Sid Meier's Pirates - Sony PSP

by 2K

• Up to 4 players can play simultaneously using the Wi-Fi capabilities of the PSP, each with their own dedicated screen
• All new treasure hunting not seen in any previous version. There are more than 20 unique locations that the player will have to navigate around to collect pirate treasure, find lost relatives, and Incan cities
• Full use of widescreen display
• There are minimal load times and breaks of play when switching game modes. The player will be able to navigate between the 3 major game modes - sailing, ship to ship battles and entering a port - with only minor transition times
• Using a 3D tile-based environment, players move one square at a time around a large grid of buildings to hide for cover and fight with guards in the town

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000LPJR4O
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches ; 4 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: June 28, 2010
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,600 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Sid Meier debuts on the PSP with his award-winning adventure/strategy game, Sid Meier's Pirates! Take on the role of a Pirate Captain to amass fortune and fame and seize your rightful place as one of the most revered and feared pirates in history. There is a whole cast of interesting and dangerous characters to meet, mysteries to solve, exotic island destinations to discover, and powerful alliances to forge. Duel, battle (on land and sea), dance, sneak, and hunt your way to unimaginable riches! Each time you play you create a new and exciting adventure, so the replayability is limitless!
Players test their skills as a sea captain exploring the high seas and dueling in land and sea battles in a richly detailed 3D world. Additional features for the PSP system include wireless Ad-Hoc multiplayer for up to four players, widescreen graphics, new treasure hunts and more. Engage in fierce naval battles, against both single vessels and multi-ship convoys. Harrowing action sequences on ship decks include swinging from yard arms, slashing down sails, and clobbering enemy crew as players make their way to the enemy captain

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars History, action, strategy, and fun. January 26, 2007

By Jon Folkers

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

A beautiful update to a classic, highly playable game. This game is based on one of the first "sandbox" games in which you determine the pace, direction, and goals of the game. You start out motivated by revenge: what did the robber baron do with your family? Soon, you get a ship of your own and can sail the Caribbean at your leisure. The only things that constrain you are the rules of the sea: don't run out of food, don't run aground, don't mistreat your crew or they will mutiny, and don't pick on other vessels that are bigger than you.

You can outfit your ship with different cannons/sails/powder/bunks/armor, any of which affect your ability to do battle. Your character can ally himself (sorry ladies, no "Monkey Island"-style gender equality in a Sid Meier game) with different factions (English/Spanish/Dutch/French, all loosely based in history), and go dancing with governor's daughters in order to win their favor ... and if you're lucky, they'll also give you land, gold, influence, or useful gifts like the +10 Fencing Ability Puffy Shirt (I am not making this up)!

Did I mention the swordfights? They're straight out of Hollywood, full of chivalry and derring-do. You don't need to be a fighting game expert to win a battle; the action sequences are only a small part of the overall experience.

As you move through the game, you'll meet different characters along the way who will give you tips on how to avenge your family, get rich and famous, or dig up buried treasure. Each encounter suggests something else to do, and the whole game is nicely randomized and dynamic enough that it feels like a living, breathing world rather than the collection of code and mini-games that it really is.

Kids will learn some history and Caribbean geography from the experience. Codgers who played the original will enjoy the lush graphical and sound updates. Everyone else should have a good time. Everything is done with a light touch, without gore or brutal violence. There's not too much reliance on heavy-duty strategy, role-playing, or twitch skills, so it's the kind of game that almost anyone can get into. The only problem I've seen thus far is putting down this habit-forming game, because there's always something new to find and do.

Highly recommended. (The game is also available on Windows and XBOX. Personally, I prefer the optimized controls of the little portable version.) Read more ›

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Arrrrr!; even better than the original January 28, 2007

By Paul Stuart VINE VOICE

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

I confess; the original version of Sid Meier's Pirates! ranks as my favorite PC game of all time. A very deep, instantly playable game engine powered by a seemingly endless array of adventure paths made the original an ingeniusly addictive (and semi-historically accurate, to boot) pasttime.

Thus, I waited with baited breath for the PSP version, only to let out seafaring cries of joy when playing this oustanding sequel. The same aspects of the PC original are alive and well...only bigger and better. Equally as playable, now chock full of outstanding graphics, clever new features and a terrific soundtrack that is truly toe-tapping. The clever programming across the board shines on Pirates! for PSP; this a polished title that is a must-have for fans of the original or RTS/adventure offerings.

For Pirates! newbies, one of the strongest suits of its namesake predecessors was the ease in picking up the title + playing it right out of the box. The game's depth and features become obvious after hours of addictive adventuring.

Only after you've allied with the Dutch for better access to ports...parlayed status with the Spanish to find buried treasure...recruited crew from Pirate towns...escorted boats from Missionary settlements...then sank your first three English merchantships to keep the crew happy...do you realize you've been consciously making all these decisions all the while, yet they seem both second-hand in nature plus non-complicated to manage. This is -- and was -- the beauty of Sid Meier's Pirates!; just don't blame him if you miss your flight due to a driving obsession to capture the notorious John Morgan before takeoff.

Happy seafaring.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The smile hasn't left my face yet! April 2, 2007

By BasinBictory

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

I was an extremely avid fan of the original "Pirates!" game on the PC almost 20 years ago, and I am very pleased that the PSP version has come out. I recently picked it up on a whim while at a local electronics store, remembering fondly the hours upon hours of enjoyment I got out of the original, and I am happy to say that this version also gets it right.

I decided to simply start playing instead of reading through the manual, and I was very pleased in that the gameplay and controls are highly intuitive and very easy to master. It's also rewarding in that you do not have to wait a long time before getting into ship battles and swordfights - you can dive right in from the get-go, a refreshing departure from other games in which you have to build up strength, weaponry, etc. before you really get into the fun part of the game.

The swordfight scenes are basically the same as the original's, albeit with much better graphics and cutscenes. I didn't care too much for the new version of land battles, which now are turn-based, because the original was played in real time and was, in my opinion, a lot simpler and flowed better. There are also a better variety of side quests you can embark upon, such as searhing for buried treasure, to plundering Inca cities, to finding lost relatives, to hunting down really bad pirates. As in the original, you get to choose from one of several strengths that you can possess, such as superior swordsmanship, to superior gunnery skill, to skill with navigation, and the like. I found, just as in the original, the most useful skill is that of "Wit and Charm." With such a skill, garnering information from various people, such as bartenders, governor's daughters, and others becomes much easier. I also really liked the dancing mini-game you play in order to win favors from the governors' daughters.

Just as in the original, it is basically a "sandbox" game in which there are no real set goals that you absolutely *have* to perform in order to advance in rank and prestige - you can completely ignore the starting premise of the game, that of avenging your scattered family against the evil Marquis de Montalban, and simply do your own thing, whether it be trading goods, to fighting under one of the four flags, to simply pirating and preying on every ship that comes your way. In this respect, this game is more open-ended and more sandbox-like than even the famed "Grand Theft Auto" series.

Even if you never played the original, this is a highly enjoyable, highly addictive game with immense replayability. I recommend it with 5 stars. Read more ›