Products
We have a wide variety of products and platforms. Check out the most common questions below.
What do you sell?
We aim to stock games, consoles and accessories for all
the major consoles (current and previous generations), retro platforms and handhelds.
We also sell older PC games which are not locked to a single use activation.
Most of our games are used/pre-owned but we also sell some new factory sealed games.
Check out the platforms we sell here,
and the platforms we buy here.
What do you do to it?
- We grade all used discs based on a visual inspection and the "fingernail test" (you need at least one long fingernail to
work here!)
- Discs with visible data damage, cracks, indentations, warping or other damage are discarded
- The other discs which either fail the test or look scruffy based on the visual inspection are then tested for gameplay
- Most discs are then processed in our machines to remove scratches for both cosmetic and reliability reasons
- The machines remove heavy marks and scratches on game discs - literally every mark we can see!
- Those discs which failed the 1st inspection are tested again.
- The discs are then quality checked in a different department to double check that we haven't missed anything.
- All carts have the contacts thoroughly cleaned
- They are then given a boot up test on a console to check that they load to the game screen
- Carts which fail to load are cleaned and tested again and then discarded if necessary
- The carts which are fit for sale are bagged up in airtight bags and popped back in their box
- We fire up consoles with several games and thoroughly test them (tough job!)
- Consoles with slow or faulty lasers, worn out cart contacts, etc are repaired or used for spare parts
- Dusty consoles are opened up and blown through with compressed air
- Cables are inspected for tears or breaks
- Plugs and fuses are inspected to ensure that they are suitable for the console
- We test all handsets with a game which makes use of all the buttons e.g. for Playstation it's Ape Escape
- Handsets with faulty buttons are stripped down and repaired
- Faulty handsets are used for spare parts
- All cases are cleaned, shop stickers are removed and we replace cracked cases
- All the games on the website have the correct manual and inlays
- Otherwise, we highlight missing manuals or inlays in the item description
- You can be confident that the picture you see is the game you get
Can I get a picture?
Nearly all items on the site have at least one photo of the actual item. The project was completed in August 2014 with
pictures of all newly listed items on the website. If there is no picture available, it's likely that we have decided that the item does not need a photo e.g. Wii balance board or new accessory which does not differ from the stock photo.
Since December 2018, 99% of all stock on the site has had individual pictures taken.
Because every item is individually described, if there is no mention of a registration card, demo disc, map, bonus disc,
or other promotional materials, there will not be one in the case. If you still have doubts concerning the condition of the item after reading the description and reviewing the photos,
we cannot help any further unfortunately - we are confident in our grading and do not have the resource for picking individual items for additional photos on request.
What condition is it in?
We sell used games in condition ranging from new to acceptable condition. Each item for sale will have been graded
into one of the following categories, with further clarification in the item description if necessary:
This means that the game is new, unopened and still in the factory seal if applicable. We re-shrinkwrap used games but
would never pass these off as brand new games.
The game has very little (if any) sign of use. If it is a disc game, there will be no scratches. A cartridge game
will have unused contacts and a mint cart sticker. The manual will have very little (if any) sign of handling, no blemishes, tears, rips. The case
will not be cracked or marked. Cases with plastic outer sleeves (e.g. PS3, XBox) always have a small amount of "shelf rub".
This is a bolt on category to indicate that the game is in collectible condition. It means that the game is complete (unless noted in the
description) and it comes in its genuine original case with Hologram if applicable. It may also mean that it is of special interest to
collectors. If it has registration cards, bonus materials etc, that will be mentioned in the item description.
This is our default condition for games where they are complete with case and manual but they are not "Like New" and have no
noticeable faults. The manual will not be too well thumbed and will not have significant tears or rips or staining. The inlays, case and disc/cart
are in very good condition unless their condition is specifically commented on in the item description e.g. Front inlay creased. It is
possible that a game with components that are "like new" or "good" may be classed as "very good" overall when considering the factors
together. We may abbreviate "Very Good Condition" to vgc in the item description e.g. case vgc.
Not quite very good but has mild issues which if worse would be classed as fair. If you cannot live with a manual which has a light stain,
a discrete letter "p" on the cover, or has neat writing in the notes section, stick to "very good" or above.
The game will be in full working order and complete with parts that would normally come with the game e.g. manual,
inlay, case. However, there will be obvious signs of wear and tear for example:
- Manual is well thumbed, heavily creased, mildly stained (tea mug coaster),
or has mild discolouring on some of the pages due to slightly rusty staples
- Inlay has creasing or mild mottling from exposure to moisture
- Disc has significant scratches to the upper face (picture side) which do not affect play but are not nice cosmetically
- Card case has significant edge wear
This is not intended to be an exhaustive list and the item description usually contains further information.
This category will be highlighted in red on the listing and should be easily noticeable when you view the offers for a product.
The game will be in full working order but there will be either a part missing that would normally come with the game e.g. manual,
inlay missing or the manual is damaged, heavily thumbed, stained etc. The item description usually contains further information. All our "disc
only" games fall into this category.
Everything we sell on our website is in full working order, including fair and acceptable items, unless otherwise stated in the item description.
Do you sell promos, ex-rentals or demos?
Yes we sell promos. Promos are promotional copies of the games that were originally intended for the gaming media to review new releases.
They are full versions of the game and don’t require any special equipment to play. They usually come on their own with
little or no marketing materials or instructions. They are marked as ‘not for resale’ and do not have a barcode.
Yes we sell ex-rentals. These are similar to promos in that they are full games and may come in a plastic case with a brief instruction sheet.
We do not sell demos individually.
Do you sell copied/counterfeit games?
No. We only sell official games.
Retro-Games staff are trained to spot fake games. We have a range of pointers for identifying fake Gameboy Advance and DS games,
Megadrive carts, reproduction cases, sleeves etc and ensure that none are listed for sale.
How do the game discs look after removing scratches?
Our machines polish out scratches (at the micron level) in the plastic on the playing side (underside) of game discs in a process
that could be likened to T-Cutting a classic car. In general, we use the machines to remove scratches from the discs so that
we don't send out scratched discs for cosmetic as well as reliability reasons.
The finish on Dreamcast, GameCube, PS2, Saturn,
XBox and XBox360 games is virtually like new meaning that the the playing side looks new from nearly every angle
in different lights (a small area near the centre of the disc cannot be polished but the game data is not stored on that part of the disc).
On PS1, MegaCD, 3DO (and blue-backed PS2) games you can see that it has been polished but it looks better than a lightly marked disc.
For that reason, we don't list PS1 etc games as "like new" unless the disc is totally unused.
PS3, PS4, XBox One and Wii U games and Blu-Ray films have a very thin plastic layer between the playing side (underneath) and the data layer. This is dictated by the
Blu-Ray technology as Blu-Ray has a short wavelength compared to DVD. Because the layer of plastic is so thin (5 times thinner
than a DVD underneath) it has been hard-coated to resist all but the most brutal of scratches. We cannot repair scratched games for these platforms
to the level of quality expected by our customers. So if we do sell these games or Blu-Rays, the condition of the disc will be in the item description.
From a collector's point of view, we believe that our discs are preferable to even a lightly marked disc
in the same way that clean and restored statues and works of art are preferable to dirty, faded or damaged ones.
How do I handle a disc?
If a game disc becomes dirty or scratched, the console might not play it. To prevent a disc from being scratched, always remove the disc from the
console before moving the console and store it in its game case.
Do not move the console during game play, while watching a DVD, or when a disc is spinning. Use only an approved CD marker to label game discs.
Do not use tape or stickers.
Splintering in the centre of the disc occurs due to incorrect handling when removing the disc from the case. This
increases with repeated bad handling e.g. not pressing the button in the middle or forcing the disc off the button.
Significant splintering occurs when pieces of the disc have broken off and may cause damage if used in your console.
Minor cosmetic marks under 3mm in the centre of the disc are very common and due to normal wear and tear.
These marks should not be a concern and will not get worse unless the disc is badly handled.
Small barely visible cracks or nicks under 3mm are classed as cosmetic imperfections and these would not change a disc graded "very good" (vgc).
They would change a "like new" grade to vgc if spotted. Slightly larger cracks would be repaired with a
reinforced sticker specifically designed for this purpose and the disc would be regraded "good" or "fair" depending on the size of the crack.
Do you offer a repair service?
Although we repair consoles and accessories as part of our day to day business, it is not a separate part of the business
and the service is not offered to the public. If you search the web, online console repair services start at around £40-£50.
If you have a local independent games shop, they might be able to help. We do buy faulty consoles and if you price the aerial,
handset and power separately it can add up to a reasonable amount with free courier over £77. Check out
our selling cart to see for yourself.
We process hundreds of thousands of discs through our disc machines but we find that most discs are not particularly scruffy and
only require one process. We try to avoid heavily marked discs as they require testing and intense processing though our machines;
that is why we don't offer a disc repair service.
Do I need a license to play a 2nd hand game?
The games we sell do not have an end user license agreement. In the same way that books have wording like
"This book is sold subject to the condition... it should not be resold..", certain games publishers have included wording on
the back of the case to that effect. To date, there have been no successful legal cases and the market in used games is growing steadily.
In the run up to the launch of the PS4, Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida stated:
"I think, if you buy something on a disc, that you have a kind of moral contract with the person you've bought it from that you retain some of that value and you can pass it on."
We believe that the secondhand market is in the consumers interest. It means that you get to choose the tried and tested games
after the media hype has died down. It also allows collectors to obtain rare and deleted titles (we've even sold games back to the original
developers when they couldn't find one elsewhere).
Import games - the PEGI rating system is a voluntary which we abide by as a retailer. However, we also recognise retro games which are pre-rating or rated
by older schemes (ELSPA) and games which have equivalent (ESRB) age ratings. A few years ago, Germany banned the retail sale of certain import/non USK rated titles
(however the possession of the game is not illegal). Other countries may change their laws in the future.
Chilloutgames