Dread Pirate Signature Edition

Dread Pirate (Second Edition), by Front Porch Classics, is one of the most attractive and interesting games I've ever come across. It's not a game for the casual game-player, but for a real collector, this game is perfect. Front Porch Classics calls its games "coffee table games", meaning that they're attractive enough to leave on display while they're not being played.

The game does not come in a cardboard box, rather, it is in a beautiful wooden treasure chest. The game "board" is actually a large pirate's map, printed on a piece of fabric. Each player gets a solid metal ship (which are large-about 2 inches tall and an inch and a half wide from stem to stern!) which they move around the playing board by rolling the wooden dice or drawing a pirate card.

The object of the game is to collect doubloons and treasure by moving around the board, raiding other pirate's ships and ports. The treasures are small jewels, much like those which often come with mancala sets. The doubloons are real (and heavy!) golden metal coins which look quite like what one might imagine pirates' booty would actually look like. Each player keeps their collected treasures in gorgeous velvet bags as they play the game.

In addition to being a beautiful and fun game, Dread Pirate is also informative. The instruction booklet includes excerpts from the 1691 journal of Captain Arthur Howell, and each "Dread Pirate" card lists a fun fact about pirates.

Any avid game collector who appreciates attractive games that incorporate real materials and who enjoys clever strategy games will love Dread Pirate.

I am something of a fan of pirates. I have studied their history and think a good swashbuckling film is hard to beat. So I was very excited this holiday season when Santa brought our family the coffee-table game `Dread Pirate' by Old Century Classics / Front Porch Classics. What a game, matey!

First of all, it is awesomely beautiful with doubloons that shine, have heft and go CLANK when you play with them. The game board is a cloth `treasure map' and the ships are elegant. The dice are wooden and each player gets their own velvety bag to hold their plunder of jewels and coin. All this fits nicely into a wooden treasure chest. It's well worth the price by my book.

There were even some intriguing game play elements to the game, especially the `blind draw' for treasure. You can actually download the rules to the game in PDF form from their website so you can see what I mean.

Fair winds and a following sea ... and a must-see-to-appreciate game for the entire family.

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I saw this game in a colleague's office and I was truly amazed by it. This is more than just a simple game...it's an elite game! Instead of a dingy cardboard game board, you get a Pirate map! Plastic coins? Heck no! You get solid metal coins that have real weight to them. Any Pirate fan would love this. Game collectors and RPG gamers should not pass this up either. Great stuff. This looks like the type of game Kids and Adults would have a lot fun with.

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A little backstory: I saw the Book Edition at a Nautical store for $60. Turns out, you can get that same on online for half that. I spent a little more money then I originally intended and got quality pieces for my set.

The cloth board is a little stiffer then you'd think, but that's so it's more durable and maintains its shape when stored in the surprisingly heavy wooden chest, complete with metal handles on the side for easy carrying. Heavy metal ships and dubloons give that extra feel of genuine quality, accenting the cards, wooden dice and jolly roger with metal pole. Felt-like sacks, perfect for other game uses besides this, house the vital "jewels" of the game in the most neatly tied way I've ever seen.

The rules take a little of review, but not overly complicated, save for the advanced trickery in the game that really brings the pirate spirit to the table. The advanced rules add extra consideration to what direction you should go by putting into play a realistic wind factor, based on the enlarged die included.

Only a couple minor things didn't hold together well, but that was primarily a moving factor and was absolutely nothing to compromise the key components. Only the baggie holding the dubloons and the foam keeping the chest in the box was slightly damaged when unveiling the final product to my gaming friends.

If you are into Pirate lore, you owe it to yourself to spend the extra money and get parts that will last for a long time. Make sure you keep it in a level spot when moving it around, as the latch in the front of the chest does not lock and is primarily for the authentic look and feel of opening one. I'd probably recommend at the very least keeping it out of reach of curious kids so you don't lose anything or putting it back in the box with the foam closely guarding it as best as you can.

Gameplay mechanics may be basic, but it is anything but a straightforward game. If you love friendly rivalry games like Munchkin or the collecting goals of Settlers of Catan, chances are you'll like this. It's not like the Pirates games with the 3D ships, as the only skills you have to worry about are gained by obtaining the Jolly Roger. Everyone starts on an even playing field and the luck of the cards adds variety to the gameplay.

Alright, you get the idea. I can't say enough good things on how well put together this game is. But you don't have to take my word for it, take a chance and judge for yourself.

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My huband and I won a copy of this game while performing at a pirate festival in Florida.Since then, we've bought copies for friends and family, and I've lost track of how many people we've turned onto it.The rules allow you to adapt them to the levels of the players, depending on ages and skill levels, so you can make it really a good, challenging, strategy game if you wish, or easy enough for even little kids.And it looks great, the pieces are all really well made and lovely to look at, and it's very, very well put together.My personal favorite parts are the bits of "pirate trivia" on the various player cards.

To say it's "fun for the whole family" is a cliche, but it's a true one.I can't say it better than that.This game has won several awards, and it certainly deserves them!Highly recommended!