Pirates

Better Looking
More accessible to more players
Cooler Toys
More fun to play

POTC has kept its value because it generally is an earner - which means the general public like it.

BBH, short ball times and has that one more play feel to it. POTC is a good game but is more stop and go and can have games that last forever.

Pirates

If I had to pick between POTC and BBH as my only pin...I'd choose POTC all day long.

Ive owned both in a small <4 pin lineup. Id choose BBH over POTC. Hitting the buck is much more satisfying than the ship. Despite POTC having the better theme; having a sub and shaker with shotgun blasts and bird multiball is awesome. Both have their design issues; for POTC its the chest - rules for the chest + ball exit of the chest is pretty clunky hitting the right slinger and adding time for the player to actually flip. For BBH its the ELK flipper being open during elk multiball and letting the shooter lane fill up with balls. But, The elk flipper becomes a much better toy when the heavy ELK figurine is removed; it makes for a much faster 'snappier' action flipper (highly recommend).

POTC rules insert matrix looks good in theory and dynamic of the compass looks cool, but final implementation is a bit lackluster and the rewards could have been better thought out. In the end, the matrix isnt really all that necessary as it comes down to one or 2 objectives every single game and all the other stuff just happens by itself making the game more of a repetitive grind to achieve the final wizard mode.

BBH has a more straightforward, breadth like challenging ruleset. That coupled with shorter ball times gives it the thumbs up over POTC for me in a small (one pin) lineup.

Both have great multiball rules and stacking; but hitting that Buck and getting the spinner buck super jackpot is so much more satisfying than anything on POTC.

Neither are great games, but both are still very fun in their own way. Both are probably a little overpriced IMO but i give the nod to BBH for the fun factor and breadth.

EDIT: There's also a lot more flipper action for the player in BBH - more in your face like IM & Avatar. POTC is more like shoot something then watch stuff happen for a bit before you get to flip again - this gets old quick in a small (one pin) lineup.

I vote potc.

Pirates with the easy win

BBH. ... Easy win. Frog flippin' mode

Not that rankings mean much, but POTC is #53 and BBH is #242 on the pinside rankings. I don't think either would be my choice in a one pin collection though.

There is no flow in Pirates. The main shots end up with stops and many of the returns are to posts/slings and not flippers. The right orbit/return going to bounce off the sling is annoying for those looking for control/flow.

POTC has more to do but longer ball times. I'd go with POTC in a one game collection.

BBH is still the most played pin I own and is deeper than people think.
Seriously good fun and humour.
Themed games become dated and in most cases S U C K ! !

Pirates gets my vote.

Piratas don't get my vote. Last time I played a pirate I got away with some credits in it.

Like some said before, there is no flow in the game. Only one shot in seven came to flippers, all other 6 goes to bumpers or captive ball.

I never played BBH...

I see that you owned a BBH,,,, you should know how it plays so just for a change up alone I would go with POTC.