Pyrates! is a game for one to four players (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. There are also 1-4 "AI" pirates who have their own motivations and desire for fame/infamy and booty!
The game consists of a map of the Caribbean with the famous ports of the era marked on it. These will have their own defense and trade values which are unique to each game played. The five players bid take a historical pirate card, which will have a unique ability and, for AI players, rules for how it behaves. Players secretly vote for an action and then carry out those actions: Piracy, Raiding ports, Building new ships, Trading.
The game is especially suitable for solitaire play, and has optional rules to accommodate a fifth player, if required.