If you’ve never been one to fancy the realm of computer gaming, odds are you’ve heard a whole lot about Sid Meier but haven’t a clue of his handiwork. Truth is, the man has got quite a reputation for excellence, in particular with the Railroad Tycoon and Civilization franchises, and a little known game called Pirates! Originally a 1987 adventure simulation of a pirate’s escapades in the Spanish Main, the game was reborn in 2004 and slapped with modernized graphics and a host of gameplay refinements and additions (most popularly, ballroom dancing). All fun and games for PC regulars, sure, but it leaves us console and portable types with little to know of the rum-guzzling shenanigans the game has to offer.

You know where this is going, don’t you?

Good call, sailor. 2K Games has today given word of Sid Meier’s Pirates! for the PSP. And seeing as we’re simply enamored with exclamation points in a game title, we figure we’d rattle off the included features that way. Explore the high seas! Dueling in land and sea battles! A richly detailed 3D world. Wireless Ad-Hoc multiplayer! Up to four players! Widescreen graphics! New treasure hunts!

And now... praising company quotes!

"Sid Meier's Pirates! is already a proven success," grinned Christoph Hartmann, President of 2K. "The universal appeal and compelling gameplay in Pirates! makes it a perfect match for the PSP system."

"We love the new possibilities from handheld systems like the PSP system," glowed Sid Meier, Director of Creative Development at Firaxis Games. "Pirates! for the PSP system allows players to shape the heroic life of a pirate while embracing the pirate's way of life - always on the go!"

And if Sid loves the possibilities, than you should too! The game is set to plunder retailers in January, and we suggest you find a why to occupy yourself until then. First screenshots, anyone?