One stormy night inside of a dark seaside tavern packed to the gills with pirates..

"Saaaaaailll hooooooooo!" , I's be yellin' to them devils --

The salty man stops his tale in mid-sentence, sensing someone behind his alarmful, weathered body. The other drunks remain still around him laying wasted in scattered puddles of spilled alcohol on splintered wooden tables.

He slowly, but confidently, rotates the gruesomely scarred head of his forty-five degrees to stare eye to eye at you; a budding seasman with the cleanest face in the joint.

You look around for a chair, spot one, push the passed out sailor off of it and onto the ground, then inquire the pirate for adventure.

Be out searching fer high sea adventures, aye? Ahh me lad/lass, ye must ready fer a real treasure. Avast! Pirates! (NES) be the wildest, most engrossin' ride in yer brief privateer life! Capt. guarantees it, matey!

Before ye cast off zee lines, ye need to get down the basics in that there hollow head of yer's. S'handsomely raise the Jolly Roger sail, and me rum supplier.. eee, me assistant, here show ye how it be done now. What is it ye waiting for? OR IS IT A VISIT TO DAVY JONES' LOCKER YE BE DESIRING?

Ahoy! You'll have to excuse the Captain's sharp tongue, he's really one of the nicest ol' salts in the whole Caribbean as long as you have a keg of grog around.

After starting the game, you'll be asked if you wish to specify a historical period. Here's a quick low down on the time lines featured in Pirates! straight from the game's instructions:

The Silver Empire (1560) - Spain controls all but one colony. The pickings are ripe for a fealess adventurer, but very difficult for an apprentice. The Spanish are strong and wealthy, and protective of their treasure.

Merchants & Smugglers (1600) - Like the Silver Empire, this era is dominated by the wealthy Spanish. However, they are a little weaker, but still a big challenge for the apprentice pirate.

The New Colonists (1620) - The Spanish hold on the Caribbean is weakening, and enemies of Spain are establishing more colonies. This is still a tough time for apprentice and journeyman pirates.

War for Profit (164) - A great era for the independent buccaneer. Spanish military and economy are at the lowest point yet. This is an enjoyable era for any pirate looking to become wealthy.

The Buccaneer Heroes (1660) - Default setting if you choose 'No'; The peak of swashbuckling adventure in the Caribbean, and the best era for apprentice pirates. Spanish wealth is returning, but their military is still a joke. There are many European colonies and ports, and the taverns are full of experienced men looking for a Captain to lead them to fame and fortune.

Pirates' Sunset (1680) - The last days of pirated adventuring in the Caribbean. European governments are taking the events in the region seriously, and Navy warships patrol the seas. Enjoy the time while you can, because the age of adventuring is coming to a close. It's a tough time for apprentice pirates, but interesting and challenging for all others.

Picking an era will determine current events in news, ships, and available towns.

If this is your first time playing, choose not picking a specific era on your own and go with the default, The Buccaneer Heroes (1660). It's the least challenging of them all.

The next screen asks what nationality your character will have. The manual suggests for newcomers to start out as English, as they supported privateering (legal pirating) in the 16th century.

The French and Dutch governments aren't as supportive of the "art", but they're not completely against it either.

Spanish renegade is by leaps and bounds the hardest nationality to start out as. The government is completely against pirating, and both of the other 2 nationalities usually are againist the poor Spainards.

The following couple of screens are self-explanatory. Make sure your last name coincides with the certain nationality you picked (i.e. Mr. Martin, the French buccaneer). Also, choose 'Apprentice' for easier battles, more loot, etc.

This is the final crucial point that affects game play. You are faced with 1 chance to excel in a certain aspect. I'll consult the manual again to explain the official meanings of each:

Skill at Fencing gives you quicker reflexes

Skill at Navigation allows you to sail faster and easier

Skill Gunnery aids you in naval battles, improving the accuracy of your broadside shooting

Wit and Charm is useful when dealing with governors and other nobles

Skill at Medicine helps you preserve your health and extend the length of your career

Now, the pros and cons of each ability:

Skill at Fencing: Fencing is a crucial point to this succeeding. If one of your crew threatens mutiny, you must fence him. Two of the most important side-quests of Pirates! requires 4 separate fencing battles be won to win pieces of maps to uncover and claim buried treasure. However, fencing is not too hard. There really isn't any need to have "quicker reflexes" because they're usually already quick enough. Fencing is an important element to this game, just not one that should require wasting ability on.

Skill at Navigation: Just as fencing is essential, sailing around the wide sea to different towns and treasure spots is equally crucial. But going at a faster speed while travelling is NOT.

Skill Gunnery: Just as the last two abilities, gunning down enemies in ships, forts, and on foot is the only way to earn a reputation of infamy and fortune. Naval battles take certain precision and care when firing off cannons to hit ships. Apprentices may need some tries to finally get the hang of lining up targets and firing, but after practice, getting spot-on hits can be just as easy as walking off a plank. I suggest you don't waste your one ability on this.

Wit and Charm: I consider this ability to be a far cry from the earlier game play advancements - it is actually pretty useful. Talking with Governors of towns is a major, major part of building up your rep, land, and riches. Not to mention sweet talking, then marrying, a fine woman. Having some charm to your pirate self can take you far and improve your overall score at the end. Highly reccommened choice.

Skill at Medicine: All pirates, from the toughest to the littlest, are proned to scurvy and other types of sea sicknesses. Choosing this ability will make your own person nearly wound-free for a very long time. If I had to pick a 2nd choice, only to wit and charm, this is it.

Set out! The next few screens tell of your pirate's initial story.

Don't get freaked and angry at me all of a sudden for not picking fencing as your ability. This fight is nothing!

These 2-D fighting stages allow you to only move forward and back along the setting, and while slashing you can move the directional stick up or down to deliver blows to the opponent's head and limbs.

Always make sure to peer down at your morale level before beginning a fight. This is essentially a measure of your character's "health", which determines whethere you should go all out and fence like crazy or fight more cautiously.

Once the other fencer's morale drops low enough, he'll fall to the ground in surrender.

Blimey! Ye did not bad. There could still be some use of yer puny bones after all, bucko. At least 'till I don't need ye's service anymore.

Me stop the bilge talkin'! Zee basiks be good! But zee more difficult challenges await...

The Capt. ain't totally off course, friend. There are many other features that haven't been explained yet! Pirates! isn't called the most advanced and strategy-driven experience on the 8-bit seas just for the hay of it, you know? Travel on over to the Captain's logs next to see how the master himself gets things done! Those ancient entries will surely cover all of the important parts and make sure you learn how to become as famous as even Blackbeard!