On the cursed shores of Ouroboros Island, a fearsome time storm has ruined several pirate ships in a desolate harbor. Even worse, you're cursed to live the same day over and over again until the time storm subsides!

At the beginning of each loop in Chrono Corsairs, players simultaneously select plans to place into their timeline. Then, you execute those plans to move your crew around the island. Events occur at the same time in the same place every loop, so as you explore the island, you'll unlock its secrets and learn to avoid its many dangers.

At the end of each loop, all the pieces on the board will reset as you collect treasure. Doubloons must be used to upgrade your crew, while time gems can be kept from loop to loop. As the time storm's intensity increases over the course of the game, it unlocks new scoring opportunities and makes strange anomalies. When the time storm breaks, the game is over and the pirate with the most treasure wins.