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Are My Old Games Worth Money? A UK Guide to Retro Game Values
Quick version: Most old games are worth a few pounds. A few are worth a lot more. The only reliable way to tell is to look at what copies have actually sold for recently, not at what sellers are asking. Condition, a complete box and manual, and the exact PAL version make the biggest difference.
Fun fact: In the UK, the cardboard boxes used for many PAL Nintendo games were often thrown away. That's why a boxed copy is often worth several times the price of the same cartridge on its own.
The full guide
What drives value
1. Condition. Collectors pay for clean labels, uncracked cases and boxes without tears, crushing or price stickers. A faded or torn label can cut a cartridge's price sharply. Disc games need clean, scratch-free discs and their original cases.
2. Boxed vs loose. Collectors usually describe a game in one of three ways:
- Loose – cartridge or disc only.
- Boxed – game and box, but no manual or inserts.
- Complete (CIB) – game, box, manual and any inserts, such as posters or registration cards.
- On top of these, sealed or graded copies are a specialist market of their own. Don't open a sealed game before you've checked its price.
3. PAL variants matter. The same game can exist in several versions, and collectors care which one you have:
- Region: a UK/PAL copy, a US (NTSC) copy and a Japanese copy are priced separately. UK buyers generally want PAL.
- Country markings: some PAL Nintendo boxes carry codes such as "UKV", "EUR", "FRA" or "NOE". Some collectors only want UK copies.
- Re-releases: budget lines such as PlayStation Platinum, Nintendo Players Choice (later Nintendo Selects) and Xbox Classics are usually worth less than the original black-label or first print.
- Printing and packaging differences, such as early vs late prints or bundle copies, which may say "not for resale". These can move a price up or down.
4. Rarity versus demand. Rare isn't the same as valuable. Many rare games are rare because nobody wanted them. Value comes when a short print run meets a well-loved game.
How to price a game (sold, not asking)
1. Identify it exactly: platform, region, edition and what's included.
2. Check eBay sold listings. See recent eBay UK sold listings (opens in new tab) (Ad: affiliate link), or search eBay UK for your own game and tick "Sold items" under the filters. Green prices are what buyers actually paid. Ignore unsold "Buy it now" listings, because anyone can ask anything. The rough values in the table further down are asking prices, so expect sold prices to come in lower.
3. Match like with like. Compare loose with loose and complete with complete, PAL with PAL, and similar condition.
4. Take a middle figure. Ignore the odd outlier, which might be a shill bid, a mislabelled copy or a bundle. Look at the last 5–10 sales.
5. Allow for fees. What you take home is the sale price minus selling fees, postage and packaging.
Where to sell in the UK
| Option | Good for | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| eBay UK (sold listings) (opens in new tab) (Ad: affiliate link) | Getting full market value, especially for rarer games | You do the photos, listing and posting. There's a risk of returns and disputes. Fee rules change, so check the current ones |
| CeX (opens in new tab) | Speed: cash or store credit straight away, with online quotes | You get well below eBay value, and cash pays less than credit. They only buy titles on their list |
| Facebook Marketplace (opens in new tab) | Local sales of bulky bundles and consoles, with no posting | Time-wasters, no-shows and scams. Meet somewhere safe and take cash or a confirmed payment |
| Vinted (opens in new tab) | Casual sales of cheaper games | Buyers expect low prices, and it's less used by serious collectors |
| Independent retro shops | A quick, friendly sale, and an expert valuation | Shops need margin, so offers are often well below resale value |
| Auction houses that specialise in games | Sealed, graded or truly rare items | Commission on both sides and slow payout. Only worth it for high-value items |
Rule of thumb: sell common games in a bundle or to a trade-in shop. Sell the rare ones on their own, with good photos, where collectors are looking.
Games that tend to be valuable (examples only)
These are examples of PAL titles that have often sold well. Prices move all the time, so none of these figures is a guarantee. Check recent sold listings before you buy or sell anything.
Typical eBay UK asking prices, estimated, plus postage, checked October 2026. They're based on what UK sellers were asking on eBay UK for PAL copies, not on what copies sold for. Sold prices usually come in lower, so check sold listings for your own copy.
Tip: it's often the box and manual that carry the value, rather than the game itself.
For the nerds (click to open)
- Mega Drive vs Genesis, SNES vs Super Famicom: these are different region versions of the same consoles. PAL SNES carts share the Super Famicom's rounded shape, while US carts are a squarer shape. The CIC lockout chip also differs by region.
- PAL speed: many older PAL games ran at 50Hz, slower than the 60Hz versions sold elsewhere. Collectors still want them for completeness, even if players often prefer the 60Hz versions.
- Nintendo PAL boxes: some came as cardboard boxes with plastic inner trays, and some included country-specific manuals. Missing trays reduce value.
- Sega PAL cases: Master System and Mega Drive games came in plastic cases, so they survive better than cardboard. That makes condition the deciding factor.
- PlayStation: a black-label original (no Platinum banner) with an intact spine card and manual usually commands a premium.
- Grading: services such as WATA and VGA grade sealed games. Graded prices are a separate, more volatile market.
Buying tips and spotting fakes
Reproductions ("repros") and fakes are common, especially for valuable Game Boy, GBA, SNES and N64 games.
- Labels: look for blurry printing, wrong colours, glossy labels where the original was matte, or misaligned edges.
- The plastic: fakes often have a slightly wrong colour or texture, missing embossed logos, or the wrong screws. Nintendo carts normally use 3.8mm "gamebit" security screws.
- The circuit board: if it's safe to open the cart, a genuine board carries Nintendo's markings and a dated chip. Fakes often have a single blob-top chip or a modern-looking board.
- Pokémon carts: check the labels closely and test the save. Fake carts often lose saves or freeze.
- Discs: check the colour of the data side, the print quality, and the manual and inserts. Burned discs are usually obvious on closer inspection.
- Price too good: a "rare" game at a fraction of the sold price is a red flag.
- Ask for photos of the board, the label and the back of the box, and buy with buyer protection.
- Battery saves: many older cartridges use a small battery to keep your saves. If saves don't stick, the battery may need replacing, which is a soldering job. Take it to a repair shop if you're not confident.
- Cleaning: use isopropyl alcohol on a cotton bud on the contacts. Never use metal polish on labels, and don't soak them.