Don’t Sink is a pirate adventure out now on the Nintendo Switch. In this charming game, players are tasked with creating a pirate and setting out to conquer the world. This little scallywag is out to explore a rather vast world and see all that can be seen. It might be pixelated but this adventure will take some getting used too.
Right off the bat this game offers both a casual mode and a hard as nails, die once and start over mode. This game does give the player enough information to know how to play so choosing either is fine. Just be aware that this game does have some randomness so the player never knows what could happen.
As someone who isn’t really one for dying and having to start over from square one, I chose the casual mode. This was a good choice as the first pirate battle I faced, I lost three times. The pirate crews the player comes across aren’t always the same skill level and might even eclipse the player. I was faced with far larger crews and continuously died until the game gave me a crew of 2 to defeat.
This game is really about telling the player’s pirate story. They can collect treasure, sink ships, and live a life they want to live. Do they really want to become the king of the pirates, or do they just want to create the best port town? It’s great that this game is so vast, as it replicates what the type of lifestyle a pirate would endure. With so much sea to explore it is hard to not want to search its entirety.
This game is honestly about so much more than simply sailing. Players will need to have a good cache of food and water. They will need to tend to the morale of their crew and make sure everyone is healthy. This game is a phenomenal pirate life simulator.
I honestly never felt like I was ready to sail. Even if my crew was happy and I had a good stock of items, I always felt uneasy. It makes sense when things are completely random. All it takes is a huge galleon to come in and the crew can be wiped out. With the fact that the game sends the player back to land every time they lose players can lose progress. Players do have to take everything into consideration when they play. Never simply sail out for no reason, plot course and do it with purpose because with one wrong move the player will be visiting Davy Jones’ Locker.
Players are treated to an enormous sea fraught with danger and intrigue. Players will never know what will be coming for them, as storms, pirates, and disease run rampant in this world. Watch out from all sides as the player never knows what is going to hit them next. It’s a battle of wills and sometimes these pirates will be massacred before they even can bat an eyelash.
The world is vast and there are many islands to explore. Get to know the residents to understand what is going on the islands. Players will take over many places and also need to take care of them. Pirates can attack these places too, so as Pirate King the player will have to take care of all of them. It is often a mad dash to different settlements because the player could be anywhere in the sea.
Building a town is fun because the player will have to find people to live there. It makes collecting booty more important than simply hunting because they want it. Spend it well and the town will flourish making it a solid base of operations for the weary crew. The town might not be customizable in so many ways but players can make it worth their while and that is what matters.
If the player is diligent they will command a massive world. Players will even sea awesome cutscenes play out as a reward for a job well done. Players can even upgrade to bigger and better ships. These ships will greatly increase power and as a burgeoning Pirate King, the player will need all the power they can get.
Don’t sink is a lovingly crafted pirate game that is worth playing. While it might not be a modern looking game it feels good playing a rather simple pirate adventure. Though this game does have some solid mechanics that make it feel far more modern than it looks. There’s a vast sea out there will the player’s pirate sink or will they become King of the Pirates.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided