Herrscher der Meere is a traditional German business simulation game. The player trades goods, explores ports or becomes a pirate. The player first needs to buy a ship out of five different ship types, then some goods needs to be acquired in order to become a trader. The game proceeds in real time and makes it possible to see other ships sail on the map as well as battle them. In friendly ports the player can build factories to produce one of the sixteen types of goods.