Swashbuckling pirates are a very popular archetype across movies, anime, TV, and of course, games. As figures who operate outside the law, pirates are known for actions completely dictated by their pursuit of chaotic freedoms, from simple adventure across the high seas to pillaging and plundering from others to gain great wealth. Considering how no two pirates are the same, games have a unique history with the archetype, crafting incredibly memorable characters who fulfill the role of pirate in different ways.
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In many ways, pirates are almost the opposite of gaming’s best knights from across different titles. Pirates are usually intentionally avoiding rites of code, conduct, or honor, sometimes with a crew at their side to help a captain achieve certain goals or live without the restrictions of “civilized” rules. Rarely are pirates ever alone, as the strongest motivations they present tend to create strong characters that players are drawn to within a number of games.
5. Faris Scherwiz (Final Fantasy V)
The fourth character to join your party in Final Fantasy 5, Faris Scherwiz is a pirate captain of incredible strength and sword skills, representing a powerful member of your potential team. Faris is incredibly strong-willed, but speaks like a traditional pirate in the game’s initial release on the original PlayStation. This “accent” adds to Faris’ fun, hot-headed, and confident personality, creating the quintessential pirate that embodied the archetype long before movies like Pirates of the Caribbean popularized it.
Headstrong but loyal, Faris would be a forgettable pirate stereotype if not for how the story develops her character after you meet her. Among the characters in Final Fantasy 5, Faris’ tale is full of the most twists and turns, including arguably the most shocking moment in the JRPG. Alongside her sea dragon Syldra, Faris’ identity and personality mesh well to develop a very deep character that not only defines a pirate role, but elevates it as her story continues.
4. Ridley (Metroid)
Nintendo has plenty of pirate characters, including King K. Rool from the Donkey Kong series. However, Ridley is arguably the most unique pirate from Nintendo’s library, haunting multiple Metroid games as the arch-rival of the protagonist Samus. Ridley is the aptly named leader of the Space Pirates, representing a ruthless warlord in the depths of space who terrorizes his enemies at every turn. Ridley is without mercy, representing a cruel pirate who is only out for themselves.
Ridley is a much darker antagonist than you might expect from a Nintendo game, but his selfish ideals of piracy are far beyond other nemesis characters. Unlike conquering kings or warlords like Bowser, Ganondorf, or K. Rool, Ridley is purely motivated by sadistic greed, with a resilience to match. This character has appeared as a boss in several Metroid titles, constantly being a fearsome foe whose pterodactyl appearance and sci-fi ferocity easily makes him a pirate worth remembering in any game.
3. Edward Kenway (Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag)
Edward Kenway is hardly an assassin in Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, as the role of pirate is far more suitable in his adventures across oceans. Among all the pirates on this list, Edward is perhaps the one whose piracy you participate in the most, from sailing his ship into naval raids and battles to stealing great treasure from lands along the seas. Wielding two swords and a flintlock pistol, Edward’s actions display a pirate at the height of their strength throughout much of his beloved game.
As a British privateer turned pirate, Edward Kenway is also the most accurate historical representation of a pirate on this list. The desire for riches motivates Edward throughout the game, even if it puts him at odds with the Assassin’s brotherhood he inevitably joins. Fame, glory, and fortune are Edward’s primary motivators, but this evolves into more noble duties as the game’s events turn tragic. Edward shines as a loyal friend to his crew, but the fleeting glory of a pirate quickly fades as law catches up to him.
This character shows a story that often shows the truth of consequences behind the risky actions of piracy, as many of Edward’s friends die due to recklessness on their journey. Although pirates want to live freely and gain infamy, that infamy catches up to almost every character in Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag‘s story. Due to this, Edward shows the rise, height, and fall of what being a pirate meant during a certain era in time, crafting a story that players still remember fondly.
2. Balthier (Final Fantasy XII)
Although Final Fantasy 12 isn’t remembered as fondly as other games in Square Enix’s legendary JRPG series, Balthier certainly is. Baltheir is a central ally in FF12, acting as a pirate captain of the Strahl, wandering around the world with his partner Fran. As a charming and dashing rogue, Baltheir is primarily a thief when you first meet him, searching for grand riches before being caught up in the dangerous political schemes that craft this game’s story.
Often referring to himself as “the leading man,” Baltheir is someone who comes across as self-centered, but ends up becoming one of your strongest companions during harrowing story events. Baltheir is almost like a mentor to protagonist Vaan, with many of the events of the game not being possible without his input and guidance. Far more dramatic than a traditional pirate, Baltheir carries a flair that hides a much deeper background. For all his charm, Baltheir has a layered past, crafting a pirate whose tale is worth the reckless adventure you’ll inevitably embark on with him.
1. Guybrush Threepwood (Monkey Island)
When it comes to pirates in games, there are none as unorthodox as Guybrush Threepwood from the Monkey Island series. If his name didn’t tip you off, Guybrush is a bit of an oddball, stumbling through the point-and-click adventure games with excellent comedic flair. With a sharp tongue that gets him into several hijinks, Guybrush is almost like a cartoon character, but one whose friendly demeanor helps him defy what you’d expect from a “normal” pirate protagonist.
Guybrush represents the pinnacle of a particular era in gaming, where adventure titles were incredibly popular. The deadpan voice acting sells Guybrush’s humor far more in that style of game, especially as his quick wit is talking about the puzzles you’re trying to solve. The multitude of jokes combined with the ridiculous situations Guybrush gets in has crafted unforgettable adventures, that still stick to a pirate ideal of trying to discover the treasures and secrets of the titular Monkey Island.
As arguably the first video game pirate to ever achieve notoriety, Guybrush Threepwood is often the default of what players think of when they envision figures within the archetype. Even as his legends may fade over time, the exploits of a great pirate like Guybrush reflect the role’s ties to grand adventures that always have a long-lasting impact in games.
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