IN Sid Meier's Pirates! the player will find himself in the Caribbean. You will have to control the captain of a pirate ship. In the open world, you can explore islands on a ship, moor at city ports, and fight enemies in sea battles. The accumulated resources are spent on the development of the protagonist, the ship, and the crew. It is important to work on the reputation of pirates in society. For completing levels, the crew receives fame points. The maximum number of them is 126. The plot is supplemented with mini-games.

According to the plot of Sid Meiers Pirates, members of the protagonist's family were captured by the Spaniard, the Marquis de Montalban. The parents became slaves of a nobleman because they could not pay off their debts. Before starting a career, the player can choose an era and difficulty. At first, the main character works as a simple sailor. It is possible to choose a French, English, Dutch or Spanish vessel. The crew starts a riot due to inhumane working conditions. The rebel throws the captain overboard and takes his place.

The pirate's goal is to save his father and mother from slavery. You can develop by capturing merchant ships or working for the state. The obtained wealth is exchanged for money. In battle, an enemy ship can be attacked with a cannon or boarded. In case 2, the protagonist fights with swords with the captain of the enemy ship. The winner is the one who can throw the enemy overboard. Among the pirates, the main character has 9 enemies. These are Jean Laffite, Henry Morgan, Bart Roberts and others.