Tips and Advice from the Experts at Level Up: Choosing the right console.

One of the biggest questions we get at Level Up from newcomers to gaming is "What system should I buy?". Well the answer varies based on the customer of course. So we ask questions to ascertain which system will best fit the customers needs. Questions like, who will be using the system most? Young kids, teens, adults or the entire family. Will they be playing frequently on-line or prefer not to? Will they be using the system in the main family room? How often will they be using the system? Do they have a HDTV or plan on buying one? What type of games are they most interested in? All these question help to determine what best fits our clients needs.
If you have younger children and are looking for a system for the kids or for the family to play together, we would most likely recommend the Nintendo Wii. The Wii has the most kid friendly and interactive games and although its competitors have started following suit on the interactivity the games on the Wii are still leaps and bounds ahead when it comes to catering to the young and old alike.
If you have older kids and are looking to buy a system for the kids, we would most likely recommend the Xbox 360 as this is the most common system for teens and young adults, the on-line gaming experience is second to none and the game selection is by far the most popular. Now with Xbox 360 Kinect (Microsoft's new controller free motion sensor), the system can also provide the get off the couch family fun many parents are seeking.
If you are a young adult or older looking into buying a console, we would more than likely recommend the Playstation 3. Sony has developed the most well rounded gaming system for adults as it is not only a game system, supports on-line play (although sub-par to the Xbox 360 on-line, But it is FREE, no monthly cost like Xbox), it is also a very capable and possibly one of the best Blu-Ray player for great HD movie enjoyment. The PS3 also provides its own built in browser for surfing the web on TV and although it is a bit cumbersome in relation to a computer, it is definitely a cool feature for a quick browsing experience.
So we are very aware of the features of all these systems and know that there are arguments to justify all systems and the benefits of each and although many die hards of one system or another we try and be as unbiased as possible in our evaluation of our customers needs.
Game systems today have all developed as more than just a gaming console but an interactive media system providing things like Netflix, Media Server, Hulu, Vudu, Play-on and many more amazing features. As of 2010 all the systems now offer their own version of interactive motion gaming and are expanding their game selections rapidly. So there is a lot to consider when making a purchase that ranges from $250 starting to upwards of $500 or more depending on accessories and game choices. So consider the options and review the questions above this will make your decision much easier. In the end though, it all comes down to personal preferences and all these systems are great in their own right!

Tips and Advice from the Experts at Level Up: Spring Cleaning

It's March and that means Spring Cleaning Time! At Level Up Video Games our technicians repair a lot of systems. We do everything from overheating problems, to not reading disks. 
One of the big things we notice when taking in systems for repair is the unbelievable amount of dust, and pollutants that are accumulated inside these systems. Some worse then others, if you smoke or have pets the particles, fur and dander that is released into your home, inevitably gets sucked into your system and stays there. We are always telling people the importance of blowing out your systems regularly. Keeping your systems dust free will help to extend the life of your electronics. 
We use a mini air compressor with a gun nozzle to blow out our computers and gaming systems once a month. Here are some tips on cleaning out your systems. 
Tip 1. Always unplug your systems before attempting to clean them. If your system has a disk tray that pops out like the xbox 360, then you will want to open the tray prior to unplugging the power from the back. This will allow you access to blow out the dvd/rom drive thoroughly.
Tip 2. Go outside to blow them out. Obvious, but you can't believe how lazy people can be sometimes. You are going to see a lot of dust come out of the system and you don't want it to all blow back into your house. 
Tip 3. We recommend wearing some sort of a dust mask when cleaning the system, especially if you have allergies the crap that is in there can really wreak havoc on your sinus. 
Tip 4. There are three options for devices to clean your system. First is a compressor with a gun nozzle if you own one this is the best device for cleaning out your computers or systems. Second is a canister vacuum, the vacuum that has the long stretchy hose, most canister vacuum's have a reverse blow out port on the back. All you have to do is remove the hose from the front and replace the hose on the back blow out port. Lastly, is canned air which you can find at any computer electronics store or at your local big box store. With canned air you want to be careful as you hold down the nozzle the air blowing begins to freeze cold. Always use short bursts to clean with canned air so as not to freeze components which can cause damage to your system.
And that's it...Try and make a point of cleaning out your computers and gaming systems or any other electronic audio and video equipment regularly. This will keep your equipment running longer and more efficiently.

Hottest New Products: March 2011

Hottest New Products:

• New Evil Controllers Master Mod w/D Pad in  new style:Check out the new hottest PINK CAMO controllers starting at $104.99.
• New Little Big Planet Sack Boy plushies in stock in 4 different outfits. These cute sackboys are on sale now.
• New Angry Birds plushies. Angry bird has swept the mobile phone gaming world with their addictive simplistic game style. Now we have the crazy birds in stock check them out today.
• New Splinter Cell Conviction action figures have arrived. If you are a fan of the series pick yours up at Level Up Video Games.

Results of the Black Ops 2vs2 Tourney on Feb 26th

Thanks to all the teams that came out this weekend for the Black Ops 2 v 2 Tournament. It was a great turn out with 64player/32teams competing for the grand prize. The grand prize this weekend was $300.00. We look forward to seeing more black ops fans at our hosting of CTRLALTKILL 4 v 4 Tournament coming on April 2, 2011. Register Soon. 

Congratulations to Maddux Faulkner and Josh Nava the 1st Place Team in our COD Black Ops 2 v 2 competition on 2/26/2011. Grand Prize: $300.00

Hottest New Products: February 2011

Hottest New Products for February 2011




New snack for gamers, Gamer Grub is a trail mix like snack that taste great but doesn't leave a mess on your fingers. Comes in 4 delicious flavors. BBQ, Pizza, Smore's and PB&J. Pick up a pack today only $2.99
New Wii mini controllers from BD &A include a mini-wiimote and mini-nunchuck both for only $49.99

New large size Mario Vynl Character in stock now 3 characters to choose from limited quantities available.
Xbox 360 Kinect Motion Control bundle only $149.99
Playstation 3 Move Control bundle only $99.99
Xtactic SP High-Fi Headset only $69.99

Tips and Advice from the Experts at Level Up: Ringed Disks

Tips and Advice from the experts at Level Up:


This month's tip is regarding Ringed Disks (see above). This is a very common problem with the Wii and Xbox 360 systems especially. It is caused by the system being bumped, moved or knocked over. When this happens the disk wobbles in the DVD/ROM drive and makes contact with the laser lens housing resulting in the ring scratch, a almost perfect circle. When this happens your game is usually ruined and will no longer play. Fortunately, Level Up Video Games on-site repair department has the equipment to help. We are usually able to repair a ringed disk and have a 95% success rate. Our fee for attempting to resurface a ringed disk would be $5.00, a lot cheaper normally than buying a replacement. However this can often be avoided entirely by following these two tips. 
1) Avoid setting up your game systems vertically. It is more likely that your system will wobble or topple if you leave it standing up. We always recommend that you lay your system flat.
2) If you have pets or small children we recommend that you properly tuck away video and controller cables that can get pulled or tripped on.  Always try and keep your systems out of reach of children and animals.
These tips will help you to avoid the Ringed Disk syndrome and keep your games playing for a long time. Of course always put your games back in their case or storage sleeve when not using them to avoid other scratches. Don't forget that when you trade your games condition counts.
Level Up Video Games is always here to answer your questions about games, systems, accessories and electronics in general. This is our business and were here to help.

Cosplay Contest on October 30th 2010 was awesome!

On October 30th, in the spirit of Halloween, Level Up Video Games held its first ever cosplay contest.

For those who don't already know, cosplay is short for "costume play." Most commonly, it is when people dress up as an anime or video game character. This phenomenon is hugely popular in Japan, and is rapidly growing in popularity in the United States and across the world. Thank you to all our friends and customers who showed up with such amazing costumes that made this event so successful. Also, a special thanks to After Con and its moderators who helped advertise.

The results were way better than anticipated, with about 30 people in costume competing, and many more who were there just here for the fun of it. First prize was given to Josh Landi who came in dressed as Gohan from the popular anime Dragon Ball.

Since this event was so successful, we have plans to make this an annual event! This year was definitely a learning experience for all of us and next year we hope to make it an even bigger event!

Check out the pictures of all the great costumes on our Facebook page, which you can access by clicking the above picture. Pictures are also available via our Flickr account as well.