Game Like a Pirate

Since it’s Talk Like a Pirate Day, I thought it’d be a good time to pull out a few pirate-themed games for the occasion! Here’s a list of a few games I’ve got to help put the “arrr” in your parrrty.

Dread Curse — I just reviewed this earlier in the week, but it’s a fantastic press-your-luck game with a bit of backstabbing. Scratch that: a lot of backstabbing. Get the most gold, but don’t end up with the curse.

Pirate Dice: Voyage on the Rolling Seas — one of my Kickstarter-funded games from last year, Pirate Dice is a rethemed version of Robo Rally Express. Roll dice, program your ship’s movement, and then let the chaos begin! You’re trying to get to the treasure before everyone else, but you never know who’s going to get in your way (or shoot you down) before you get there.

Get Bit! — as seen on TableTop, this is a funny little game about getting eaten by a shark. Plot your swimming and don’t end up closest to the shark, or you start losing limbs. The figurines with their little pop-off limbs are a really fun part of the game.

Walk the Plank! — the prequel to Get Bit!, this one explains what you’re all doing in the water to begin with. Sort of. Turns out the captain is tired of all of you, but he’s going to let you all decide which two to keep in his crew. Shorten or extend the plank, push people ahead of you or drag them with you, but try not to end up in the drink.

Pirate Fluxx — because what better way to celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day than to get bonus card draws when you talk like one? (Well, assuming that Rule card is on the table.) The silly game of ever-changing rules comes in many flavors, and Pirate Fluxx throws in some Actions, Rules, and Surprises that fit the theme.

Loot — an oldie but goodie, Loot is a quick-playing card game about taking gold from the merchant ships. But even more so, it’s a game about paying attention, because many a ship slips by without a fight when there’s a big battle going on elsewhere on the table.

Scallywags — from the makers of Loot, Scallywags is a fun little game about taking gold coins and swapping them with other players. Not quite as great as Dread Curse (in my opinion) but a bit easier for wee pirates.

Scheming & Skulking — a trick-taking game from Grandpa Beck in which the bidding is more important than winning tricks. In fact, sometimes you’ll want to make your Escape so that you don’t win the trick. A bit like Spades, but it’s every pirate for himself.

Smash Up — okay, so this isn’t technically a pirate game, but it does have pirates in it! And Ninjas! And dinosaurs with lasers! Pretty awesome, if you like that sort of thing. I guess the catch is that only one of the players will be talking like a pirate.