Tropico's PopTop Software are responsible for the bestselling Railroad Tycoon management simulation series. Their new game has a much happier name than the storyline suggests. You're the newly installed dictator of an island, and must first start by building essential structures so that farmers can grow crops, white-collar workers can earn more and stay happy, the land can be mined for its resources and new immigrants have accommodation better than shacks and thus have little reason to become demoralised. The religious need their churches, and almost everyone needs the pub to unwind (a sentiment few would disagree with). Of course, that's if you're going to be a benevolent dictator... If not (and this is where the Black and White-style morality comes in) you can do what dictators are often remembered for: bribing or intimidating the media, skimming the top off your island's profits for yourself (an explicit choice of scenario you can make at the beginning) and crushing uprisings, rebellions and invasions. Although the island is supposed to become full after a population of 500, it's down to your skills to determine if you can house more without angering the populace into an uprising. But you'll need a dedicated amount of time to see this population experiment through. Alternatively, you could neglect the natives in favour of pulling in the tourists... With 40 types of character sporting over 50 character traits at random, a hundred customisable buildings and an ultimate goal to rule as long as possible, it's no surprise that the game demands just over 800 MB of hard drive space and countless hours of slow but sure addiction if you're a sim/god/resource management game addict. --Kenneth Henry

Features:
- Create and control your pirate haven through 16 swashbuckling episodes filled with shady mates, landlubbers and talking parrots
- Fuel your island's economy by plundering wealthy merchants, then take captives to use as a workforce
- Keep the buccaneers satisfied with rum, gambling, women and feasts
- Try to lure legendary pirates like Blackbeard, Henry Morgan, and Black Bart to your island -- they'll expand your influence and treasure chest
- You can even build parrot aviaries to produce the perfect pirate companions