Who made Sid Meier’s Pirates!?

Sid Meier’s Pirates! was published by MicroProse Software, released in 1984.

What kind of game is Sid Meier’s Pirates!?

Sid Meier’s Pirates! is a action, strategy game for the NES / Famicom.

Can two people play Sid Meier’s Pirates!?

No. Sid Meier’s Pirates! is a single-player game, so it has no two-player mode.

How much data does Sid Meier’s Pirates! load?

The Sid Meier’s Pirates! ROM is 134 kB. It is fetched once when you press play and then cached by your browser, so returning to the game does not download it again.

Which emulators can run Sid Meier’s Pirates!?

Sid Meier’s Pirates! runs on NES / Famicom and Nestopia UE (Accurate). You can switch between them from the emulator list further down this page if one performs better on your device.

Sid Meier’s Pirates! Game (1984) - NES

Name: Sid Meier’s Pirates!
Availability: InStock
Author: MicroProse Software

Action / Button	Keyboard Key
D-Pad (Up / Down / Left / Right)	`Arrow Keys`
Button A	`Z` or `J`
Button B	`X` or `K`
Button X / Turbo A	`A` or `U`
Button Y / Turbo B	`S` or `I`
Select	`Shift`
Start	`Enter`

Gamepad Input	Retro Function	Keyboard Key
D-Pad / Analog	Character Movement / Steering	`▲` `▼` `◄` `►`
Button A (East)	Primary Action / Attack / Fire	`Z` / `K`
Button B (South)	Secondary / Jump / Cancel	`X` / `J`
Button X / Y	Special / Turbo / Extra Fire	`A` / `S`
Select	Insert Coin / Select Option	`Right Shift`
Start	Game Start / Pause Game	`Enter`

Gamepad Input

Retro Function

Keyboard Key

D-Pad / Analog

Character Movement / Steering

▲ ▼ ◄ ►

Button A (East)

Primary Action / Attack / Fire

Z / K

Button B (South)

Secondary / Jump / Cancel

X / J

Button X / Y

Special / Turbo / Extra Fire

A / S

Select

Insert Coin / Select Option

Right Shift

Start

Game Start / Pause Game

Enter

Emulator Core Engine	Technology	Multiplayer	Gamepad	Touch	Ads	Action / Switch
EmulatorJS (Default WebAssembly)	`WebAssembly / JS`	YES	YES	YES	NO	▶ ACTIVE
NES / Famicom (Recommended)	`WebAssembly / Libretro`	YES	YES	YES	NO	PLAY ⚡
Nestopia UE (Accurate)	`WebAssembly / Libretro`	YES	YES	YES	NO	PLAY ⚡

Emulator Core Engine

Technology

Multiplayer

Gamepad

Touch

Ads

Action / Switch

EmulatorJS (Default WebAssembly)

WebAssembly / JS

YES

▶ ACTIVE

NES / Famicom (Recommended)

WebAssembly / Libretro

YES

PLAY ⚡

Nestopia UE (Accurate)

WebAssembly / Libretro

YES

PLAY ⚡

Sid Meier’s Pirates! is a landmark action-strategy game developed by MicroProse Software. Released for the NES in 1984, it pioneered the open-world format by dropping you into the Caribbean with a ship and total freedom. You can build a fleet to raid Spanish galleons, trade goods between colonial ports, hunt for buried treasure, or seek revenge against the villainous Marquis de la Montalban.

How to play

You spend your time navigating the overworld map to discover ports and intercept ships. Naval combat is real-time, requiring you to carefully position your ship for cannon broadsides before choosing to sink the enemy or board them. Boarding initiates a fencing minigame where you must outmaneuver the enemy captain.

Use the D-pad (mapped to arrow keys) to steer your ship on the map, aim cannons in combat, and control your footwork during sword fights. The A and B buttons (X and Z on your keyboard) are used for firing cannons, executing sword attacks, and confirming menu selections.

Tips

Keep a close eye on your crew’s morale. If you sail for too long without stopping at a friendly port to divide the plunder, they will become unhappy and eventually mutiny.
Bigger isn’t always better. Smaller ships like the Sloop or Pinnace turn much faster in combat, making it easier to dodge enemy fire and maneuver into position to board larger galleons.