Who is Barry?
Barry Pemberton. 58. Kidderminster, West Midlands. He’s been doing car boot sales since 1984 — before half the sellers at Malvern were born. Knows the value of every piece of retro gaming, vintage computing, and classic toy ever made. Keeps a flask of builder’s tea in the Transit van at all times.
He’s seen everything at boots. EVERYTHING. Fake Transformers, real Sinclair ZX80s, original Kenner Boba Fett figures still on the card, Xbox 360 games being sold as antiques. Nothing surprises him.
“It’s not tat, it’s heritage.” That’s Barry. Now you’ve got him in your pocket.
📱 Retro-Oid — Point. Shoot. Know.
You’re at a car boot. There’s a game, a console, a toy, a computer — you don’t know what it’s worth. You point your phone at it. Retro-Oid tells you what it is, what it’s worth, and whether you can still play it today.
Free. No login. Works on anything from a 1977 Star Wars figure to an Xbox 360 game. If Barry needs a better look, he’ll tell you exactly what photo would help — and give you his best verdict anyway.
Three things Retro-Oid tells you every time:
🟢
Plays today
Works on modern hardware you likely already own. Xbox 360 games mostly play on Xbox One and Series X. Wii games play on Wii U. DS games on 3DS. Buy it.
🟡
Another way
Playable, but you need a specific older console or hardware revision. GBA games on a DS Lite. Some PS1 discs on a fat PS3. Worth buying — just know what you’re getting into.
🔴
Needs original kit
No official modern play path. PS3 needs a PS3. Mega Drive cart needs a Mega Drive. Still worth collecting — just go in with open eyes.
Barry’s Boot Sale Rules
- 📦Find the box. A game with its original box is worth three times the game alone. Dig under the table — that’s where the boxes live.
- 🕹️Xbox 360 games are everywhere right now and mostly overlooked. Most play on modern Xbox via backward compatibility. Green light more often than not.
- 💛A yellowed Spectrum or C64 is fine. It’s 40 years old — yellow means it was loved. Don’t let anyone tell you discolouration is a dealbreaker.
- 🔌If they say “untested” — always ask why. Sometimes it means “works fine, I just don’t have the cables.” Ask before you walk away.
- 🧹Dirty cartridge contacts aren’t dead cartridges. An eraser and five minutes is all it takes. Most carts written off as broken just need a clean.
- 🎲Don’t lowball. This is someone’s childhood you’re handling. Fair price — everyone goes home happy, and you get invited back next week.
- 👜The best stuff is in bin bags under the trestle table. Not on display. Always ask what’s not out yet. That’s where the gold is.
Try it right now
Free. No account. Works on the phone you’re holding.
Point it at anything vintage and Barry’ll tell you what you’ve got.
RETRO-OID expert mode also available — full encyclopaedic identification, market values in GBP, and backward compatibility for every platform ever made.
🕹️ Ask Barry