As you might have heard, Toys “R” Us is now allowing customers to offload their used console and handheld games – Atari 2600 and Game Boy cartridges included – in exchange for credit that can be used online or at brick-and-mortar locations. This isn’t a full step into the used business mind you, as the company will send the previously owned titles to a third party. Who knows what the future holds though.

Curious about the trade-in values of some of my dustier classics, I shambled to a nearby Toys “R” Us with a sack full of software and low expectations.

After relinquishing a total of six games, I received a gift card worth $12.40. A meager amount, which I had expected, but some of the individual values were a bit surprising.

The breakdown:

Dead or Alive 2 (Dreamcast): $8

NBA 2K1 (Dreamcast): $1.20

WWF Royal Rumble (Dreamcast): $2

Quake (Nintendo 64): $0.50

Street Fighter Alpha 3 (PlayStation): $0.20

Jurassic Park (Super Nintendo): $0.50

I was also offered $1 for the Dreamcast version of Crazy Taxi, but opted to keep that one. While I’m not really a big fan, it is fun in small chunks.

The Dead or Alive 2 number is a bit surprising, but the real shocker is the value of the substandard Royal Rumble, which nets substantially more scratch than either Crazy Taxi or Street Fighter Alpha 3. The latter is a tremendous game, and I probably would have kept it, if not for my severe case of fighter fatigue.

While newer titles have individual values, older games – dubbed “generic” by the company – are assigned a code based on the platform. Essentially, all N64 games fall under the same code, all original PlayStation games fall under the same code, and so on. Therefore, Star Fox 64 and ClayFighter 63 1/3 are of equal value. The retail giant does designate games as complete – case, game, booklet – or incomplete though.

If you are looking to clear some closet space, particularly of cartridge-based games, I recommend you opt for eBay. Even though you have to mess with shipping, you will probably net more cash. Plus, you will be able to spend any way you see fit, rather than having your hand forced by a gift card. If all else fails, just sell to a blind kid. Be sure to tell him/her that each game was signed by Michael Jordan.

Most gamers will probably continue to trade their PS3, PS2, Wii and 360 games at GameStop, but it would be far wiser to shop around and compare deals. To make things easier, Toys “R” Us has set up a handy Trade-In Center that lists game values. For those with unwanted Dreamcast, Xbox or GameCube discs, who, like me, don’t want to list on eBay, Toys “R” Us might not be a bad option.

By dumping six games that simply took up space, I banked enough giraffe dough to pay for an Isaac Clarke action figure. Should look pretty sweet coupled with my 7-inch Kratos, situated just below the “Most Likely to Die a Virgin” award I won in high school.

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