Pirates! on NES is one of those games that makes you feel like you're actually running a ship full of rowdy, gold-hungry scoundrels. You start by literally stabbing your old captain in a duel (nice guy, probably), then suddenly you're in charge—good luck keeping these guys from mutiny while you chase down merchant ships and raid ports.

The real charm is in the little choices: do you split the loot evenly to keep morale up, or hoard it and risk a knife in your back? Should you chase that Spanish galleon or play it safe with coastal raids? The crew grumbles if you don’t keep them busy, but push too hard and they’ll just bail on you. Classic pirate problems.

Controls are simple—arrows to move, Z/X for actions—but the real challenge is balancing greed and survival. Also, the music slaps. If you dig pirate life, this one’s a must-play, even if the graphics are straight outta 1987.