10 Best Pirate Games To Play in 2026: Plunder the High Seas!

Are you looking for the best pirate games you can get yer hands on? Well, you certainly found the X-marked spot by getting here, as this list will reveal nothing but the best titles that everyone should play!

Every single game you’ll see here will give you that very same feeling of autonomy by giving you free rein out in the open seas, all while also offering uniquely distinct gameplay elements that make them stand out.

If you love pirate games as much as I do, then stick around and prepare your sea legs as we embark on a voyage to uncover top-tier pirate games to play!

Our Top Picks for Pirate Games

What you’ll see below are the most outstanding pirate games our team has picked above all the other promising titles in the genre, with all five games boasting the best swashbuckling high-seas adventure you’ll ever have in your life:

1. Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag (2013) – the best single-player pirate game yet, and nothing so far even comes close. It sports the classic Assassin’s Creed formula of smooth parkour mechanics and cool combat sequences, yet breaks the mold in a good way by mixing in naval exploration, ship combat, and an awesome story set in the golden age of piracy.
2. Sid Meier’s Pirates! (2004) – a timeless classic of the pirate genre that lets you fill the shoes of a young and daring protagonist in a classic zero-to-hero story, with your choices molding him into either a privateer, pirate, or pirate hunter as you play.
3. Sea of Thieves (2018) – offers a very fun co-op pirating experience with its intense naval PVP combat. It’s currently the best multiplayer-exclusive open-world pirate game, with tons of exciting updates and events designed to keep its sizable playerbase on its toes.

Don’t agree with our list? Hold your pistols, as we have five more terrific pirate games that are guaranteed to blow you away. So sail on, scroll down, and check out the full list below!

10 Best Pirate Games to Rule the Open Seas

With how awesome the pirate games that have been released in the past several years are, the good news is that you’ll have quite a lot of titles to choose from, ranging from vast, open-world RPGs with phenomenal story and role-play potential to naval battle-focused titles that’ll test your ability to captain your ship.

Without further ado, check out these awesome games our team has picked out for you, as well as why I think they’re a must-play for pirate genre lovers (or newcomers) like you!

1. Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag [Best for Single-Player Enthusiasts]

This is the go-to title for gamers who are not only fans of fantastic Assassin’s Creed games, but also titles from the pirate genre with a good storyline and tons of side content.

This game is far and away one of the best titles ever released by Ubisoft, giving you access to classic Assassin’s Creed features such as the parkour system, stealth missions, and seamless assassination-focused combat – all topped off with intense ship battles and other seafaring mechanics that truly separate it from every other AC game ever released.

And if all that isn’t enough to make you want to play this game ASAP, keep in mind that Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag offers one of the largest open worlds on this list, making it a must-play for all aspiring captains.

My Verdict: Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag is that one game that makes you forget the main story just to chase sea battles and treasure hunts for hours. It’s freedom at its finest.

2. Sid Meier’s Pirates! [Best for Immersive Simulation Mechanics]

If you’re a fan of the pirate genre or just a veteran gamer in general, then Sid Meier’s Pirates! is most likely a title you’ve heard of at least once, and for good reason. This game, after all, is argued by many in the gaming community to be the best game in the piracy genre, despite being more than a decade older than most titles on this list.

Having completed many playthroughs of this game on my old, trusty PSP myself, Sid Meier’s Pirates! gets my vote for the number one game all new pirate genre fans should play right away, considering it has a little bit of everything for RPG lovers and simulation game enthusiasts alike. 

It also provides a stimulating experience that only the best strategy games ever could in terms of tactical gameplay elements, so you’ll definitely be eating well if you like playing as a cerebral captain who plans every move your fleet makes.

My Verdict: Sid Meier’s Pirates! doesn’t need flash to impress. Its pure gameplay brilliance that proves smart design never ages. Still the ultimate captain’s sandbox.

3. Sea of Thieves [Best for Online Play]

Sea of Thieves offers the best open-world multiplayer experience a pirate game fan could ever ask for, and so far, nothing in the market even comes close to how well they did it. I mean, the 15,000 to 30,000 peak monthly players (on Steam alone) speaks for itself.

After several years in live service, Sea of Thieves is still alive and kicking due to how free and fun its naval exploration is. In this game, you can set objectives for your fellow sailors however you like and just do random shenanigans all over the map if you want.

While this game is most definitely designed for co-op play, keep in mind that Sea of Thieves is not just an incredible co-op game. It’s also one of the greatest adventure games you can play if you love pirate games, so playing it solo shouldn’t discourage you from trying it out at all!

My Verdict: Sea of Thieves feels like a bar fight and a vacation rolled into one. It’s unpredictable, chaotic, and best enjoyed when everything goes horribly wrong with friends.

4. Return to Monkey Island [Best for Stylized Visuals and Humor]

Return to Monkey Island is an easy recommendation for gamers who prefer a more casual and humorous pirate experience. It comes packaged with a pleasing, abstract art style that’s a treat to look at, not to mention a retro-coded soundtrack that’s as catchy as it is nostalgic.

This game is filled with witty dialogue and funny moments, which, combined with its innovative puzzle design, will challenge your skills and leave you satisfied (provided you’re smart or stubborn enough to solve them, of course). It’s most definitely a strong successor to the beloved Monkey Island games that I grew up with.

This is one of the top point-and-click adventure games released in recent years too, so you definitely won’t regret getting this one if you’d love to have puzzles, mystery, and lots of self-aware comedy on your pirate game.

My Verdict: Return to Monkey Island is weird and impossible not to love. It’s proof that pirate stories can still make you laugh as much as they make you think.

5. Pillars of Eternity 2 Deadfire [Best for CRPG and Branching Storyline]

Pillars of Eternity II might not revolve around the idea of piracy exclusively (it’s a high fantasy CRPG first and foremost), but it’s still the most interactive pirate game on this list in terms of dialogue options, worldbuilding, and storyline variety. 

This title is, hands down, among the leading CRPG games ever released. With its intensive dialogue options, branching narrative, and highly reactive open world, you can practically roleplay your way through this game however you like.

Boasting a gripping narrative and a diverse cast of fleshed-out, well-written side characters (some of which you can even recruit as crew members), this is one banger you definitely shouldn’t miss.

My Verdict: Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire turns sailing into strategy and conversation into combat. Every choice hits hard, and every voyage feels personal.

6. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii [Best for Non-stop Beat ‘Em Up Action]

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii hit us Ryu Ga Gotoku fans like a wild curveball when it first got announced, but don’t let this distract you from the fact that Mr. Krabs sold Spongebob’s soul for 62 cents to Davey Jones, or that a studio that’s been making great Yakuza games for decades has given us one of the best pirate-themed ARPGs ever released.

Despite its departure from the series formula, I and many other fans see this great game as an absolute win for the Yakuza series, showing us how creatively wacky the Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio devs can get while still delivering a great product. 

With a madman like Goro Majima as the protagonist, you get exactly what you expect, which is an off-the-rails adventure filled with all sorts of rowdy pirate antics portrayed with signature Yakuza humor, topped off with high-octane ship combat that lets you shoot down enemy ships with all manner cannons, machine guns, and even rocket launchers!

My Verdict: Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii shouldn’t work, yet it totally does. It’s wild, funny, and unapologetically weird in the best “Yakuza goes pirate” way.

7. One Piece Odyssey [Best for Anime fans]

One Piece Odyssey is the game all One Piece fans have been dying to play since forever, and that includes yours truly. Off the rip, this game stands among the greatest anime games ever released and is certainly well worth the long wait.

Sporting top-notch modern graphics, original voice actors from the anime, dynamic turn-based combat, and a touching storyline that follows Luffy and his friends’ adventures, you really can’t go wrong in picking this game up as a fan of any pirate-related video game title.

One Piece, after all, is one of the most famous pirate-themed entertainment IPs in history, and for good reason. What better game to hoist up the skull and bones in as an anime fan or just a pirate game enthusiast in general than One Piece Odyssey? Nuff said.

My Verdict: One Piece Odyssey ist that anime dream; heartfelt moments, sharp combat, and all the charm you’d expect from Luffy and the crew.

8. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game [Best for Lego Adventure fans]

LEGO is no stranger to releasing top-tier titles, and Lego Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game is one of the many notable LEGO games that proves that bold claim. 

Lego Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game offers a simple, yet enjoyable gameplay filled with entertaining puzzles and graciously carried by an iconic Hans Zimmer soundtrack. Oh, and this is one of the very few movie-inspired video games where their actors actually do voicework for their characters in the game.

Yes, Johnny Depp voices Jack Sparrow in this game, amongst a few other actors in the movie who did the same! This alone should tell you how much passion went into this release, and why it’s one of the most recommended pirate video game titles online despite being a “simple” LEGO game.

My Verdict: Lego Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the top LEGO games. It’s the kind of game you play with a grin on your face and zero stress in your brain.

9. Risen 2: Dark Waters [Best Pirate RPG for Classic Adventure Fans]

Risen 2: Dark Waters is a well-done, better-optimized sequel that leans into the pirate theme more than the first game in the series, which was quite a welcome change.

Several years later, I can confidently say that Risen 2: Dark Waters isn’t way past its prime and hasn’t aged badly at all, because just like my glorious king Lebron James, this game is timeless and is still among the best of the best. Here, you get to talk to various memorable NPCs out in the open world, all while you explore all the different islands and towns scattered all over the vast open sea.

If you like a classic, gothic-esque style of RPG that has good dialogue and good open-world exploration mechanics, then this game should make you a happy captain.

My Verdict: Risen 2: Dark Waters might creak like an old ship, but that’s part of its charm. It’s the messy, moody RPG adventure that somehow still hooks you in.

10. Captain Blood [Best for Arcade Action Fans]

Captain Blood skips the fluff and dives straight into the fight. It’s all about sword clashes, explosions, and nonstop chaos, a true pirate brawler made for players who want action right away. The story’s simple, but the wild missions and ship battles keep things exciting from start to finish.

When I tried Captain Blood, I expected a dated mess. Instead, I found a slick, arcade-style hack-and-slash that feels like God of War crashed into a pirate ship. Combat is fast and brutal, with flashy finishers and cannon-blasting madness. Sure, the camera can act up, but the thrill makes up for it.

Visually, it’s gritty in the best way; big explosions, splintering ships, and a soundtrack that makes every battle feel epic.

My Verdict: Captain Blood feels like the arcade days came back for one last brawl. It’s loud, fast, and gone before you realize how much fun you’re having.

11. Sea Dogs [Best for Retro Gamers and Ship Combat Connoisseurs]

Speaking of older games that haven’t lost their shine, Sea Dogs definitely fits that description, as it remains one of the best pirate games to play for those of you who are into incredible sandbox adventure games, even with it being older than most gamers nowadays.

Aside from being able to explore the high seas with your very own customizable ship and crew that you can recruit all over the map, this game also has quite an impressive, high-stakes storyline that makes all your conquests at sea all the more thrilling.

Have you enjoyed Sid Meier’s Pirates! and would like to play another game similar to it? Well, Sea Dogs should’ve been on your playlist, like, yesterday, as this game is by far the closest on this list to that title in terms of pure gameplay elements and visuals.

My Verdict: Sea Dogs is janky in all the right ways: rough, ambitious, and endlessly immersive once you let it pull you under.

My Overall Verdict on the Best Pirate Games

Pirate games hit differently depending on the kind of player you are. Some want freedom and chaos on the open seas, others crave deep storytelling or the tactical challenge you’d find in the best strategy games. But there’s something here for everyone who’s ever dreamed of hoisting the black flag:

• For social adventurers → Sea of Thieves. Nothing beats setting sail with friends, chasing treasure, and causing absolute mayhem together in the most unpredictable online sandbox ever made.
• For single-player explorers → Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag. It’s the perfect mix of ship combat and open-world freedom. You’ll lose hours just sailing, hunting, and discovering hidden islands.
• For chaos enjoyers → Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. It’s unhinged in the best way possible; part brawler, part comedy, and all heart, with sword fights and wild humor at every turn.
• For story-driven tacticians → Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire. Deep choices, layered dialogue, and world-shaping decisions make this the ultimate pick for players who love their pirate stories with brains and consequence.

No matter what kind of captain you are, these games guarantee one thing: adventure that doesn’t let go, even after you’ve docked your ship.

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