X marks the scallywaggin' spot, as they always say. And for those who haven't got a clue about what the hell Sid Meier's Pirates! is all about, then you're in luck.

We've got the map flat out on the table, and if you weren't able to catch the PC or Xbox version of this game from way back when, here's a trailer for the portable version. All the sword fighting, treasure hunting, and governor's daughter swooning - they're all here in the trailer. It's quite a small file (worth 3MB of your time!) but says a lot about the game.

Unsheath your swords and start slashing through the download link below.

Download: [Sid Meier's Pirates Trailer]

Shiver me timbers! As if releasin' this wee little title that be named Sid Meier's Pirates! wasn't enough, we be receivin' another broadside of good news. Gamestop is now carrying stock of this much-awaited pirate title for the PSP, and instead of the announced US $ 22.99 tag (Arr! Highway robbery!), they're offering it up for a meager sum of US $ 20.00.

Yes, ye be hearin' us right, mateys - Take-Two Interactive and Firaxis's PSP title is nearly on the same price listing as some other much-loved portable hits. For the next aspiring Blackbeard (or Jack Sparrow) out there, check out the source link for further details.

Avast, landlubbers! Take-Two Interactive and Firaxis happily announce that a bunch of scurvy knaves shall invade game stores as scheduled today, packaged in little UMD discs for the PSP. Certainly one of the more interesting ports to the PSP we've seen in some time now, Sid Meier's Pirates! is now available at your friendly neighborhood store for the price of eight doubloons, or US $ 22.99 (and since doubloons are extinct, that leaves...).

If you have played the PC or Xbox 360 version of this update of a Sid Meier classic, then you know what to expect: ships, sails, swashbuckles, revenge against a family enemy, and Dance Dance Revolution with every Governor's daughter in the Carribean. And the PSP version promises four-way battles via Wi-Fi, and "fully-utilized widescreen and controls" (hey, we had to quote on that one).

This writer remembers the PC version being a hoot, and having it on the go might be quite a nice idea, too (hey, I don't have a laptop...). Let's see how this game plays in the days to come. Now excuse me, but aren't there a couple of decks that need some swabbing?

Gamers will be seeing quite a few games hit retail shelves for the week of January 22. There's a bit of strategy here, with Europa Universalis III for the PC, as well as the swashbuckling action of Sid Meier's Pirates! for the Sony PSP. Anime fans also get a little something courtesy of the Nintendo DS title InuYasha: Secret of the Divine Jewel. Those looking for something eerie and noir-ish should get both and more from Hotel Dusk: Room 215, and those who want a little madness in their gaming lives should definitely check out Sam and Max 3: The Mole, the Mob, and the Meatball.

Here's a list of the releases, sorted by date:

January 22

• Alien Shooter: Vengeance (PC)
• Hotel Dusk: Room 215 (DS)
• Sid Meier's Pirates (PSP)

January 23

• Europa Universalis III (PC)
• InuYasha: Secret of the Divine Jewel (DS)
• The Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean (PSP)

January 25

• Sam & Max Episode 3: The Mole, the Mob and the Meatball (PC)

First, for the good news: We will not be hitting you with pirate impersonations, so please put that cutlass down. Next, we have better news - Sid Meier's Pirates! for the PSP has gone gold, meaning the game is now only a few stages away from being released, announced to be February this year.

For the guys wondering what to expect, Pirates! puts you in the boots of a 17th century buccaneer. Your job in this strategy/adventure title will be to amass a vast fortune in the Caribbeans, all the while exploring the various areas in-game, be it the high seas, or dry land.

The game also allows for up to four players to go multiplayer, so expect to quadruple the fun with your comrades as you loot and plunder to your heart's content. And to cap off this good news, we provide you with several more screenshots for your viewing pleasure.

More screens await after the jump!

Hands on deck, laddies! The governor's daughter be pansy an' all that, but I've yet to flirt with her in some fra-la-la ballroom dancin' once we be washin' ashore at the docks. Fer some of ye who aren't quite familiar with Sid Meier's Pirates! for the PC, then get yer swashbuckling fake eye patch and tune into yer handhelds. Pirates! is coming to the PSP.

The game's to be released this February and while earlier's screenshots might've help tide over the wait, but maybe you're wondering about the game's features. It is, after all, a port from the PC. But the term "port" these days can be a bit misleading - and we're not even talking about the kind of port that you dock your ship into.

Most of the game's popular features are still there: voyaging through the seas, dancing with the governor's daughter, on-deck sword fights, and the storyline. Although it has cast down its sails on the whole graphics aspect to suit the PSP's system architecture, it still isn't much of a total disappointment. The game still looks fab.

What's new? 2K Games and Firaxis Games have tuned up the Treasure Hunting mode for the PSP. Now, you form your landing party and trigger a mini-game that'll have you controlling your mates as they go through traps, swamps, and hungry jaguars to follow the treasure map. As for the multiplayer aspect, it's still pretty botched up, as 1Up reports. There's still some time for them to tweak it up, but anyways, the feature allows you to connect with up to four friends for a deathmatch combat.

Keep yer eyes to the horizon and follow that compass! We be treadin' through calm seas and sailin' through blue skies. February is just around the island cove!

Sid Meier's Pirates! is one of the more, well, interesting ports from the PC to the PSP lately, probably because some of us here are fans of the PC remake - the original versions, for that matter. We do appreciate these five new screens IGN had posted. Materialistic swashbucklers that we are, we sure wished there was more to report on, like videos, interviews, maybe announcement of a downloadable demo or two, that sort of thing.

At least this batch includes a close-up shot of the land battle gamescape of this game, one of the improvements to the PC revamp. The shot really doesn't reveal much, so for those who haven't had the benefit of playing this quite fun game: the land battle plays out like a rudimentary version of Field Commander, pitting your melee and rifle-armed pirates against enemy soldiers and local natives. People can quickly get the hang of it, and it's not a big headscratcher - unless 2K Games bumps up enemy AI or stats.

With 2K saying that there'll be wireless ad-hoc online multiplayer in this game, we're wondering how it would look like - an open-ended game like Pirates! can take quite a chunk of time to complete in single-player. Then there's the sword duels to consider (four-way rock-scissors-paper?).

   

2K and Firaxis Games announced today that their strategy adventure game Sid Meier's Pirates! is now currently in the works to invade and conquer your handhelds.

What it's about? You'll basically get to take on the role of a pirate captain in the 17th century Caribbean, where you'll have to prove you're one heckuva sea captain by braving stormy seas and leading your crew in land and sea battles. But your role is far from being a heroic one, as you'll have to amass fortune and fame by any means possible for you to gain the reputation as the most feared (and respected) pirate in history.

Environments are immersed in a fully rendered 3D world, and the game will also feature wireless Ad-Hoc multiplayer for up to four players, widescreen graphics, treasure hunts and tons more. Hopefully, this is only one of the many titles that the two companies will release for our beloved handhelds, the more choices the better, right? To have a quick-see of how the game will look like on your handhelds, check out the screens we have for you below.

 

Rated PEGI 12+, Sid Meier’s Pirates! for the PSP is slated for release February 23, 2007.