Free Bytes March Medley: Rated Arrrr!

by Nathan Meunier

When used together, the terms "piracy" and "video games" tend to hold very specific, untoward connotations, but there is indeed a lighter side to gaming pirates. Yes, we’re talking about our digital peg-legged, saber-toting, curse spewing, unshaven, sea faring brethren. Get ready; there are decks to be swabbed, villages to pillage, and planks to be walked! This month’s Free Bytes themed medley extravaganza sails the seas of freebie indie goodness with the ol’ skull and crossbones proudly flying high.

Shore Siege
There are worse places for your mighty pirating vessel to run aground besides the sandy beaches of a lush tropical island. Unfortunately for you, the strange cornucopia of native creatures inhabiting the island in Shore Siege -- ranging from gelatinous slimes and walking golems to bomb-toting birds and flying fireballs -- don’t take kindly to your presence. Using a variety of tools including pins, fire, water, bombs, turrets, pirate snipers, and more, you must mount a steadfast defense against wave after wave of the beasts that come running bloodthirstily out of the jungle brush towards your prone vessel. Get ready for some hectic management of piratical resources in this action-packed, hands-on defense game.

Nelly Cootalot: Spoonbeaks Ahoy!
Most pirates love accruing massive treasure chests full of gold and other booty; Nelly Cootalot loves small, cute animals. She’s the most easygoing buccaneer you’ll ever encounter. In Nelly Cootalot: Spoonbeaks Ahoy!, the pleasant, eye-patch wearing protagonist embarks on a quest to solve the mystery behind a missing flock of oddly-named waterfowl after a persuasive visit with the ghost of the dreaded pirate William Bloodbeard. Following many of the customary tenets of point-and-click adventure titles, you’ll chat with a slew of unusual scallywags, explore, and solve puzzles. The hand-drawn visuals, funny dialogue, and overall delivery are endlessly charming.

Bacon Pirates in Space
With the realm of Baconia suddenly thrust into mortal danger by the presence of the Evil Baconites, it’s time for the benevolent Bacon Pirates to spring into action. As one of the last remaining Bacon Pirate heroes, you must hop onto your trusty flying space pig and engage in intergalactic pig jousting combat to save the day. Aside from its hilarious concept and wacky art style, Bacon Pirates in Space plays very much like the traditional arcade classic Joust. In each of the game’s themed planetary arenas, you’ll fly about on your pig and clobber opponents with your saber while trying to keep from getting knocked off. Go save the galaxy, and then cook some breakfast afterwards.

Booty Juggler
Finding inventive ways to protect one’s booty simply comes with the territory of being a pirate. For Patch the pirate octopus, eight arms aren’t enough to contain his stolen goods and keep them out of harm’s way. Booty Juggler has you crazily attempting to do just that. With most of your treasure stashed beneath the waves, and your six available tentacles occupied by the latest acquired merchandise, you have no choice but to juggle the whole lot to keep up with (and properly dispose of) the explosive cannonballs raining down from the sky. Tracking the trajectory of items tossed back and forth between your limbs using different colored line trails makes for frantic and fun bouts of multitasking craziness.

Mutiny
Pitting a merry band of diminutive swashbucklers against an assortment of increasingly challenging foes, Mutiny blends together a healthy dose of strategy and calculation into a lighthearted, turn-based bombardment game that’s a tremendous amount of fun to play alone or with another person on the same keyboard. Each side takes a turn selecting any one of their pirates from among the different team members distributed across a delightfully colorful 2D playing field. During a turn, you can launch your pirate a short distance and also hurl a wide range of explosives at foes. The goal is to either slay or knock all of the opposing side into the big drink. It’s cute and rowdy.

Be sure to check back for our regular weekly Free Bytes features and keep your eyes peeled for a new themed installment each month! Have any suggestions for possible future monthly theme you’d like to see? Fire away in the comments section below.