The Best Pirate Games: Best On The High Seas

The Golden Age of Pirates has inspired many a story, song, and film, and video games are no exception to its inspirational qualities. It was an age where piracy upon the sea was rife, and where traveling from point A to point B was a peril-filled adventure. The world was a pretty unsafe place back in the day, and to top it off, it was filled with real-world characters like Black Beard.

Needless to say, the Golden Age of Pirates has become something of an anchor for video games, competing as a strong genre among the likes of zombies, aliens, and robots.

In this list, we take a look at some of the best and most well-received (by the public, and by yours truly) pirate-themed games of all time. Please note that these games are not listed in any particular order.

#23 Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

• Developers: Obsidian Entertainment, Red Cerberus
• Publishers: Obsidian Entertainment, Versus Evil, THQ Nordic
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch

The original Pillars of Eternity game was hailed as one of the best games around at the time, so now imagine what they would do with their sequel? Oh wait, you don’t have to imagine! Because Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is out on many different systems for you to enjoy. In this equally beloved sequel you’ll command a ship and sail out across a mighty archipelago in order to chase down a rogue god.

But like with the first game, how you do things…is up to you. You have complete and utter freedom and you’ll get to use that to build up your character, go on the adventures you want, and battle how you feel best.

The Deadfire awaits you, where will you go in it?

#22 Assassin’s Creed Rogue

• Developer: Ubisof
• Publisher: Ubisoft
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows

The Assassin’s Creed franchise is easily one of the longest-running modern franchises out there, and there are more games to come. For many of the early titles, things followed a similar pattern. But then, Assassin’s Creed Rogue came around and decided to shake things up again.

You play as Shay Patrick Cormac, a man who is a part of the Assassin’s Brotherhood during the 1800s in America. You are one with your brothers…or so you thought. Because when a mission goes wrong and you are betrayed, you cast down your assassins’ robes and become a hunter of them instead. You’ll fight to get your own kind of justice and fulfill your own creed, no matter the cost.

The game blends the tried and true Assassin’s Creed gameplay with a new dark story and DLC for you to enjoy. So try it out and go down a darker path.

#21 The Pirate: Caribbean Hunt

• Developer: Home Net Games
• Publisher: Home Net Games
• Platforms: Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Classic Mac OS

The Pirate: Caribbean Hunt is a game that aims to not just give you freedom to be a pirate, but to enjoy life as a pirate during the true “Age of Piracy” in the Caribbean. As a new captain, you’ll get your own ship and travel across the waters to sail to new islands, battle foes, build up your own fleet and more The game is not only free to play, but you’ll be playing it against other players who absolutely want to get their own piece of the prize themselves. You’ll need to upgrade yourself with special skills and build up a vast fleet in order to take on all comers. With truly open naval combat you’ll have a lot to think about, but if you can be the best pirate captain…it shouldn’t be that hard for you, right?

#20 Walkabout Mini Golf VR

• Developer: Mighty Coconut
• Publisher: Mighty Coconut
• Platform: Microsoft Window

Yes, this is a little different from the games we’ve already discussed, but there is a purpose, we promise. Walkabout Mini Golf VR is a VR title that’ll put you on the course of many different golf outings. Many of which are on islands…that have pirate ships! See? Told you it would connect. The course are vast, and each 18-hole golf course will have you testing yourself in various ways in order to get the best score possible. And because it’s in VR, you’ll be the one truly put to the test here. So mind your swing.

It’s not just the course that are fun, there are other features out in the game’s world like multiplayer, and being able to do “Night Mode” to have a very different run on the course.

#19 Blazing Sails

• Developer: Get Up Games
• Publisher: Iceberg Interactive
• Platform: Microsoft Windows

If you’re looking for another title that you can have true pirate fun in and yet also show your dominance over other players, then you’ll definitely want to try out Blazing Sails. This Early Access Game on Steam puts you on a pirate ship and has you facing off against other players in various game modes, many of which are battle royale style. Only the best ship can win, so you better make sure it’s you!

You’ll be able to pick out a variety of ships, weapons and more for you to wield and enjoy. So try out what works for you, see what doesn’t, and then build your strategy as you take to the high seas in order to show who the real king of pirates is.

#18 Pirates, Vikings, and Knights II

• Developers: Octoshark Studios, Valve Corporation
• Publisher: Octoshark Studios
• Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Linux, macOS

Usually, we’d say something like, “that’s an odd title”, but in truth, there are weirder. Pirates, Vikings, and Knights II is a title that blends these three very different classes of warriors together into a 3-team battle extravaganza where only the best squad can win.

Each of the warrior races, Pirates, Vikings, and Knights, have up to 11 different classes of fighter for you to choose from, so pick the one that best suits you and then go to war!

The levels are deep and touch upon many walks of life, there are also a variety of game modes to do, and with it being 100% free…you really don’t have a lot to worry about if you don’t like it, right? So pick the warrior clan tailor made for you and have at it!

#17 Rebel Galaxy

• Developer: Double Damage Games
• Publisher: Double Damage Games
• Platform: Windows

Oh look, space pirates! Nothing could possibly go wrong there, right…? Rebel Galaxy puts you in command of a star destroyer (no relation to Star Wars, promise!), and sets you off on a journey to do…well…whatever you want.

The best part about Rebel Galaxy is that the universe is vast and you can do things however you please. Want to do things by the book? Go ahead. Want to be a pirate of “space cowboy” to see how things are on the “Dark Side’, by all means! Want to be a friend, or destroyer, of alien races, there are plenty to pick and choose from.

The better you do, the more you can do, and the bigger you can make your ship and potential fleet. Go explore the universe and see what awaits you.

#16 Risen 3: Titan Lords

• Developer: Piranha Bytes
• Publishers: THQ Nordic, Deep Silver
• Platform: Microsoft Windows

Risen 3: Titan Lords puts you in a world that is ravaged. The gods are gone, the titans of old are roaming and destroying everything they want to and even you, the main character…are lost. More specifically, your life has been ruined and now you must go out across the land and try to get back what was taken from you.

Whether you save the world or not is up to you, as long as you get what you’ve come for, right? The game not only has a vast world for you to go and enjoy, but you’ll find that there are three very distinct story paths you can choose. Add to that, you’ll find enhanced combat, all sorts of exploration, guilds and factions to interact with, and more.

#15 Furious Seas

• Developer: Future Immersive
• Publisher: Future Immersive
• Platforms: PC

If you enjoy VR then you may want to look into Furious Seas. This is a pirate game based in VR with the use of either the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. In this game, players take the role of a captain as they sail the open seas in search of loot and legacy. When you find rival ships coming in, you’ll have to command your crew to fight back or join in with manning a cannon to fire at your target. While this game features a single-player campaign, it’s worth mentioning that there is a multiplayer component as well.

However, because this game is in Early Access, the multiplayer component whether it’s as co-op or PvP is still a work in progress. With that said, we’re not sure just how long it will be before the game exits Early Access as the plan was originally to get the game out fully in 2019 according to the Early Access description supplied by the development studio, Future Immersive.

#14 One Piece Pirate Warriors 3

• Developer: Omega Force
• Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
• Platforms: PS3, PS4, PSV, PC, NS

One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 is the third game in the Koei Tecmo’s series of action games inspired by the pirate-themed anime series. You’ll experience the story of One Piece with its trademark hack & slash beat ’em up gameplay. Be sure to use a controller if you’re playing it on PC!

#13 Atlas

• Developer: Grapeshot Games, Instinct Games
• Publisher: Grapeshot Games
• Platforms: PC
• Release: December 22, 2018

Atlas is the latest MMO based on being a pirate. Players will join together in a massive world that is supposed to allow over 40,000 players to actively dwell within it. Now the game is currently in Early Access which means that we can expect certain aspects of the title to not work as intended. Overall, the game will allow players to create crews and grow a civilization all while exploring the open seas.

#12 Risen 2: Dark Waters

• Developer: Piranha Bytes, Wizarbox
• Publisher: Deep Silver
• Platforms: PC, PS3, X360

Though the original Risen was a medieval fantasy game, Risen 2 is a swashbuckling-themed game that transfer classic Caribbean pirate themes into a fantasy world where ancient gods, voodoo magic and titans coexist. As an RPG, players take control of a main character to explore the world.

#11 Assassin’s Creed Pirates

• Developer: Ubisoft
• Publisher: Ubisoft
• Platforms: Mobile

A spin-off of the Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag game, Pirates is developed for smartphones and follows the pirate Alonzo Batilia in search of the treasure of the French pirate La Buse. The game focuses on naval combat and shares some strong similarities to Black Flag in terms of combat and gameplay.

#10 Salt 2: Shores of Gold

• Developer: Lavaboots Studios
• Publisher: Lavaboots Studios
• Platform: PC

Most pirate titles focus on naval combat or trying to overcome other pirates to become the best among them. But with Salt 2: Shores of Gold, their focus is different. Instead, the game wants you to pick a direction and sail in it to your heart’s content. You’ll find islands to explore no matter what direction you go in. But each one will be different thanks to the procedurally-generated world you’re in. You’ll get the chance to explore caves, go on quests at your leisure, craft weapons, and armor, etc. This is all about your pirate adventure, so do with it what you want and become the pirate you wish to be!

#9 Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning – The Legend of Dead Kel

• Developer: 38 Studios, Big Huge Games
• Publisher: 38 Studios, Electronic Arts
• Platforms: PC, PS3, X360

The Legend of Dead Kel is an expansion pack for the ill-fated, but nevertheless great RPG Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. It adds a rather significant expansion onto the base game, providing a raft of new content in an island called Gallows End.

It’s full of undead pirates and even includes a new player housing called Gravehal Keep, featuring an estate with quest givers and perks.

#8 Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag

• Developer: Ubisoft
• Publisher: Ubisoft
• Platforms: PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U, X360, XBO

Taking place during the Golden Age of Pirates, Black Flag puts players in the role of one Edward Kenway, a buccaneer and pirate who finds himself embroiled in an ages-old conspiracy—a war between Templars and Assassins that’s raging on even to this day. Players fly the Jolly Roger upon their mast and undertake missions on both sea and land.

#7 Windward

• Developer: Tasharen Entertainment
• Publisher: Tasharen Entertainment
• Platforms: PC, Mobile

If you enjoyed Sid Meier’s Pirates but hated all of the turn-based strategy, dancing, and swordfighting aspects, then Windward is the game for you. Windward is essentially a streamlined version of Sid Meier’s Pirates designed as a cooperative multiplayer sandbox with only the fun parts: sailing your ship and blowing up other ships.

It’s a fully procedural co-op game, meaning that every time you play the game, you enter into an all new world that’s unique to that playthrough. You sail about, find resources, upgrade your ship, and conquer territory.

#6 Sid Meier’s Pirates!

• Developer: MicroProse
• Publisher: MicroProse, Ultra Games
• Platforms: Amiga, PC, NES, Genesis, DS

Sid Meier’s Pirates! is a game containing almost every aspect of pirate life. There’s real-time sea battles, turn-based land battles, dance offs, and tactical sword-fighting.

Originally developed in 1987 (sans ballroom dancing), the game was remade in 2004 with much of its features intact.

#5 Monkey Island Series

• Developer: LucasArts, Telltale Games
• Publisher: LucasArts, Disney Interactive
• Platforms: Atari, Amiga, PC, PS2, XBLA, Wii, PSN, Mobile

An adventure game series by LucasArts (and later Telltale Games, but we’ll be talking about the originals only in this one) Monkey Island puts players in the role of one Guybrush Threepwood, Mighty Pirate.

He must struggle to overcome the most notorious pirate in the Caribbean, defeat the plans of the evil undead pirate LeChuck, and win the heart of Elaine Marley, governess.

#4 Sea of Thieves

• Developer: Rare
• Publisher: Microsoft
• Platforms: XBO, PC

Sea of Thieves is an action-adventure title that is centered around pirates. Players will take to the open seas with their cooperative crew as they search for hidden treasure and taking out other pirate crews that show up along the way.

This is an MMO game where players will consistently run into each other throughout their various adventures. Combat will take place both in ships and on land as well, giving players the full pirate experience. Players will also be able to attend safe-zones where they can trade, hire on new crew or even dabble into the black market goods.

#3 Lego Pirates of the Caribbean

• Developer: Traveller’s Tales, TT Fusion
• Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
• Platforms: PC, 3DS, DS, PS3, PSP, Wii, X360

The Lego-based video game titles have always been popular for all ages. Overall, the games usually embark on a journey revolved around an established IP in such as Pirates of the Caribbean.

Within Lego Pirates of the Caribbean, players will get to follow Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew of pirates through the narrative. Spanning across the first four films, players will be battling iconic rivals from the films while collecting items and unlocking new characters.

#2 Blackwake

• Developer: Mastfire Studios Pty Ltd
• Publisher: Mastfire Studios Pty Ltd
• Platforms: PC

Blackwake is very much like Sea of Thieves though it retains more of a realism aesthetic rather than cartoonish characters. Overall, the game is a FPS where groups of players will work together to maintain a pirate ship within the open seas. However, you’ll be forced to battle against other pirate crews that lurk about which means working as a team to load the cannons, fire at your enemy, patch holes and keep your ship from sinking to the depths below.

Currently, Blackwake is still an Early Access title on the Steam platform. The title hit Early Access in 2017 though the developers behind the project are hoping to see the game officially release into the market in February of 2018.

#1 The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

• Developer: Nintendo
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Platforms: GC, Wii U

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is the tenth installment to the long running The Legend of Zelda franchise. As always, players take on the role of Link but this time, the emphasis is for players to explore the open seas as they take the fight against Ganon.

Much like the recent installments to the franchise, Wind Waker features 3D gameplay, however, the art style is drastically different in comparison to the past few installments at the time. Nintendo developed the video game to retain more of a cartoonish style with cel shading which was met with a positive reception with fans and critics alike.