I've been playing Endless Ocean for some time now and it reminded something I always loved in games of any genre: maps. No matter if they're useful or useless; there are some of them I would like to hang on a wall as if they were real.

Manoa Lai's (the place where Endless Ocean's play occurs) map starts a little shy, but as you go to new places it "sheds its scales" and show us some life. It's simple but I like it.

Here I go with some of my favorite maps of all the time:

World 2 (Super Mario Bros. 3, NES)

The piece of map hidden behind that rock at the top-right corner of the screen amazed me when I found it. A huge 'III' lake, an extra Toad House and Hammer Brothers shooting fireballs! How could I ask for more?

Onett (Earthbound, SNES) and every other map in the game

The entire game is a pixelated masterpiece and the maps are just the icing on the cake. I love the cities' names based on the order they appear in the game (Onett, Twoson...)

Manhattan (TMNT – Tournament Fighters, NES)

I'm not sure if Manhattan citizens would be proud of their place after seeing this brief look at the city: Water Front, Down Town, Pirate Ship, and Sewer. That's all.

Castlevania (Castlevania III, NES) and every other map in the series

Castlevania has been an impressive place since the very first game. I always loved the maps in the series – both useful and useless – but I can't forgive Konami for not giving us a map in Castlevania II as the game (and players) screamed for one.

Koholint Island (Zelda – Link's Awakening, Game Boy) and every other modular map in the series

I think that modular maps in portable Zeldas (exception made to Phantom Hourglass) are the more functional in the series. And they look neat too.

'Behind Enemy Lines' (Jackal, NES) and every other vertical map

There's nothing special about it. I just like to unfold maps heading up.

Metro City (Final Fight, SNES, Arcade)

It's interesting how this one is placed 'over' the screen as if it was a transparent gif - way before transparent gifs existed.

Marahna (ActRaiser, SNES) and every other map that used Mode 7 effect

The only thing that Sega fans would allow you to brag about the SNES was the Mode 7 feature - it was a particular way of zooming images that looked really good when well used. Some good examples were the maps in ActRaiser series and in Illusion of Gaia, where you "dive" into.

Plan A (Battletoads, NES) and every other blue print map

Blueprints are super-cool; the game is super-hard; that together make a big pleasure when you manage to get into the next blueprint...

World Map (Wacky Races, NES)

This one is somewhat unique. Europe appearing before America, square lands, whales sailing over a beautiful blue sea and the Amazon River flowing into São Paulo... WHAT?! Never mind.