, Nintendo 64, etc. For this thanksgiving, my kids will watch me play on the NES. I bet I can beat Super Mario Bros 3 (raccoon tail) w/o using a life line. Friendly guys. Reasonable prices. I will be back! read more

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As a big fan of both new and retro video games, I like to pop in and see what they have. It's a throwback store the selection here runs from 8-bit era (NES, master system) to current generation (PS4, Xbox Ones and Nintendo switch) most of their retro inventory consists for the more well known systems. While they might have a few Sega Saturn or Sega CD games from time to time, usually they are not in stock. However if you are a Nintendo, Playstation or Xbox collector (like myself) then this place is for you. I typically buy games for my Xbox Ones and Nintendo switch when I come here. Tons of deals on used controllers too. Prices are reasonable. I have built up quite the gaming collection and found some new games for a fraction of the cost that you would pay for at a retail store. The condition of the games here a top-notch and the employees here will help you order a particular game if they do not have it. Support your local independent gaming shop, always a great experience here, do yourself a favor and give them your business you won't regret it. read more

This is the best store for video games I have been to. I purchased a wavebird for the gamecube, and they took the time to clean it and actually change the analog and basically resorted it to new condition all at no additional cost. Not to mention that their prices are extremely competitive, well under actual market value for retro games, which is awesome because we live in a time where gamers are getting pinched out of every penny possible. I can see thus is why they have super fast turn over on inventory which is why I follow them on Social Media platforms and constantly check inventory online for fun. I moved away from the south bay and will make it a point to stop by everytime I visit Santa Cruz. Thanks guys! read more

I dont know about you guys but its always a fun adventure in this store. The display cases and the random systems that come in. It makes me so happy to see this place whenever im in town. The games are reasonably priced and the board game addition to the shop is a great addition to the whole business. Sega, gamecube, dreamcast, playstation, xbox, switch, snes nes, gameboy mods, repairs. Its such a great experience and place. As a fan of all games this is definitely one of those places that looking at old school games sparks that joy of being in there. Especially the preserved relics and games from the past! Thanx boiz! Daniel! read more

This place is great! Awesome selection of used and new games and super friendly staff.

They went above and beyond what I expected, and I definitely appreciate the lengths they went through to help me figure out my problem: I came in looking for a specific cable meant for a device that was different than the one I intended to use it for, but because of that, I didn't know if it would work or not. Instead of letting me buy it and figure it out on my own, they went ahead and unpackaged the cable and tested it out for me on the spot before I bought it. It saved me the worry of whether or not I got the right thing, and the hassle of asking for a refund, and I think that's amazing. I definitely recommend this place. If not for the service, come for their stuff. They've got lots of cool things at pretty good prices. Everything from retro to modern, they'll likely have what you're looking for. read more

If you like classic Video games, there is no better place outside of Akiba. This place is amazing and its even more amazing that its been around for so long! This is the kind of shop you probably can only find in Santa Cruz and thats fine by me. Cabinets full of classic consoles and games which have all be tested and ready to go. All you need to do is figure out how to attach them to your modern day HDMI TV or buy a CRT monitor. The photos speak for themselves. The staff is great and the clientele are typically in the industry. You'll never know what you might find for sale! read more

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We just now own our first system. A PS3. I know nothing since the PlayStation 1. Sam was amazingly helpful! Knowledge about every question my novice self asked! Checked out all the games my 9 yo picked and even asked me if one of his picks was cool with me since it had gunfire in it. What a great fella! Thanks Sam. We will be back! read more

This store and the staff who work here are awesome! I recently purchased a Nintendo N64 and was having trouble connecting it to my TV. The crew at Level Up identified my issue as a bad AV cable and sold me a new one at a great price which totally fixed my problem ! They also fixed some of the buttons on my old controllers and modified my console to read imported N64 games. I also traded in some used games and equipment for store credit. Thanks, Level Up! read more

Level Up Video Games - Nintendo Surgery - Video Game Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I've been coming there for years now and even bring in people from other areas to see the selection they have. I have always found many jems in great condition, the staff is super helpful and the owner as well. Best spot to find vintage videos games, sometime it's hard to find parking I mean it's santacruz soo Park a few blocks down and walk to them or use the parking garage right there. read more

This shop was so fun to be in! Employees are super helpful and nice. When I went yesterday, I accidentally gave the cashier an extra 20 without realizing it and left. When I was walking back to my car at 7:30, he rushed out to give it to me. Overall an 11/10! read more

The staff is great, the prices are fair, they do alot for the community by hosting various events at their store. I'm always blown away at what I find in the glass cabinet( Jvc X-eye, Neo Geo AES, Sharp Twin Famicom, etc). They are starting to regularly import Japanese Famicom, SFC, and N64 games. They also sell Board games, repair consoles and take preorders on new games coming out(as long as the publisher for the game doesn't screw them over....*cough* 2k Games). If you're in the area, it's always worth stopping in. read more

Level Up Video Games - Video Game Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Cute video game store in Santa Cruz. The prices seemed pretty reasonable. Their variety wasn't too bad either. They also had some vintage games up for sale too which were a treat to look at. read more

Level Up Video Games - Video Game Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Sam did a great job putting a new shell on my GBA sp super stocked. The guys here are amiable and have good advice when it comes to buying old games. very happy thank you read more

Level Up Video Games - Gba sp - Video Game Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Ever walk into other retro game stores and it just feels dirty? This place doesn't feel like that at all. This is a great Retro Game store. The store itself is very well taken care of. When I went they had some home brew NES titles, a large assortment of peripherals for NES, PSX, even TG-16! You can also get replacement parts (buttons, thumb sticks, etc. The prices for everything was very reasonable and easily 5-10% less than typical eBay prices. You can also purchase things from their website and have it shipped! The only con I can think of is you have to drive into downtown Santa Cruz and pay for parking OR walk a LONG way. That said, the online ordering makes that problem go away and the store is well worth the effort to get to. read more

I recently discovered this wonderful independent gaming store when I started to research games for a newly purchased retro gaming console, the PC Engine Duo-R. Gerard, the owner, has created a great environment to both play and shop for games across a wide variety of consoles. The prices are fair and they also offer store credit for your games and hardware. I'm making this my preferred independent gaming store from now on. read more

Knowledge staff, super friendly. My go to place for retro video games when I visit Santa Cruz. I wish they had more locations in California.

Now bear with me, because I'm about to vomit all my feelings all over this review. You have been warned. I don't live anywhere near this store. I'm about 3.5hours north with too many responsibilities which greatly affects my ability to play video games, let alone take a sweet trip down to Santa Cruz for some peace on the beach, or spending substantial time perusing this store. That being said, the 3-4 times I have been here have made my entire trip worthwhile. You read that right, this store, made my trips to Santa Cruz worthwhile. What can I say that hasn't been said before? Sorry if the next part has been said before, BUT IMA GUNNA SAY IT ANYWAY! I have never ever, EVER had such a good customer experience in a retro/current game shop like I have when I visited this store. Every single person I interacted with has been nothing but friendly and helpful AND knowledgeable. Even the dog was nice to me when I last visited the shop...which was in summer of 2020. I know what you're thinking, "wait...if this weird dude hasn't been in the shop since 2020, why should I bother reading the rest of this review?" "You did this all to deceive me, just for deception???" Well, hold on...don't smash your glass menagerie just yet. I'll tell you what, those questions lead to: the poorly written, imperfect segue to next part of my review, which is online shopping. They aren't lying when they say something is available in-store or online: it's for sure available online. Again I'm 3+ hrs away. So online shopping has been my normal since visiting the shop in person. I have bought numerous games, systems, and accessories through their online store. Shipping is fairly fast, stuff is usually packed in securely, and my only gripe would be send more than one sticker with my order! My last online order was a New Nintendo 3DS XL from a few months ago, which continues to work perfectly. It was my first DS system ever. I went in blind so I reached out to the store on a social media platform while I was ordering it for some suggestions. They gave me no less than 20 different game titles to try out, and I have had so much fun enjoying my 3DS in the few moments of free time I get. My current goal? Set aside some vacation time for an overnighter in Santa Cruz and go back to this shop as soon as I can. The shops up here (not all, but some) are SUPER overpriced. This place in general remains fair in pricing. Sometimes, when I find something of interest in my local shops I end up checking the inventory here and ordering it online because it's better priced here. I really am glad I stumbled upon this place randomly about 4-5 years ago. I can't wait to go back. Thank you again for the DS recommendations. Y'all rock! read more

The truth is I'm giving Level Up ten stars. This is a superb video game store stocked with hard to find and rare games and systems. They have a knack for getting their hands on unique items too. This is a store that really celebrates the culture and art of the hobby. There is a fun museum case featuring a retrospective of popular and not so popular systems that will take you on a trip down memory lane. The trade values are excellent, and the staff are exceptional. Highly recommended. read more

Good selection of late 80s and 90s, early 2000 favorites, and a nice display of some hard to find consoles and equipment. Prices inline with eBay and etailers. Not much to choose from on the really old stuff (Atari, early NES). Overall a good spot with great old stuff. read more

Came here while me and my partner celebrated our first year together. This place is what every gamer is looking for. It's very hard to find a used game stores these days but it's something about walking into the place and finding a game that you've played when you were little and bringing it back as part of your life again. The person who worked there was very nice and we talked for a little about couple games. Great customer service. Prices are very reasonable. Highly recommend stopping by!! read more

This might be my favorite game shop so far. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about retro gaming, and the prices were surprisingly cheap. The selection wasn't huge but you can tell that a lot of games and systems go through the store so just check in often! read more

Level Up Video Games - Video Game Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I was visiting Santa Cruz for a weekend and I found this store by accident. It's across the street from the main downtown parking garage. This place is incredible. It's about the size of a Radioshack and is cramed with a gamut of new and used stuff. There is a lot of rare accesories, collectables, and games here. The salesperson who was there to help me was really cool. The type of cool where you can get lost talking about videogames, movies, and whatever else and quickly lose track of time. The place has 3 gaming stations that are available for rent to allow you to play the games you bring in with you or the used ones the store has in stock. The hourly rate is very cheap ($7, I think). I picked up a set of the Gunnar glasses at below market price here. That's difficult to pull off for smaller stores like this. Anyway, I'll be stopping by this store anytime I'm in the area. This is a must even if your not a hardcore gamer. read more

I accidentally discovered this place through one of those coupon book things full of local deals that they give to every naive college student on the first day of the quarter. What began as a casual stop turned into a long conversation about the pros and cons of past and present games, and ended with them getting me a great deal on a hard-to-find used game. To top it all off, as I was leaving I remembered an obscure cable adapter I needed, and they found it in the back room for me (it works perfectly), and even gave me the discount even after I'd lost the coupon! Better deals and waaaaaay better customer service than any major video game retailers (I'm talkin to YOU Gamestop). Level Up Video Games is a perfect example of why it's still worth walking down to the brick and mortar store instead of just ordering online. read more

Level Up Video Games - Gamestop graveyard -- Level Up Games ftw - Video Game Stores Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

II just came in today to purchase a used Xbox 360, several games, and a $25 Xbox gift card to be used towards a Live subscription. I had a simple question: Can this be used towards Xbox live Gold? He said "Yes, this can be used towards 3 months of Gold". Perfect. I purchase the set and I'm on my way. I leave satisfied and happy to support local business in Santa Cruz. Little was I aware (and contrary to what Jerry specifically told me), you cannot use xbox money cards towards purchasing Gold subscription. While I admit that's a major sin on Microsoft's behalf, I completely expect that the owner of a popular video game store would know of these issues especially when I ask. That's $25 wasted and a trip elsewhere to find my live subscription. read more