Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - GBA

As part of the whole Pirates of the Caribbean phenomenon that hit cinemas in 2003, TDK has released a handheld adventure of its own based upon the film. Developed by the highly respected Pocket Studios, Pirates of the Caribbean for Game Boy Advance pits players as rogue pirate Jack Sparrow in a mission to overthrow the ruler of the high seas - Captain Barbossa.

Beginning your adventure as a pauper, your goal is to collect enough wealth to lead an assault on your arch-enemy and steal his riches for yourself. The game spans 20 levels in all, and is largely played from an isometric point of view. Roaming the interactive fantasy locales, you’ll be charged with collecting treasure as you progress. But within each level you’ll encounter numerous pirates eager for a taste of your blood. And it’s here that you must hone your sword-wielding skills. With a few simple button presses, you’ll easily be able to defeat opposing pirates.

The animation sequences in combat are very smooth, and reminiscent of the original Prince of Persia game. The surrounding environments are also highly detailed and include caves and local pirate towns. There is little to fault this game visually - Pocket Studios has done a fine job.

Pirates of the Caribbean for GBA is a fine example of a film-turned-video game and a great handheld title in its own right. more