The Cheapest Sega Dreamcast Games Worth Your Time
When you add a console to your collection, the first thing you want to do is get a handful of games to keep you busy with your new toy. However, most of us can’t spend afford to spend fat pile of cash for a few games. This budget-friendly list should help you quickly find which games will start you off well without emptying your wallet. (Prices listed are an average eBay price for US games, including shipping)
Cheap Classics
Jet Grind Radio: $8
Not only is the gameplay in Jet Grind Radio compelling and unique, but the graphical style hits you like a brick in the face (in a good way) with its well-executed cel-shaded models and landscapes. The Jet Grind Radio soundtrack is also one of the most popular gaming lineups of all time featuring an array of eclectic songs combining the musical genres of J-pop, Trip-hop, Hip-hop and Electronica. Between the slick graphics, upbeat and quirky audio, and intense gameplay, Jet Grind Radio is a gaming experience that completely envelopes you when given the chance.
Shop for Jet Grind Radio at eBay
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Tennis 2K2: $5
Having the essential quality of being easy to play and difficulty to master, Virtua Tennis was one of the sleeper hits on the Dreamcast. It is often overlooked as a killer party game — I have had many parties with both guys and girls of all gaming levels having a blast on a 4-player doubles tournament.
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Space Channel 5: $6
While some other rhythm games like PaRappa The Rapper attracted more attention, Space Channel 5 topped the charts with Dreamcast owners. Both the graphics and the music had a phenomenal retro-futurist (reminds me of a hip Jetson’s atmosphere) feel to them and kept Space Channel 5 from becoming just “another” simon-says-type game.
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Crazy Taxi: $6
This arcade port was one of the main reasons I initially jumped on the Dreamcast. Crazy Taxi gives you control of a cabby racing around two San Francisco-esque cities, picking up customers and dropping them at their required destinations by any means necessary. It’s a race against the clock, resulting in no-holds-barred racing around the two cities, flying off hills and screeching around bends. Although some may argue that the game lacks some depth, they forget that this is a pure arcade game that compels you to beat your best scores. Crazy Taxi 2 is also availible for a little over $10 if you need more tracks to choose from.
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Chu Chu Rocket: $8
This little gem from Sega was extremely popular and recognized by most gamers who had actually played it and virtually unknown otherwise. Chu Chu Rocket is a unique puzzle game that not only served as a good brain-teaser in single-player mode, but also has solid multi-player features.
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Resident Evil Code: Veronica: $9
As a Resident Evil game that wasn’t a port of an older Playstation title, Code Veronica actually took advantage of the Dreamcast’s power and still serves as a cheap thrill to this day.
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Test Drive LeMans: $5
Le Mans was one of the best all-around racers for the Dreamcast and one of the most under-appreciated. It can be found for a surprisingly low price even through it isn’t terribly common.
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Toy Commander: $9
On the surface, Toy Commander looks like a cheap third-party game that would only interest young kids, but this little Dreamcast gem actually has a lot of charm to it. Get it for less that $10 before everybody learns about it.
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Outtrigger: $9
Sega’s attempt at the First Person Shooter (or Third Person, depending on how you play it), actually turned out very well. It has more of a clean, arcade feel too it (you won’t see any blood and guts) and runs like a dream. If you are tired of Unreal Tournment and Quake III, Outrigger has got your back.
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Virtua Fighter 3tb: $9
Even though it was probably the least celebrated title in a fighting series with a cult following, Virtua Fighter 3TB is a deep and polished 3D fighter. Virtua Fighter 3tb isn’t as eye-catching as Soul Calibur or Dead or Alive 2, gameplay and strategy is where VF3tb excels.
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Metropolis Street Racer: $9
MSR was the precursor to the Project Gothem series on the XBox and is one of the most challenging and polished racers on the Dreamcast. Of course, the graphics aren’t as great as their XBox siblings, but the Kudos point system will either push you to play harder or drive you insane with frustration.
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A Few Must-Haves Slightly Over $10…
Soul Calibur: $16
This Dreamcast launch title is one of the best examples of the incredible graphics the little white box is capable off. Between the polished visuals and the deep gameplay, the original Soul Calibur still holds surprisingly well to its newer siblings. The Soul Still Burns!
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Shenmue: $15
As one of the most beautiful and revolutionary titles for the Dreamcast, Shenmue combined elements from Adventure, RPG, Simulator, and Fighting games into an epic journey that brought a fictional community to life and compelled you to find the killer of Ryo’s father. As Yu Suzuki’s pet project the game took years of development and a hefty $20 million budget to reach completion. $15 is a great price for a twenty-million-dollar game, don’t you think?
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Samba De Amigo: $16
This Latin-flavored rhythm game involves waving/shaking maracas in certain directions to match the upbeat music. While Samba may not provide you with quite as much of a physical workout as DDR, it will be less intimidating for new players, but still offer a challenge in higher levels. And while Dance Dance Revolution is only entertaining to watch from the sidelines if the player is highly skilled, Samba De Amigo is a riot to watch no matter the experience level. There is just something about watching people shake their maracas like there’s no tomorrow.
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Sega Rally Championship 2: $10
A great graphical upgrade to the Arcade and Saturn favorite is well worth the small investment.
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Rayman 2: $11
This 3D platformer is one of the most beauttiful games on the Dreamcast and is the highlight in the rather limited selection of Dreamcast platforming games.
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F355 Challenge Passione Rossa: $11
Instead of making an easy-to-pick-up-and-play arcade racer, Yu Suzuki took his passion for Ferarri racing and directed AM2 to create an incredible racing simulation. As opposed to having multiple cars to choose from, the F355 is the only car to be featured in the game, but is incredibly detailed. Supposedly much of the data for the game is actually based on Suzuki’s own F355.
Shop for F355 Challenge Passione Rossa at eBay
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Sonic Adventure: $13
I didn’t enjoy SA as much as its 2D predecessors, but the action levels of Sonic Adventure were pretty good for the most part.
Shop for Sonic Adventure at eBay
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Ecco The Dolphin: Defender of the Future: $15
Ecco the Dolphin for the Dreamcast is one of those rare instances of a company taking a 2D game (the Genesis and Sega CD originals) and making it work in 3D. Defender of the Future is an amazing looking game — the rich textures and animation really bring the sea life to life. The game is also among the most challenging around again, but you’ll enjoy the brilliant atmosphere and story.
Shop for Ecco The Dolphin at eBay
Other Cheap Favorites:
Alien Front Online: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
Re-Volt: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
2K2 Sports: $6 each – eBay
Tony Hawk 2: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
Sega Bass Fishing: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
Sega Marine Fishing: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
Oooga Booga: $7 – eBay / Amazon.com
Quake 3 Arena: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
MDK 2: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
Sega GT: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
Ms Pacman Maze Madness: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
Elemental Gimmick Gear: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
Red Dog: Superior Firepower: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
My Starter Picks For $50 Budget
If I only had $50 to spend on starting out a Dreamcast collection, here would be my top picks (in order of priority):
- Jet Grind Radio: $8
- Tennis 2K2: $5
- Space Channel 5: $6
- Crazy Taxi: $6
- Soul Calibur: $16
- Virtua Fighter 3tb: $9
- Total: $50
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I would replace virtua fighter with Resident evil code name veronica. That game is not the best RE (even discounting Reseident evil 4) but its damned fun and has some cool 3d effects. I played that one repeatedly.
My picks at the bottom are purely on my gaming tastes. I’m not a huge RE fan and love fighters, so that was my reasoning for the choices.
But yes, CV was an excellent installment
Awesome list!
Techinically wouldn’t the cheapest games be homebrew and ports of older PC games that you already own?
BTW – This list has inspired me to seek out some of those games that I do have have yet!!!!!
Such as Vitrua fighter and Rayman 2 – Two games I have yet to see in store…
Dead or Alive 2 needs a place. Bouncy
It’s a shame that the price of Dreamcast games is starting to climb a good bit. Some of these used to go for a couple of bucks. Still, nice list.
Excellent list. Wish only the prices in greece were so low too… Still, there are obvious analogies. Thanks!
There are many excelent games missing from that list but that’s probably because they cost more than US$10…. WAY more than US$10, in the lines of US$70 like Under Defeat.
I love music on these games. I especially like Morrowind’s soundtrack.
San Francisco Rush 2049 deserves a place on the list. It’s a port and was ported a few times over, but the Dreamcast version is generally the best (as most arcade conversions are) and is a great game in its own right. I think it’s around $10 now.
While Samba De Amigo is technically cheap, the maracas are not. They’re cheaper than they used to be, but they’ll still run the total price to $50+. It isn’t worth playing the game without them. I’d say the same for the fishing games, but it’s possible to get a fishing controller and game for around $20.
Interesting note, u can use the fishing controller like a wiimote, and it works suprisingly well too, just another innovation from sega that nintendo ripped off lol
I picked up NFL 2K2 and NBA 2k2 for $1.99 each. That’s always at the top of any Dreamcast library.
The most I’ve paid for any DC game this week (got myself a used console this week for $40) was SF Rush 2049 for $25. Soul Calibur ran me $15, and everything else was $10 or less (Virtua Tennis, Crazy Taxi, Toy Commander, Hydro Thunder).
When you get a Dreamcast – and every gamer should have one – start with NFL/NBA 2K2. That’s just a given, just like Soul Calibur. Then grab Virtua Tennis, Rush 2049 and Chu Chu Rocket for the 4-player action. After that you can spread out and get the other 20-30 must-have DC classics, before fanning out to the merely-good ones.
Oh, cannot forget DC’s ace card – the emulators! Get Atari800 DC for 4-player M.U.L.E. You’ll be glad you did.
You really saved my skin with this inforamiton. Thanks!
where is capcom vs snk marvel vs capcom, street fighter 3rd strike or power stone those games are 11 times better then anything on here
lol just finding this in 2018, some of these games have skyrocketed, especially elemental gimmick gear