Tavi Gutierrez
Staff Writer
For those looking for the nostalgia of old console and cabinet video games, Lost Levels Arcade, at 530 West First Street in Claremont, is the right destination.
The floor-to-ceiling windows let customers view a Jurassic Park pinball machine by the door before even entering the store.
There are game-themed decorations, such as a large Master Chief figure on top of one shelf and a life-sized Solid Snake statue in the corner of the room watching over everything.
Even the little features like the wooden floors and the retro interstellar designs on the walls make the shop feel like a blast from the past.
The store features a huge collection of video games, which fill the shelves and cases placed throughout the entire space. Some games are meant for old consoles like Game Boys and Playstation 2s, while some are for more modern consoles like the Nintendo Switch 2.
Some games cost only a couple bucks, while others, like Kirby’s Dream Land 2, cost up to $250.
Most customers, like Jose Miranda and June Sepulveda, come by every so often to see if anything catches their eye.
“(I’m) just general browsing,” Sepulveda, a Pomona resident, said.
“It’s kind of like a childhood memory unlocking again, looking at an old game that you lost, or sold, or your parents threw away,” Miranda, also a Pomona resident, said. “It’s a pretty cool selection that they have right here, pretty clean.”
Pierre Belca found the store while walking by.
“It’s my sister-in-law’s birthday, I wanted to come over to Lost Levels and check it out while they’re eating,” said Belca.
Many who come into the shop end up seeing games that they used to play and get nostalgic.
“I’ve been eyeballing a game … Godzilla Domination, I used to play it all the time on my cousin’s Game Boy,” Miranda said. “I just want to be able to play that again.”
One of the biggest appeals of the store is the old familiar games.
“The new ones are cool, but it’s a big change… You want to hop in and just play the game for what it is,” Miranda said.
Store manager Jesse Villanueva said he enjoys speaking to customers and answering any questions they may have.
“A lot of people here are really casual, and I get an opportunity to help them look for the things that they’re looking for,” said Villanueva.
“I’m a really big enthusiast, and I have a really big passion for the overall design and mechanics of video games, so I really get to open up and talk to people about that.”
Next to the checkout counter is a staircase leading to the underground arcade, where thumping music and the sound of games can be heard.
“The pinball machine draws them in, then they find out we have a basement arcade,” said Villanueva.
The space also hosts a variety of classic cabinet games, such as Centipede, Defender and Donkey Kong.
Access is available through a variety of paid passes, ranging from $10 for half an hour to $25 for all day.
However, the real crown jewel of the store, Villanueva noted, is the customers.
“We’re nothing without the customers, we do everything that we do for them,” Villanueva said. “Regardless of them buying anything or not, it’s all about people coming in and having a good time.”
For more information, visit lostlevelsarcade.com/locations/arcade.
Tavi Gutierrez can be reached at tavi.gutierrez@laverne.edu.
Tavi Gutierrez is a junior communications major with a concentration in public relations, and a staff writer for the Campus Times.
Jose Enrico Lamano Asuncion is a junior photography major and a staff photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine.
