The Map Screen | Super Mario World

This series of videos will look at the design and function of maps in videogames through a cartographic lens. In this episode-Super Mario World. Released in 1990 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, it replaced the use of fractured "worlds" from previous games with one massive, interactive map for players to explore, thematically tying together every stage of the game to create both a more immersive experience, as well as an engaging way for players to revisit and replay previous levels.
Acknowledgments and links:
Intro sound effects: ZapSplat: www.zapsplat.com/license-type...
Candy Land, LIFE, and Sorry! images (in order): Becky Bokern, Cliff Muller, JD Winkerman
Super Mario World music: Nintendo (Koji Kondo), via KHInsider
1990 London Tube Map: www.clarksbury.com/cdl/maps.html
All other transit maps were found at respective transit authority websites: Tokyo JP, Madrid ES, Boston MA, Rio de Janeiro BR, Washington DC, Auckland NZ
Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Mario World instruction manuals: Nintendo

[@HillHand]

I like the idea that "overworlds" are special because they are kind of like metro maps (abstracted and loosely scaled), but designed and drawn in such a way that the actual terrain itself seems to simply *be* that way by happenstance.

[@AaronKoelker]

Yes, much more organic and natural in feel by comparison

[@ShinkouMakurayami]

Pokemon gen 2 would make for an interesting video. That moment after you get into Kanto and pull up the map to see the entirety of gen 1 there, but with minor tweaks/changes to explore?

[@AaronKoelker]

Yeah I'd like to cover a Pokemon map at some point, that'd be a good one