New striker Paul Hayes certainly caught the eye with a goal on his debut and his general all round play up front, but his display was only half the story.
There were two missed penalties, a sending off and a flurry of bookings as these two sides put on good entertainment for a crowd of just under 10,000.
Barnsley started brightly and current player-of-the-year Chris Shuker was unlucky on two occasions when he tried to put Hayes through on goal.
A left-wing corner from Barnsley skipper Stephen McPhail then found Robbie Williams inside the Swindon box but his goal-bound drive was blocked by Jerel Ifil.
The game burst fully into life in the 10th minute when an error by home keeper Nick Colgan let in Jamie Cureton who should have done better from 12 yards but saw his shot blocked by the well positioned Antony Kay.
Seconds later Barnsley punished Swindon's inability to take their chance by getting their noses in front.
Colgan's long clearance was latched on to by Hayes, who did well to hold off the attentions of Swindon skipper Sean O'Hanlon before lifting the ball cleverly over the advancing Rhys Evans and into the net for a debut goal.
Swindon should have levelled a minute later when Cureton was put in but the little striker saw his shot well saved by the advancing Colgan.
Hayes was then just inches away from a second Barnsley goal with another audacious lob from 20 yards that narrowly cleared the crossbar.
Barnsley should have gone further in front on 23 minutes when they were awarded a penalty.
Referee Tony Leake adjudged that O'Hanlon had pulled back Hayes inside the box but home striker Daniel Nardiello saw his right-footed spot-kick brilliantly saved by Evans diving to his left.
Evans then had to make another good stop to deny Nardiello on the half hour mark and just before the break the same Barnsley striker met a terrific free-kick from McPhail and saw his glancing header clip the top of the bar on its way over.
A brilliant team goal saw Barnsley double their advantage just two minutes after the break.
Hayes this time turned provider with a volleyed cross from the right, Nardiello held the ball up before providing an exquisite pass through to Shuker and the little midfielder did the rest with a fierce finish from a tight angle.
The home side looked home and dry at that stage but in the 57th minute they were reduced to 10 men when Williams saw red for an adjudged handball on the line from Cureton's shot.
The chance had been created following a mistake by home keeper Colgan but the Irishman redeemed himself in the best possible fashion by keeping out Cureton's spot-kick.
Hayes was sacrificed as Barnsley boss Andy Ritchie sent on Nicky Wroe to stiffen the midfield and the home side saw out the remaining minutes in relative comfort to kick off their season with an important win.