Screenshots
Pirates
海盗
Pirates is a 1994 arcade action game developed by NIX. Players take on the role of a pirate character navigating through stages filled with enemies and obstacles. The game follows a side-scrolling format where players fight their way through waves of foes using attacks and special moves. Controls typically involve directional inputs for movement combined with buttons for attacking and jumping. The stage structure progresses through distinct themed environments, each presenting different enemy types and hazards. Players must defeat enemies and survive encounters to advance through levels, with boss encounters appearing at key points. The game draws on a pirate setting for its visual theme, featuring appropriately themed characters and environments throughout its stages.
- Developer
- NIX
- Released
- 1994
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Action
- Rating
- 4.6 / 5 (4.5K)
- Last updated
Pirates Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for Pirates on our in-browser Arcade emulator. Plug in a USB or Bluetooth gamepad to auto-detect mappings, or rebind any key from the emulator settings menu.
| Keyboard | Console button | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| ↑ | Joystick Up | Move up |
| ↓ | Joystick Down | Move down |
| ← | Joystick Left | Move left |
| → | Joystick Right | Move right |
| X | Button 1 | Primary action (jump / confirm) |
| Z | Button 2 | Secondary action (attack / cancel) |
| S | Button 3 | Tertiary action |
| A | Button 4 | Quaternary action |
| Q | Button 5 | Fifth button |
| W | Button 6 | Sixth button |
| 5 | Insert Coin | Insert coin |
| 1 | 1P Start | Start / Pause |
Coin and Start are convention "Insert Coin: 5" and "1P Start: 1". Some arcade boards expect specific button mappings — check the in-game prompts on coin-up.
Rebind any key from the EmulatorJS in-game settings menu (gear icon → Controls). A connected gamepad auto-maps to the same buttons.
Pirates Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of Pirates on Arcade before you dive in — recommended for getting a feel for the game's pacing, story beats, and difficulty curve.
Watch longplay on YouTube
"Pirates" Arcade longplay 1994
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Pirates released?
Pirates was released in 1994 for the Arcade.
Who developed Pirates?
Pirates was developed by NIX, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
What type of game is Pirates?
Pirates is a Action game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play Pirates for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — Pirates runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play Pirates in the browser?
No. Pirates streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in Pirates?
Yes. Save states are stored in your browser (IndexedDB) per game, and you can also use any in-game save the original Arcade cartridge supported.
Does Pirates work on mobile devices?
Yes — the Arcade emulator runs on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. Touch controls overlay the game; landscape mode is recommended.
Is it legal to play Pirates this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of Pirates. Game files are fetched on demand from publicly-accessible archives. You are responsible for compliance with your local laws and the bring-your-own-ROM principle.
