Pyrates! is a game for one to four human players (each pirate captains) set during the Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean. As a pirate captain, either as a full pirate with no allegiances or one with an allegiance to England, France, Spain, or the Netherlands, you control the fate of your pirate band while attempting to win the game by accumulating fame, infamy, and popularity. You do this through acquiring new ships to be part of your pirate fleet, attacking merchant ships (piracy), raiding ports, and trading booty seized in attacks on ships and ports for gold.