Dreamcast Gaming on the High Street Stock CEXchange

This article is not endorsed by or sponsored by CeX.

With it being harder and harder to find retro games in the wild, especially PAL Dreamcast titles with an intact case, retro gaming is becoming an increasingly online-only affair.

Here in the UK, all but one of the brick-and-mortar gaming chains (GAME) have died out. There are some excellent independent game shops still soldiering on, though they are sparse and dwindling in number too. Fortunately though, we do have one last bastion of the high street in CeX (formerly Computer Exchange, and yes, it’s pronounced “sex”) where it is still possible to walk into a store and find surprisingly well-priced Dreamcast games on the shelves.

Better still, if you are looking for particular games, their website tells you exactly what they have in stock and where, allowing you to plan your very own road trip to secure your next classic. Or, if you don’t fancy the effort of leaving your house, you can order direct to your door, oblivious to the condition your purchased game is in, and running the risk of a brittle old PAL case being obliterated in the rough and tumble of the postal service.

Recently, the risks of what has become known amongst retro circles as “the CeX lottery” have been reduced marginally, as the retailer now distinguishes between games with and without their manuals (though you may still be left guessing whether or not the manual has ketchup stains). The other useful thing CeX provide is regularly refreshed pricing which tracks the current market, and, here at the Junkyard, we have meticulously studied these to bring you some small insights into the current PAL Dreamcast market.

CeX is actually how I unintentionally ended up re-entering the rabbit hole of all things SEGA Dreamcast back in 2016, when I stumbled upon a very nice condition Virtua Tennis for a mere £3.50 - which was possibly one of the most expensive “bargains” I’ve ever had.

How it all started (again)!

Believe it or not, despite what many say, the Dreamcast does still have a good selection of affordable games. Sadly, the console is also beginning to see an increasing number of titles with three-digit prices. We’re all aware of the MoHos and the Cannon Spikes, but 2024 seems to have ushered in more unexpected additions to the high-stakes ranks, and seeing as I have little else to do on this rainy British bank holiday Monday, I figured what better time to delve in to this than now?

The good:

As previously mentioned, the Dreamcast still has a surprising number of both great and affordable games. So, in 2024, it is still possible to start building yourself a fun little collection of games. There are over 50 games which are £15 or under at CeX which is actually nearly a quarter of the PAL library. Highlights include:

• ChuChu Rocket! - £5
• Dragon’s Blood - £15
• F355 Challenge: Passion Rossa - £10
• Fur Fighters - £12
• MDK2 - £12
• Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 - £15
• Tony Hawk’s Skateboarding (aka Tony Hawk's Pro Skater) - £10
• Virtua Tennis - £10

If you happen to be on a particularly tight budget (which many understandably are), there are also over 15 games for £10 or less - most of which are far from stinkers.

The bad:
Not so long ago, someone looking to buy big-ticket PAL Dreamcast games would likely have found only four games above the £100 mark: Cannon Spike, Evolution 2, MoHo and Project Justice.

However, in the contemporary inflationary atmosphere, this has changed quite rapidly. In 2024, there are now 11 games (up from eight in 2023) that will set you back £100 or more at CeX. And, it is pretty mind boggling to consider how much one or two have rocketed in price:

• Freestyle Scooter (aka Razor Freestyle Scooter) - £100 (Up from £70 in 2023)
• Street Fighter III: Double Impact - £120 (Up from £65 in 2023)
• Dragon Riders: Chronicles of Pern - £180 (Up from £75 in 2023)

The rapid climb of Street Fighter III: Double Impact means it’s currently the most expensive of the Dreamcast Street Fighter games at CeX, taking the crown from Third Strike. As for Dragon Riders, I have no idea why it has doubled in price in less than a year, but eBay sales seem to back up its newfound place amongst the most expensive on the system.

The new members of the £100 club.

The ugly:

Although much of the library does remain relatively affordable, and thereby accessible to a wide demographic of retro gamers, the average inflation of prices for PAL Dreamcast games is a bit grim. The total price for all 198 Dreamcast games that CeX currently list has risen from £6,305 in last July to £7,473 at the time of writing in May 2024. That represents a Dreamflation™ rate of over 18% in under a year. Of course, what goes up can come down, and a crash in prices isn't ever totally off the cards. That doesn't seem likely in the short to medium term though, so if you want some chonky blue cases, now could be a good time to buy.

All in all, CeX certainly remains a viable place to get your retro games from. They can often be a teeny bit cheaper than average eBay rates too, meaning not only can you just randomly stumble across something to buy and play, but doing so might be a prudent consumer decision. If you want to check the current cash, trade in and sale prices of any games at CeX, you can do so at their website webuy.com.

Have you ever purchased Dreamcast games from CeX before? If you have, what was your experience? Did you manage to grab yourself a bargain? Let us know in the comments below, or via our social media pages.