You too could have this much fun with Sid Meier's Pirates!

Although the popularity of pirates took a sharp increase with the Pirates of the Caribbean films, discerning gamers will know it was cool to be a pirate way as far back as 1987 with the release of Sid Meier's Pirates!. Earlier this year, Wii owners danced a merry jig at the announcement that the game is on the way to their favourite machine, and the revelry can continue as 2K Games has unfurled a flag bearing the game's release date: October 8th.

Here's 2K to explain more of what trainee swashbucklers can expect from October.

On October 8, 2010, cast ye gaze upon the horizon, pray to Poseidon for fair seas and set sail for Sid Meier’s Pirates!, an entertaining journey for adventurous treasure hunters unlike anything ever experienced before for on Wii™ system. The classic Sid Meier’s Pirates! has been adapted for the Wii by 2K China, and is a swashbuckling adventure that allows aspiring buccaneers to earn their sea legs serving as captain of one of 27 fully customizable man-of-war ships while they explore the tropical 17th century Caribbean islands.

In Sid Meier’s Pirates! gamers can:

Descend upon unsuspecting seaside colonies armed with a motley crew of loyal seafaring scoundrels.

Embark on exhilarating missions, locate secret maps and discover treasure chests bursting with gold and jewels.
Use newfound riches to barter for supplies and build ships with stronger firepower and bigger sails for faster speed and better navigation.
Plunge head-first into exciting pirate ship battles, unleash a furious barrage of cannonballs and send nautical enemies to Davy Jones’ Locker.
Dispatch noisy blowhards using expert swordsmanship in clanging fights of sharp blades of steel.
Pursue and win the hearts of fair maidens through cunning tactics and charming good looks.

Overflowing with intense pirate action, Sid Meier’s Pirates! possesses a treasure chest of gameplay booty, including classic traditional mini-games from the franchise’s original title such as Sword Fighting, Ship Combat and Dancing - plus two Wii-exclusive mini-games mapped to the Wii controls - Bombardment and Lock Picking.