Tom’s Top 10 Pirate Games

Yarrgh! Tom Vasel be list’n his Top 10 Pirate themed games!

00:00 – Introduction
01:07 – Honorable Mention
01:42 – #10
02:23 – #9
02:49 – #8
03:18 – #7
03:53 – #6
04:24 – #5
05:01 – #4
05:38 – #3
06:19 – #2
06:58 – #1

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84 Comments

  1. This is getting old, but yes, I am also surprised that Black Fleet didn't make the list. I thought it would have made Top 5 at the very least.

  2. I might not be very accessible, but a Kickstarter game called Privateer was finally shipped out to backers last December (after being in limbo for nearly 3 years). It would be a fairly mainstreamed version of Merchants & Marauders, as you can focus on trading goods in ports for gold, or attacking player's or NPC's (possibly sea monsters) on the open seas. Tom did review the prototype version of this for the kickstarter page, and did honestly seem positive towards it.

  3. Have you checked Skull Tales? You should try it.

  4. Have you heard of or checked out Pirates of the 7 seas? Its light but I have had some very fun experiences with it

  5. I absolutely call Black Fleet "Merchants and Marauders lite"

  6. Wow – lots of love in the comments for the notoriously absent "Black Fleet". I was worried when it didn't appear on Tom's list (because I bought it for my wife and kids for Christmas, but still haven't played it yet), but the volume of comments in support of it gives me comfort.

  7. Really didn't know Tom even liked world of yoho. I was shocked Jamaca was so low

  8. No mention at all of Black Fleet? Also, Tom probably hasn't played Jolly & Roger.
     (I made a list of about 14 games I thought might be on this list, and 8 of them were – I never realized Port Royal was about pirates, and forgot about Pirate's Cove. None of Tom's mentions other than Smash Up were on my list.)

  9. I like Winds of Plunder! But to be fair, I haven't played all the ones on the list.

  10. Actually one that I think it's pretty good is Rattle, Battle, Grab the Loot; which while being easy enough to allow new players aboard in little time, has a quite deep dice manipolation mechanic dependent on the choices of players.

  11. Dark Seas from AEG gets no love. It's heavily pirate themed. I have seen Black Fleet at FLGSes and was hoping to see it make the list. Lot's of love for Black Fleet in the comments.

  12. Where's Black Fleet? Tom's review was super enthusiastic

  13. I intend to get World of Yo Ho and may consider Rum and Bones in the future. The turn downtime kills my interest in Merchants and Marauders. Here's the list of what I have now, ranked:

    4) Port Royal
    3) Dead Men Tell No Tales
    2) Jamaica
    1) Black Fleet

    It's a darned shame Black Fleet didn't make your top ten… I have yet to introduce it to anyone who didn't have fun with it.

  14. Despite Ensignia Games taking their sweet time with delivering their Kickstarter game, Privateer is a brilliant game to play and definitely needs more air time, so more people can get it!

  15. I'd pick Jamaica over Pirate's Cove (& Black Fleet as well). Although I traded away my copy (I favor Cyclades by the same designer), the artwork is great though (for both games).

  16. Also very surprised Black Fleet wasn't in there. It's a solid, simple, family gateway game with great art and components and covers trade and piracy

  17. Here here on Pirate's Cove! Played it a long time ago and loved it. Bought my own copy while I still could.

    Black Fleet is good too.

  18. I'm assuming you just forgot black Fleet here you didn't even mention it so I would hope that would be in your top 10

  19. Dead Man's Draw is a fun press your luck pirate game. Quick, easy to pick up, and easy to play.

  20. I've only played two pirate themed games. Libertalia, which wasn't bad once I finally understood it, and Pirate Den. Pirate Den was something I picked up on a whim from my FLGS and have never regretted it. It's been a major favorite at my game night and is always well received when I bring it to other functions. For those who don't know, it plays up to five people who play as pirates trying to acquire and bury treasure by either plundering merchant vessels or stealing from other pirates. This is accomplished by each player picking a card and then playing it at the same time, so bluffing and table talk are hugely important to the game as well. It's simple and fast, but gets more fun with more players and with more plays and also has beautiful components.

  21. please put your lists in the description of the video

  22. Francis Drake atacked and pillaged my hometown in the 17th century, therefore, I find this extremely ofensive, not!

  23. World of Yo-Ho is so fun! Need 4 people though, otherwise the map feels empty.

  24. Dead Man's Doubloons looks like it will be good. Blackbeard is a solid Avalon Hill non-board game.

  25. Pirates are indeed extremely popular but this list is terrible. Vasel didn't even mention Pink Monkey's GOLD UP, a hidden gem and the best pirate game ever. GOLD UP is extremely simple, frantic, suspenseful and plays up to 10 players.

  26. So in summary… still waiting of the perfect pirate game… a hybrid euro-ameritrash…

  27. I wonder how Dead Man's Dobloons would fit in the list

  28. Tom you need to check out Skull tales: Full Sail on Kickstarter now. It looks like a GREAT pirate miniature game.

  29. I would really like to see a review of Pirate Republic

  30. Yeah, Tom just solidified he is insane by putting M&M at the bottom. I agree about the length of game and downtime but it’s the one game that truly invokes the feeling of piracy.

    Yeah Tom, your nuts!

  31. I don’t want any board game that needs an app. Call me old fashioned, but no.

  32. Another one that went thru Kickstarter that I feel you may have like was Skull Tales: Full Sail.

  33. SeaFall and Skull Tales: Full Sail! – the best Legacy/story game and the best dungeon crawl (with a 'zoomed-out' sailing phase and 'zoomed-in' exploration phase!)

  34. I ordered Weapons and Warriors on ebay a couple of years ago to play with my son and when I opened the box and lo and behold there was every set in it, both the red and blue castle sets and the pirate one. I was as giddy then seeing that surprise as I was as a kid begging my mom for it after I saw the commercial on TV hahaha.

  35. I backed "shiver me timbers" on kickstarter and it looks like the best pirate Game for me. Looks so great

  36. I heard the expansion really fixes Merchants and Marauders? I can buy the base game second hand in my country atm and Im kinda on the fence…

  37. PIRATES CSG. My absolute favorite pirate game, many people dont remember it, it's been out of print for years.

  38. What do you think of Dread Pirate Buccaneers Revenge game?

  39. Cutthroat Cavers? Not quite a Pirate game maybe? Yeah

  40. Dread pirate never gets love, is SO solid.. treasure island with the kids is a blast.. gotta check out Jamaica!

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