Atari has released a fun pirate themed game titled “Age of Pirates.” It’s a PC/DVD game.

Don’t try to load this game on an old system—and make sure that you have plenty of disc space—installation requires 4 gigs of space. In addition to the hard drive space, you must be running Windows XP. The game uses a controversial software protection program named Starforce. According to several reviews on Amazon you can install the game without installing Starforce. I for one did not see this option to install without Starforce. So if you have concerns about playing a game with Starforce you may want to take this into consideration.

Age of Pirates comes with a very detailed game guide that describes all components of play. The object of the game is to sail the seas on a tall ship with your crew. You can increase your fleet and take over colonies to become a stronger pirate. Due to the success of the recent Pirates of the Caribbean movies, this is sure to be a popular title among teens.

Upon starting the game you are taken to a main menu where you are given the option to start a new game, load a previous game, change options such as sound and video options, or you can connect to a multi-player game. The game can be played easily with a mouse, a game pad isn’t necessary for game play. After you get a game started you will launch into a detailed screen with a menu.

Game play is fun, but between the detailed book and the many options to playing the game, a game of Age of Pirates can last for a very long time. Certain elements of the game seem difficult. There is a lot to learn but the learning curve isn’t too difficult. The length of the game play is a plus for people looking for a game they can play for a long time. It’s a fun game with many options.

The game is rated T for alcohol and tobacco references, mild language and violence.