Pirate Ship Higemaru

About

Pirate Ship Higemaru casts you as Momotaro, a sailor who defends his ship by chucking barrels, drums, and bags at waves of pirates. You can’t strike enemies directly, your weapon is pure object-throwing. Pirates get flung offscreen when hit, and smashing barrels or objects against walls nets points. Each floor is a puzzle of positioning and timing, with hidden bonuses under stacks. Clear floors by defeating all pirates, including a regenerating boss called the Bow. Every fourth level becomes a high-stakes challenge with extra points and a squad of non-regenerating Bows. The game’s charm lies in its escalating difficulty. Pirates move faster and act smarter as floors progress, forcing you to adapt. Destroy 16 barrels to earn a brief invincibility power-up, letting you mow down enemies on contact. After 16 levels, the game resets to level one’s difficulty but keeps increasing enemy counts and reshuffling stage layouts, a killer loop that can trigger unpassable screens. Released in 1984, it supports split-screen, though most players tackle it solo. Its simple, frantic gameplay still holds up for fans of old-school arcade persistence.