Disclosure: Meeple Mountain received a free copy of this product in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. This review is not intended to be an endorsement.
Avast, ye meeples!
Pirating isn’t always about scallywagging and rum-induced debauchery. Out on the seven seas, there’s a ship that enjoys the more refined pleasures of life—high tea. Who says a pirate’s life can’t be delicious and proper? Pirates of the High Teas is the next game from Pink Hawk Games, following the success of their freshman game Knitting Circle.
Players will scurry around the decks, collecting tasty treats and serving tea to their pirate captain. But this brigantine isn’t always friendly! Other pirates will get in the way, boxing out the perfect play or using gear to change the hull before your turn comes around. The wise pirate who can best navigate these parlays and deliver the best combos after nine rounds will be the top patisserie plunderer.
This swashbuckling, family-weight game comes from Emily Vincent, and the 72 drool-inducing illustrations of food dishes (and 30 unique teas) are by Ammon Anderson and M.G. Patiño. Though this overview covers the prototype, the gameplay, mechanics, and components are pretty much finalized. You can expect to see this hit Kickstarter in March 2025!
X Marks the Pot
Throughout nine rounds, players will place their pirate on an action-selection space, then resolve actions in turn order from left to right. The main objective is to serve a set of tea and food to the captain, where a set consists of one tea and three delicacies. Players score doubloons based on the set configurations.
Each tea has two set requirements (specific ingredients, colors, etc.), and if players can satisfy both, they’ll receive a higher payout. Players can also “smash” cards by tucking extra cards behind the delicacies. This won’t result in higher scores, but it can help satisfy additional requirements to earn the combo bonus.
Players can also obtain gear (monkeys, parrots, and cannons) that can be spent on their turn to further their saltwater schemes. Gear can wipe markets or allow players to trash/draw additional cards. Each space either gives cards, tokens, or serves tea, but actions are resolved in left-to-right order—so the juicy pork bao might not be there when your turn comes around!
The game also includes an advanced variant with pirate captains that grant extra bonuses based on tea set configurations. And for the solo pirate crew, there’s a single-player mode.
Aye, but is it proper piratical etiquette to pinky up?
Pirates of the High Teas is a fun and snappy light game, perfect for families and pirate aficionados alike. The rules are simple to explain, but the ocean is deep with strategy. The timing of action placements is crucial to tea-ing up the perfect move.
Since there are only two action spots to serve tea, you won’t be delivering every round—which is okay! Sometimes, it’s better to spend rounds heavily prepping to maximize your return next time. Striking the right balance between collecting ingredients, acquiring useful gear, and actually serving your sets is key to success. It’s easy to get caught up in chasing the perfect combination, but flexibility is just as important—after all, the tides can change at any moment!
The action retrieval system adds another clever layer of decision-making. When actions are resolved left to right, the meeples are then pulled back in turn order. This prevents players from camping on the juicier spots (right side) and gives left-side players a chance at first dibs next round. It’s a small but effective mechanic that ensures a natural flow of competition and keeps the game from feeling predictable. No pirate wants to feel stuck swabbing the deck while others feast on sweet pastries, after all.
In my plays, I found different strategies finished relatively close in points, indicating a well-balanced, well-steeped brew. I’d recommend adding the pirate captain cards to each of your games. In the base game, the combo-making felt a little lacking, and with four players, there wasn’t much room to get a good drip going. The pirate captain cards give players more opportunities to prep their next serving by adding flexibility. The captains don’t just provide bonuses, they also subtly nudge players toward different strategies. This helps to keep games feeling fresh.
Overall, Pirates of the High Teas delivers a satisfying mix of light-hearted fun and strategic depth. The action selection and resource management mechanics blend seamlessly into the theme, making every decision feel like a true pirate’s dilemma. Should you rush to serve your tea and risk an incomplete set, or wait patiently to curate the perfect spread? Do you use your gear to secure an advantage, or save it for when the market shifts against you?
Though there is dramatic tension when the ideal spot is blocked or the market is unexpectedly wiped, there are always ways to pivot. No game of Pirates of the High Teas plays out exactly the same, thanks to the wide variety of tea and delicacy cards. While some players may find the gameplay a bit repetitive after multiple plays, the ever-changing combinations and the subtle interactions between opponents keep it engaging. The game never overstays its welcome, making it easy to play back-to-back for another round of high-seas tea service.
Whether you’re a seasoned strategist or just looking for a breezy, charming game to share with friends and family, Pirates of the High Teas is a delightful voyage worth embarking on. So grab your best teacup and cutlass, hoist the mainsail, and prepare to plunder pastries like a true high-society pirate. Just remember—proper etiquette demands that you pinky up, even when sailing the high teas.
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