Pirates! Gold for Windows

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs

GAME DESIGNER:Paul Murphy
GAME DEVELOPER:Microprose
GAME PUBLISHER:Microprose
Copyright 1993, Firaxis

Pirates! Gold is the excellent remake of 1987?s Pirates!, Sid Meier?s classic game of swashbuckling on the high seas. Despite the pedigree of the original version, the game suffered the same fate as Railroad Tycoon Deluxe when it was initially released in 1993: the game was very buggy, and plays much slower than the EGA original. Fortunately, Microprose shortly released this Windows 3.1 version of the game, which fixed many bugs that were shipped with original DOS release, and finally made Pirates! Gold a game worthy of its predecessor?s fame?although it was too late to drum up gamers? attention again.

Anyone who has played Sid Meier?s 1987 classic will be at home with this SVGA remake. The object of the game is to retire with high social standing, having amassed a huge fortune in the process. How do you do that? The way many people tried in the 17th century: become a mighty pirate, sack towns and other ships, and search for buried treasure on faraway islands. To acquire social standing, you also must play the dangerous game of politics with four European superpowers (England, France, Holland, and Spain). Gaining their favor may require a hand of a governor’s daughter in marriage, or doing various dirty deeds such as attacking that government’s rival countries. Along the way, you will engage in mortal sword duels with other pirates, survive cannon battles in ship-to-ship combat, buy gossip in local bars, and piece together torn pieces of various treasure maps. Four countries, four skill levels, and six historical scenarios set in time periods add a great variety to the game. The random map option ensures virtually unlimited replayability.

With Sid Meier?s uncanny knack in striking a perfect play balance between strategy, action, and even adventure elements, excellent watercolor-style SVGA graphics, and virtually bug-free gameplay thanks to Windows 3.1 update, Pirates! Gold for Windows is a must-have for anyone interested in the era. And if you like this game, check out Pirates! 2, an excellent freeware remake of the original classic. Two thumbs up!