- BGG rank
- BGG #21,564
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Web of Gold
- 2–6 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 1987
- BGG rank
- BGG #22,845
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Pirates' Gold
1990
Rules assistance for Pirates' Gold
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- 6+
- Complexity 1.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Pirates' Gold
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Pirates' Gold is a board game released in 1990 for 2–4 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 6 and up. It was designed by Nik Sewell and its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, and Pick-up and Deliver.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,297
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Elixir
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 1987
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,321
- BGG rating
- 6.2
The Great Balloon Race
- 2–8 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 1991
- BGG rank
- BGG #199
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Xia: Legends of a Drift System
- 3–5 players
- 60–180 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #952
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Deep Sea Adventure
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,307
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Ghost Fightin' Treasure Hunters
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,174
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Taverns & Dragons
- 1–5 players
- 40–60 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #17,118
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Voice of the Mummy
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 1971
- BGG rank
- BGG #21,066
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Pencil Pirates
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,126
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Tiny Epic Pirates
- 1–4 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #432
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Merchants & Marauders
- 2–4 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,992
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Pirate's Cove
- 3–5 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2002
About the game
Pirates' Gold The 3-D Adventure Game with Magnetic Ships, Sunken Treasure and Pirate Danger. Move your Pirate Ship over the clear plastic overlay sheet to pick up the treasure chests below by magnets in each ship. However, the board has multiple underwater reefs --if you cross one your ship will sail on, but your treasure will be caught on the reef and sink back to the bottom of the sea. Negotiating the maze to carry your treasure back to your port without losing it on reefs is the main challenge of the game. Treasure chests when opened have a value from 0 to 4 coins written in the chest lid that is only seen by popping the chest open once back at your home port. The first player with 10 points in treasure chests wins the game, or play highest once all chests are retrieved. Players may only retrieve treasure at their home port opening. All pieces (including Sea Monster) may only move orthogonally, not diagonally. May pick up only 1 treasure chest at a time. May sail through Sea Monster Island, but not end movement there. May not sail through other players or Sea Monster. If Monster is moved onto a player they are sunk. Lift player to drop treasure where they are, return that player's ship to port and the Sea Monster back to the center island. Movement die is 1,2,2,3,3,4. Rolling a 1 or 4 allows you to roll the Doom Die. Doom Die (also six sides) Skull and Crossbones --steal a treasure chest from another player. Storms --move a player 3 or 4 spaces (usually over reefs to lose treasure and far away from home port). Monster --move the monster 2, 3 or 4 spaces.
Designers
Publishers
- Mattel, Inc.
- Western Publishing Company
- Golden
Questions and answers
Pirates' Gold supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Pirates' Gold is 20 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Pirates' Gold for ages 6 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Pirates' Gold has a complexity rating of 1.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Pirates' Gold belongs to these categories: Children's Game, Dice, and Adventure. Its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, and Pick-up and Deliver. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Pirates' Gold are: Nik Sewell. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Pirates' Gold as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.