Pirate game so good we literally bought it twice is coming to phones/tablets for FREE

Age of Booty is a brilliant RTS from whichever angle you look at it. Sometimes I select the game on my PS3's XMB just to listen to its piratey theme music loop round. AI pirate names like 'Ol' Two-Patch' (which would admittedly be rather harsh if it were a real person) still make me laugh, years after its release. And now I'm laughing all over again as not only is Age of Booty being ported to iPad and iOS, it's going to be free to play!

The conversion is being handled by Chaotic Moon, who don't appear to have done anything we've heard of (except a Pizza Hut app), yet think very highly of themselves if their website is anything to go by. If you have a look, prepare to feel sad because you'll be met with this lovely first impression:

Above: More creative, more fun and smarter than you? Gee, thanks...

...which kinda makes me not want to promote their game any more. But let's be professional, eh?

Apparently, fan requests and criticism have been taken into account for this conversion, meaning there will be some new additions to the gameplay. That will include cross-platform multiplayer between not only iPhone and iPad but also Android devices if this picture is anything to go by. Fortunately, the original's 3D graphics have made the leap intact and that lovely piratey art style remains, complete with the cast of AI characters. 

Above: 'Free to play 3D pirate game'? That's music to our 3D piratey ears

In case you haven't realised yet, someone on the GamesRadar teams LOVES Age of Booty. But why did I buy it on XBLA after already owning it on PSN? I dunno, 'chievements, I s'pose...

The game doesn't have an official release date yet, but if those screens are really from the iOS version, it looks like it's quite a way along already. More soon, yarr.