I drove all the way from LA and discovered that they weren't even open even though this is their open hours (4:00pm Tuesday) there wasn't even a note on the door either... I give this a 1 out of 5 stars, I would give it a zero but that's not an option. read more

I came here for the first time last weekend and I was not disappointed by the impressive selection of games! I found two PlayStation 2 games I've been looking for in new condition. I will definitely be coming back to this location to look for more video games (: read more

The owner is a very nice guy, very talkative and knows his stuff well. He has a lot of things I bet a good amount of stores in Goleta and Santa Barbara don't have and all for fair prices. I've been going to him for years, where I've bought posters, PS2 games even a whole Wii. The store can be hard to find at first but once you find it the first time then it's all good. Very good buisness and owner, I would recommend! read more

I loved it here and was so fun to look and see old games from my childhood with my girlfriend. The owner was so nice to me and was very helpful. Recommend this place to anybody who wants any console or old game or just cool anime stuff. read more

Came here for the first time last week and it was such a great experience. Cool vibes and the owner is very talkative and knowledgeable. Found some games I had never thought of playing before as well as some great merch. Will definitely come back soon. read more

Amazing store!! Great quality of merchandise and variety. The owner is such a sweet man - I needed to change my 3month old and asked if I could use the floor. He found me a container lid to use so we weren't on the hard ground. Such a sweet gesture! read more

Great customer service. Very knowledgeable and personable. Just moved to the area and came across this hidden gem. Definitely recommend for finding used games and consoles. They also have a decent selection of collectibles. read more

This place is a hidden gem and a gamers paradise! The owner George is very knowledgeable and kind. He is always patient with my 8 year old son and answers all his questions. They offer game events and have used games that can be sometimes hard to find. The store is hidden behind Family Discount just off Holister. They also do computer repairs and prices are very reasonable. read more

The Control Lab - Video Game Stores Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

I enthusiastically recommend George Diaz at The Control Lab for diagnosing and fixing computer problems. My Windows laptop was failing to start up with increasing frequency. I assumed that the problem was with the hard drive, so I took it to the Geek Squad at Best Buy to get the hard drive replaced. However, the technician said that they would not take it because they could not replace a solid-state drive that was soldered into a computer. He recommended I take it to The Control Lab. George said that the hard drive in my laptop was in fact removable, and that he would diagnose the problem for a relatively small fee. He said that If problem was a bad hard drive, I could by a replacement part myself at Best Buy and he would install it for me. We spoke a day later, and he said that the problem was caused by accumulated dust and dirt interfering with the connections on the motherboard and that cleaning the interior of the laptop had solved the problem. He didn't charge me an additional fee for fixing my computer. George is knowledgeable, competent, honest, and service-oriented. If you need your computer repaired, take it to George at The Control Lab! read more

Delighted with the work, attitude of Control Lab staff (George). I brought in a hard drive that needed to be accessed; Geek Squad had failed to offload the data. George did it quicky, professionally, and at a reasonable price. His customer service and expertise were outstanding. He was also very sensitive to CoVid needs as well. My previous experiences with them have been like that as well. I cannot recommend them highly enough. read more

I searched everywhere trying to find an adapter for the NES System that I got online . it came with a composite connection and I didn't have a 1988 style television to plug it into The guy explained to me simply what I needed to do and I came home and spend the next three days straight play my games must've told 10 people about the store since then ...totally stoked!!!! read more

First of all, it is NOT closed! This is the kind of local, small business that we should all make our first stop when looking for classic video games. Way better prices than eBay, without the shipping hassle. The owner is always friendly, and their repair department will do all they can to fix your machine. If they can't, they will be honest and let you know. I've been patronizing the Control Lab for years, and I've never been disappointed. read more

I came here to buy a ds lite the other day, and what stood out to me most at this store is the wonderful customer service. The owner/employee who I spoke to was incredibly helpful and nice, and let me know I could have a discount by checking in through Yelp. I was seriously being a difficult customer, since I didn't know if I was willing to throw down $50 in one go. However, he was very patient while I thought about it in the store. Support your local video game stores! read more

Great place! Wish I had found it sooner. There are so many fun things here that it's fun just to go and browse. My buddy and I got a Game Boy Micro for a really decent price and Advance Wars 2! They even had one of those Panasonic Qs! (The GameCube thing with a DVD player). Will definitely be returning soon! read more

Last year I went to Best Buy to fix my girlfriends broken laptop keyboard and the guy there told me to go to Control Lab, since it is much cheaper and faster. The owner of Control Lab was extremely helpful and friendly, and the laptop was fixed within a few days. Best Buy wanted 600$ and 6 weeks to fix. Control lab was absurdly cheaper, with the total being around 110$-120$. They also have tons of vintage games that will make you relive you're childhood. 10/10 come here, whether it's for a broken controller or a old game. read more

Seemed a little sketchy, good thing they had a sign pointing to where the store is. You have to drive around back and park in a small lot. The 2nd floor is apartments, with some sketchy looking people hanging around on the stairs. When we went in there area lot of old school games. It was a little pricey especially for used games. Not likely to revisit this store, my kids didn't feel comfortable with the swearing and the overall vibe. read more

The place is a bit hard to find and parking is limited, but great service! I came in freaking out that my laptop was completely broken and I would have to buy a new one, but George was able to open up my laptop and explain to me what was causing the problem. He was very knowledgeable about all the questions I had. I came by on the weekend for a laptop cleaning service, which was very reasonably priced, and now it's running like new! read more

This place is awesome. My computer crashed and I brought it in to get it looked at. I didn't get the guys name who was running the store but he was incredibly friendly and helpful. Also, the store items blasted me with nostalgia. Everything seemed so affordable. Even though I was there for laptop repair, I couldn't help but spend less than $10 on a game. read more

OK so I initially had no interest in entering "The Thrift Store" because I hate shopping for clothes in general but my cousin has a knack for it so i followed her in. Little did I know this is not a clothing shop but a 90s VIDEO GAME SHOP (!!!!) with lots of other super cool nostalgia stuff. Super score. I'm a big fan of N64 and walked away with a new copy of Mario 64 which I'd been searching for FOREVER. Chris (the guy who owns the shop) even tested the game out to make sure it was in working condition. If you're a nintendo or sega fan or just loved video games in the 90s this place is geek heaven. I just wish i lived in Goleta so I could come back more often... sign... this place was so cool. read more

Great guy that works there. Had a Wii U gamepad that wasn't working, had to see if it was the charger or the actual gamepad. I asked him if I could I use one of his chargers, he opened a new one for me to test it out on. I bought that charger off of him. Would recommend and go there again. read more

He helped me out with a computer emergency and got me exactly what I needed. Excellent place

George is very knowledgable and polite. He cleans the products and let's you try them out before leaving the store. Glad i found this hidden gem. read more

The Control Lab - Video Game Stores Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

My fiancee and I had just got home from Gamestop after buying some wii games to find that or dog had chewed up the sensor bar cable. We called them 20 minutes before they were closing and they had a couple in stock (no store in town had one) and they said they would stay open for us to come get it. When I got there, the manager was really nice, and was happy to show me all the amazing and rare items they had as a wave of gaming nostalgia swept over me. I ended up picking up a classic controller (which no store in town had either) and fawning over their Nintendo 64 collection. Super cool store, incredible selection, super cool owners and operators, will be back. read more

The Control Lab is awesome! My kids love it! Gaming can be really expensive but the Control Lab is extremely affordable! They have a great selection of all kinds of games & systems like Nintendo, PlayStation, Wii, Xbox.They take trade in's and have a super selection of vintage items especially Pokemon! They offer items that can't be purchased at any stores in town. Chris and his staff are fantastic! My kids love to barter with them. It's a Goodland secret rare! Located behind the Family discount store in Old Town Goleta the store is a little hard to find if you haven't been before. Go check it out! Parents won't be dissapointed! Great value for your money!! read more

Great family business. The owners were really friendly and guided me through my ebay transaction that I ended up picking up. They have alot of great selections in store. The location is a bit hidden away towards the back of their building but its worth a stop. read more

Very impressed by the selection of vinyl and especially impressed by the selection of old school gaming items. Really cool place and the owner's really chill. read more

I've been coming to the control lab because they got way lower prices then game stop and give you way more in store credit than game stop don't get me wrong game stop isn't bad it's just that the rip you off. read more

Verry cool place with a huge selection of NES and SNES games. When I went there, I bought contra on the NES and I loved it. The manager is cool, the selection of games are awesome, might not have great prices but is still a game store I'd really recommend to get games at. read more

Had a great time checking out the vintage gaming stuff . Friendly service , cant wait to make it in again and pick up a few classic video games . read more

Control. George is the owner. He is a great, and will answer your questions with wisdom and grace. I walked in once and he immediately helped me. Competitive pricing and great conversation, who could go anywhere else for their N64/SNES/nes/Genesis etc needs? You are welcome here. read more

Extremely knowledgable staff with exceptional prices. I've been in twice so far, and both times I walked out with gifts for multiple friends (and I didn't spend more than $20!). Great tech equipment there - an unusually good amount of (working) vintage equipment. Owner seems to run a tight selection of stock, so there are plenty of top tier products to pick from. Really great placed for used video game equipment, cameras, computer monitors, etc. Def recommended to my other cash-strapped friends :P read more

Chris is super helpful. The prices are good. And it's a really neat space for the community and UCSB because it has a focus on art and features local/student artists periodically. I love that there's an option for art students at UCSB to show somewhere other than a gallery space on campus. It's also full of useful (and weird) stuff so it's my go-to if I need to pick something up for a project. Overall, convenient and fun to visit. read more

This store is AMAZING!!!! Best Retro Game store I have ever been to in my entire life! Huge Inventory! Super Nice Staff!