My latest CeX retro haul: games and a controller

Last Updated on April 3, 2024

Spending under £30 to come home with hours of entertainment is what I call a CeX retro haul.

I was up at the Metrocentre in Gateshead at the weekend, and took some time while the girls were shopping to drop in on CeX with my son.

Situated opposite the relocated Game store (which I will use, but I won’t ask them for Evercade carts), this particular branch of CeX has plenty of retro gear. (It also stocks a large number of handheld PC game consoles, but no Steam Decks…)

So, what might you expect in there? Well, they have PS1 games, PS2 games, PS3 games, NES and SNES carts, and of course, SEGA carts. A bunch of controllers are also displayed for sale, along with the expected Xbox 360 consoles and OG Xbox.

What did I get in my CeX retro haul?

So, what did the very friendly CeX staff fill my tote bag with?

First of all, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, the Xbox 360 version, which my son asked for (he’s attempting to complete every game in the series). This was available at just £3.

I spent a few minutes directing one of the sales assistants to collect items through the glass. First among these was Evercade cartridge collection 23, the Renovation Collection 1. This was £18, contains 12 games, and is compatible with all Evercade systems. It’s a good collection of Japanese games and one you should definitely consider getting hold of if you own an Evercade. The price wasn’t as inflated as some Evercade carts (you’ll see some insane Evercade cartridge prices on eBay).

The third item in the CeX retro haul was a standalone THEA500 gamepad. Marketed as THEGAMEPAD, this is the black version of the device (a beige one ships with THEA500 Mini). It currently retails on Amazon for just under £20, but I bought it for just £7 in CeX!

Always test your retro hauls

I think that was a pretty successful trip to CeX, but there is always the risk that something hasn’t been accurately tested or checked. For example, I once bought Empire Earth II Gold Edition and found that half the discs were missing.

Happily, we’ve installed Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, I’ve tested the Renovation Collection 1 in my Evercade EXP, and connected THEGAMEPAD to my mini Amiga 500. Unfortunately, no one seems interested in playing Sensible Soccer against me…