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[RedSwirl]

For some reason the one part of a game that almost never fails to instantly draw me in for the long haul is when I first catch a glimpse of the world map and realize how much there is to explore. Some games take this opportunity to make really cool looking world maps that also give off a great sense of place.

The most recent game that really drew me into the world like this was The Witcher 2. As far as I've seen it's almost the only RPG world map that actually tries to look like a medieval map. I'd post it here to kick off the thread but it's slightly NSFW. For some reason the world map for Assassin's Creed II did this for me to despite being a map of an actual country.

 

[Deleted member 8095]

Super Mario World

Super Mario Land 2

Zelda:OoT

Zelda:LTTP

 

[trimon]

I was OBSESSED with this overworld. Studied the strategy guides. Looked for every secret spot.

EDIT: dammit! shouldn't have typed anything

 

[Platy]

damn first post ... please use some quotes on those images

 

[Dragoon En Regalia]

From Panzer Dragoon Saga—

I love the general rough overview this world map gives you, with its muted colors and sense of scale that makes one think that this map's more than what it seems. At the end of the game, this map practically represents the barren-ness of the Empire itself, having been disgraced and disheveled by the numerous peons of the System.

 

[Team Filler]

I don't think your LTTP picture is big enough.

Final Fantasy VII. You spend all this time in a very steampunk-esque city, battling an environment-killing corporation, and then BAM! Some old soldier named Sephiroth just killed who you thought was the big bad villain, your main character is starting to act unhinged, and it looks like shit is seriously about to get real. And then...you leave the city and realize you still have the rest of the world to visit.

Leaving Midgar in FFVII was a major "holy shit" moment.

 

[Videoneon]

The presentation in Glover is especially nifty.

The first one is Bomberman 64, for those who don't know.

It wasn't so much about what I was exploring but a..."neatness" of presentation. I may think of less organized games later.

 

[Deleted member 8095]

I don't think your LTTP picture is big enough.

Fixed it. Didn't realize it was so HUGE.

 

[trimon]

Also this one. The music and atmosphere was too good. (Donkey Kong Kountry 2)

 

[VARIA]

Link's Awakening had one of the best world maps out there. Not one single space was wasted.

 

[The Big Rig]

Just Cause 2... go blow shit up all over it.

 

[Man]

First area in The Secret World MMO:

Full map here: http://thamal.de/tsw/Kingsmouth_Town_marker.jpg

Also Silent Hill 1:

 

[Deleted member 8095]

How could I forget about:

WoW

 

[The_eJoker]

A Link to the Past. Amazing.

 

[Out of Working Order]

Ocarina of Time's map. Seeing whole swathes of it yet to appear at the start of the game made me excited for the hidden world of Hyrule waiting to be discovered. To me it seemed so huge back then.

Then there were the map/inventory sound effects. Ver-dum, ver-dum, bii-da-bertle-dem.

Loved it.

 

[arts&crafts]

skyrim because it is sort of 3d and awesome

Here is a bad example, looks better in game

 

[jett]

This is the one.

 

[Deleted member 8095]

The sheer size of the Morrowind map blew me away.

 

[Jawmuncher]

FF7 not even really the map itself, but rather when you were flying in the airship how on the map you could fly towards the bottom than show back up on the top.
Blew my minds as a kid.

 

[megalowho]

I'll never forget the Mass Effect galaxy map. Jumping around the Milky Way in that interface was, and continues to be, pretty awesome.

 

[Videoneon]

Weyard, of Golden Sun

Spoiler

1-2, just that 1 is a much smaller part of the whole map

 

[Kazerei]

Grand Theft Auto. It was the first open-world game I ever played. I'd just drive around the city for hours until I knew the map perfectly.

 

[hym]

There were many elements of Castle Crashers that sucked me in but I'm certain the world map was responsible for making my first playthrough sessions very long.

 

[Fix The Scientist]

GTA San Andreas map.

 

[Gartooth]

Not the most impressive one, but I remember it fondly.

 

[Spring-Loaded]

This is a point of contention I have with RDR's miniimap since the outline looks too modern. I would be fine with it if it looked like a compass or something, even though that wouldn't make much sense to have a compass that works like a GPS. It's like having foreign characters in movies speak with an accent; it doesn't make sense, yet it's less jarring than having no accent for some reason.

Shadow of the Colossus' map literally (sort of) sucks you into and out of the map whenever you bring it up; does that count?

GTA San Andreas map.

This is instantly recognizable to me solely for the black streets alone.

Not the most impressive one, but I remember it fondly.

Gah, this too.

 

[djplaeskool]

Skies of Arcadia

 

[Sarcastic Response]

Not the most impressive one, but I remember it fondly.

Oh God this. I would spend so much time as a kid just plotting different courses and rotating the map around. I still do to this day on StarFox 3D lol.

 

[Dragoon En Regalia]

This one's from Wonder Project J—

It's nothing too remarkable, but the music complementing it is wonderful, and the whole game's just full of charming little details, a few of which can be spotted on the map screen.

 

[LaserBuddha]

Gravity Rush has some pretty cool maps

 

[Bentendo]

Metroidvania maps are so great.

 

[Karsticles]

Still my favorite area of any RPG. Sometimes I just like to sit there and pretend...(Chrono Trigger).

 

[Blablurn]

I don't think your LTTP picture is big enough.

Final Fantasy VII. You spend all this time in a very steampunk-esque city, battling an environment-killing corporation, and then BAM! Some old soldier named Sephiroth just killed who you thought was the big bad villain, your main character is starting to act unhinged, and it looks like shit is seriously about to get real. And then...you leave the city and realize you still have the rest of the world to visit.

Leaving Midgar in FFVII was a major "holy shit" moment.

sooooo good! didnt expect that at all back then.

 

[Sneaky Gato]

Weyard, of Golden Sun

Spoiler

1-2, just that 1 is a much smaller part of the whole map

This for me. Such a good map with everywhere to go. Loved exploring the forests and finding Djinn and dungeons everywhere.

 

[QisTopTier]

Maps from the atelier series

 

[Man]

GhostBusters Sega Genesis / MegaDrive

 

[Yottamole]

Dragon Warrior III's map:

Spoiler

Google used Dragon Warrior's tileset to make the 8-bit Google Maps for this year's April Fools

 

[Mr_Appleby]

enormous jpg incoming..

looked awesome ingame. at the time. to my young eyes...

 

[MattKeil]

One of my favorites is the "living map" in Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle-Earth. It's beautifully done, animated in all the right places, and loops Grey Havens while you're on it. I would leave it to idle and do other things just because I found it so calming.

 

[Anteo]

Metroidvania maps are so great.

I loved Sector TRO, It keep getting bigger and bigger.

 

[Platy]

World Map Screens That Sucked You Into the Game

Well....

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

Star Control 2

 

[Shalashaska161]

I love how it gives you the impression that you're only exploring a small part of each continent. It's a nice trick that helps make the world feel huge and unique.

 

[Grayman]

Dereth of Asheron's Call

in a game with very fast movement even moving the indicator on that map took awhile.

6000pixel version. I think I had bigger topographical one before
http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/1826/249403-derethmap_2006_08_06.png

 

[Makonero]

So many fond memories.

Also awesome. Floating islands rock.

 

[Gartooth]

Also this one. The music and atmosphere was too good. (Donkey Kong Kountry 2)

Loved DKC2's world map. So colorful, varied, and full of character.

 

[jbueno]

Baten Kaitos maps were awesome. Really beautiful to look at and let the equally marvelous BGM playback.



And of course, the lovely Star Map quest.


EDIT. Pics of some regional maps on both BK1 & BK2.

 

[Anteo]

So many fond memories.

OK you win. Nostalgia.

 

[atbigelow]

A good world map is a big thing for me. With 2D platformers, I think I have been spoiled by the DKC series and Super Mario Worlds.

Special shout-out for Donkey Kong Country Returns' maps. Absolutely loved them.

 

[Kevin]

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/_...743!Red-Dead-Redemption-Detailed-Game-Map.jpg

Such a beautiful game and a damn shame it never came to the PC either.