It's in the fliers this weekend. $79.99 for a core Dreamcast system. Best Buy is offering some other great deals with it...VMUs and Jump Packs are $9.99 and standard DC controllers are $14.99. There's two new games this week also, World Series 2K2 (BASEBALL from Visual Concepts!) and Alien Front Online with the microphone included. NFL and NBA 2K1 are both now $19.99 and part of the Sega All-Stars line.

It's really sad for me to watch this stuff go down so fast but on the other hand, if it finally shows people how great the system and its games are, then so be it.

--Dave

I wonder how many DCs Sega has left? They could really sell a lot at Xmas with those prices. Just set up a kiosk running NFL2K1 and people will be sold.

Supposedly the DCs will hit about $50 before Christmas. I think the shortage will start around then if not before. After the next slate of games... that's it.

--- Alan

I imagine Sega will continue to support the DC with new games through all of next year. They'll probably make DC ports of most of the games they make for the other platforms.

At $79 and later $49 if you can find it you can't go wrong with a DC. I wonder if $49 DCs will be going for more on eBay at some point?

There's a very real possibility that Dreamcast will end up being very collectible. It helps that Sega has done some collectible versions of the system itself. There aren't too many of those Sega Sports black DCs out there. There's also a ton of really collectible stuff from Japan including the various wacky VMUs, controllers and even systems. Some games are also going to be especially hard to come by.

If you're contemplating buying a game that had a limited print, get it now or you're likely to pay the kind of dough people are shelling out for Panzer Dragoon Saga and Radiant Silvergun. Both these Sega Saturn games sell in excess of $100 to $150 on Ebay. Maracas controllers are probably the first item to have this issue on Dreamcast.

We'll see what happens though. I thought they'd be low enough by now to "warn" consumers to get it now or miss the boat. We'll have to wait and see when that type of announcement comes along.

On a related note, Super Monkey Ball is confirmed as a launch game for Gamecube.

--Dave

Ironically, I'm now having trouble locating some of the older DC games. Serves me right for holding off so long. Anybody have suggestions for retailers which might stock older games?

- Alan

Electronics Boutique has them sometimes depending on location. Maybe EBWorld? Amazon? EBay?

-- Xaroc

Depends what you're looking for Alan. Electronics Boutique is still a great place to look because they carry both new and used games. If you can't find it new, used is usually a fine option. Just inspect the disc before you leave the store.

You can also scour both www.gamestop.com and www.ebgames.com which list both new and used titles. Funcoland, if there's one near you, is another good choice.

For deals, watch Target's racks and Best Buy. Often they have DC games marked down as unadvertised specials. Seaman is $19.99 at Target as an example. I also picked up NBA2K1 for $20 there awhile back as well as a number of other DC titles they started to clear out.

--Dave

I love half.com. Just make sure that the seller has a good rating. I've stuck to the 5 or 4 star people and I haven't had any problems.

Rama

By the way, looks like Sega has 600,000 units or so left, at least in the retail distribution system.

--- Alan

What's so great about half.com versus ebay.com ? Just curious. I've visited half but never saw the appeal.

Is this a serious question?

Ok, um...

Half provides a middle man for people who don't want to micromanage their sales or wait for auctions to close. The seller sets their price (and can alter it at any time and the sale has no real "closing date"). The buyer simply chooses the price they want from the people selling it.

Half charges the buyer automatically, and pays the seller in 30 days (via a pay check or, I think, direct deposit). The seller feels safe that they'll get paid and then sends the product (knowing that a modest shipping fee has already been included).

It feels safer to "normal" people. More like a massive garage sale (with a middle man and some guarantees) rather than a messy auction (with a middle man but almost no guarantees).

So, I guess Half appeals more to the lazy, busy, or more paranoid shoppers. (Note: because of the fixed prices I've heard deals are generally better. You don't have to compete with those last second eBay wizards.)

-Andrew

Thanks for throwing "busy". I'm not too paranoid or lazy, just can't budget the time to mind the auction. Besides, I hate the smell of defeat... wait a minute... don't I usually smell that after my monday UT game?

Self-depreciating Rama

doh.

:)

Meant to say that in the last post...

Don't worry Rama, I was putting it in terms that "someone who doesn't see the appeal" might understand better. I'm lazy, paranoid, and busy too.

Also, when I decide I want to buy something online I generally don't want to compete or wait 5 days for it to be resolved.

In fact, I tend to just use Amazon (and not the used stuff). Often timeliness trumps price for me anyway.

-Andrew

"You don't have to compete with those last second eBay wizards."

This is a big reason for me. I buy used DC games on half.com. I hate getting sniped at the last second on eBay, and I don't want to bother playing that little game. Amazon's clearance center has some good deals on DC games, too. I picked up Ultimate Fighting Championship from there for $10.

I am watching for another Interact pass-through VGA box on eBay, though they tend to end up over $50, and that is a bit rich for my blood right now.

"I picked up Ultimate Fighting Championship from there for $10."

You can't mention that without coming clean on what this game is really all about, Supertanker. I think everybody here deserves to know.

Doesn't e-bay own half.com now? I thought they at least tried to buy them.

I found Jet Grind Radio at BestBuy for $9.99.

Amanpour

Ultimate Fighting Championship is incredible. It's the best fighting "sim" you can get on any machine. Yes, it's based on those videos and pay-per-view specials you may or may not have seen.

It's worth way more than $10. One of the best multiplayer games on the Dreamcast and one of the best fighters too.

--Dave

Yes, half.com is an e-bay company. It says so right under their "half.com" logo.