1980s
Pirates!
1987 · Strategy / Action · Commodore 64 / Multiple
Overview
Pirates! is a classic 1980s strategy / action game developed by Sid Meier for Commodore 64 / Multiple.
Deep Dive
Pirates! is a classic 1980s strategy / action game developed by Sid Meier for Commodore 64 / Multiple.
Developer Story
Pirates! was designed by Sid Meier at MicroProse in 1987. The game combined naval combat, sword fighting, trading, exploration, and romance into an open-ended Caribbean adventure. Players chose a historical era, nationality, and difficulty level before sailing into a world that responded dynamically to their actions. Meier later described Pirates! as the game that established his design philosophy: "a series of interesting decisions."
Did You Know?
- Pirates! combined five or six distinct game types into one seamless experience — naval combat, sword fighting, dancing, land battles, and trading — in 1987.
- Sid Meier's "a game is a series of interesting decisions" design philosophy crystallised during Pirates! development.
- The historical accuracy extended to real Caribbean ports, real pirate characters, and events tied to actual 17th-century history.
- Players could marry the governor's daughter, pursue wealth, or seek revenge — different motivations produced different gameplay styles.
- Pirates! was remade in 2004 and is still considered one of the best remakes in gaming history, demonstrating how timeless the original's design was.