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Happy 41st birthday to the NES!

Thought I'd take this oportunity to make a collage of the boxes of the 104 officially-licensed North American NES games that we still don't have maps for...

Interestingly, there are two Mel Gibson movie games next to each other alphabetically - Lethal Weapon and Mad Max.
There are four Schwarzenegger movie games - Last Action Hero, Predator, The Terminator, and Total Recall.  (I don't think Conan counts...)

Are there any games here that are surprising that they haven't been mapped yet?

[Window Size = x1]

Though, yes, you may have noticed the maps aren't 1:1.  Timbrewulf and I have talked about it.  But I'm still happy to have these maps as they are, maybe it'll draw more attention to Lovish.  Fans of puzzly platformers should check it out!  I 100%ed it earlier this year, and it was quite satisfying to do so, especially the timed challenges.  I got it for free through a giveaway on social media, but I'd happily have paid for it, considering how much fun I had playing it.

Well, yes, I noticed they're not 1:1, mainly because the game's engine is made with Clickteam Fusion. I'm not disappointed. I'm sure Timbrewulf will revise the maps to be 1:1 later with the select, proper tools suited for ripping Clickteam made game maps.

I don't think that Clickteam Fusion has much to do with it... At least not specifically...

By playing the game windowed, with the options of Window Size = x1 and Soft Pixels = OFF, the pixels come out 1:1 and clean.

Or when playing the game fullscreen, set your display to 1280 x 768, and set the options to Window Size = Fullscreen 1 and Soft Pixels = OFF, then do a pixel resize to 25% (since 1280 x 768 is four times larger in each dimension to 320 x 192, the original resolution).

I think it's important to consider checking the options to games with the retro aesthetic.  Mapping seems more "right" with 1:1, unfiltered graphics.

Anyways, most of the Lovish maps have now been corrected to be 1:1, so thanks again to TimbreWulf, especially for putting up with my concerns.

[TimbreWulf]

Probably the newest game on my list has been mapped by TimbreWulf!  It's the indie game, Lovish!

It's a retro-styled puzzlish platformer, with most stages being a single screen, where you try to unlock the exit and then make your way to it.  It's got some fun references to other games, like in the fun scenes in between each challenge.  I'm not so demanding as to ask for all those random events to all be mapped, LOL.

Though, yes, you may have noticed the maps aren't 1:1.  Timbrewulf and I have talked about it.  But I'm still happy to have these maps as they are, maybe it'll draw more attention to Lovish.  Fans of puzzly platformers should check it out!  I 100%ed it earlier this year, and it was quite satisfying to do so, especially the timed challenges.  I got it for free through a giveaway on social media, but I'd happily have paid for it, considering how much fun I had playing it.

The fourth stage, the Kingdom Of Mirrors, has this rocking music.  The official YouTube video of this music track only has 178 views as of now - probably half of those are mine, LOL, as I've come back to this several times this year when I play YouTube music in the background while I work.  This game is seriously underrated, and more gamers should check it out.

Just a silly Short I quickly whipped up.
When I saw the Tesla Roadster, a flying car that can also drive up walls and the ceiling, I was immediately reminded of the Sophia The 3rd tank from the NES game, Blaster Master.

Locations 53:
1 World Maps raw: size reduced to 25% to allowable filesize

Have you seen the sizes of some of the larger maps on here?

I don't think there would be any problem with us hosting the 1:1 full city map of The Punisher on here.  In fact, I'd prefer it over a reduced one.

Well, I would still prefer that the maps get emailed to me.  The email address can be found on the main page on the left side where it says "CONTRIBUTE", then just replace the "(at)" with a "@".

Bonk's Adventure for the NES has been mapped by Dan_, and Bonk's Adventure: Arcade Version (that's really the name of the game) for the arcade is currently being mapped by George s (a level at a time, and we literally got another one today).
(I find it funny that there's a game called Bonze Adventure that is totally unrelated but it also stars a bald guy, but it's a monk, not a caveman.  Calling it "Monk's Adventure" would also be funny.)

But yeah, you can see on my shortlist of the 24 games that VGMaps.com surprisingly didn't have mapped by its 24th anniversary that your recently-mapped Keith Courage In Alpha Zones and Bonk's Adventure made the cut, representing the TurboGrafx 16.  I mean, it's the pack-in game and the mascot game!  Come on!

So if you are interested in doing the Bonk games on TurboGrafx 16, or any of the other requests in my personal requests topic, please consider doing so!

I didn't have a TurboGrafx 16 growing up, but my cousin did, and so my brother and I played a lot of Final Lap Twin on it when we visited them in 1993.  This console took a back seat to the Super NES and Sega Genesis (certainly in North America, and with less than 100 games), but as I love the 8- and 16-bit era, it's a still mostly-untapped well of potential retro maps that I would love to see more of here.  Besides the four games I specifically requested, it would be nice to see more of whatever are considered the iconic, must-play games for the TurboGrafx 16, because I'm not sure what they are, to be honest, but I feel that if even Bonk's Adventure hasn't been mapped, then there must be more!

(Oh, yeah, my brother did get me a TurboGrafx 16 Mini last Christmas.  I should probably play more on it besides Ys: Book I & II, heh.  If only a second controller wasn't separate and expensive...)

Thanks, they're up now:
https://vgmaps.com/Atlas/TG16/index.htm#KeithCourageInAlphaZones

I thank you further here:
https://www.vgmaps.com/forums/index.php?topic=2478.msg24361#msg24361

[TimbreWulf]

The other request fulfillment that is also a big deal today is that newcomer TimbreWulf mapped out the TurboGrafx 16 game, Keith Courage In Alpha Zones!

I mean, come on, it's a launch game, a pack-in game, for a retro console, in the same era as the popular NES, Super NES, and Sega Genesis!  Anyone the least bit familiar with the TurboGrafx 16 is likely to know of this game!

Here's the updated infographic of my wishlist I made on VGMaps.com's 24-year anniversary, hoping to get more of these mapped before the 25th.  Fifth game in five months since, that's like one a month.  Gonna have to almost triple that rate (19 games in seven months!) to get them all done by then!

Thanks, TimbreWulf!

[zagato blackfist]

zagato blackfist came through with another one of my NES requests, this time for Parasol Stars: The Story Of Bubble Bobble III (E)!

It's yet another confusing Bubble Bobble sequel... the box says "Parasol Stars: Rainbow Islands II" or "Parasol Stars: Rainbow Islands 2" - I'm still not sure if both are actually legit or if certain European countries got one or the other - and then the in-game title (which VGMaps.com usually goes with) is "Parasol Stars: The Story Of Bubble Bobble III" (since Rainbow Islands is a sequel to Bubble Bobble, though there are two different Rainbow Islands games on the NES, and neither one is "Bubble Bobble: Part 2", yet another sequel also on the NES...) What a mess...

I requested it since there are still new Bubble Bobble games made to this day, and now that this is mapped I think we (probably) now have every NES game featuring currently active video game characters!

Thanks again, zagato blackfist!

Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin

For this month's "Maps Of The Month" featurette, I wish to draw your attention to G.E.R.'s Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin (DS) maps.

The Castlevania series celebrates its 40th anniversary this year! The Famicom Disk System release of Akumajou Dracula (which the West would later get as "Castlevania" on the NES) was near the end of September 1986, and a new game, Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, will be released this month! Quite a treat for a series that has been dormant, at least in the sense of new games, as Castlevania has mostly been about crossovers and collections lately...

And close to halfway between 1986's Castlevania and 2026's Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is 2006's Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin!

During World War II, the agony and hatred of countless lost souls allow the vampire, Brauner, to recreate Dracula's castle. Jonathan Morris, wielder of the legendary "Vampire Killer" whip and the son of John Morris (from Castlevania: Bloodlines), and his friend and skilled sorceress, Charlotte Aulin, take on the duty to take on Dracula. This time, painting-like portals throughout the castle add some variety to the settings of this Castlevania adventure.

These worlds range from a London city street to an Egyptian pyramid to a bizarre circus-themed area with rotated and upside-down portions where gravity is pointed inwards for most creatures, but not for Jonathan and Charlotte.  And G.E.R. has mapped all of these for our viewing pleasure!

So to recognize the effort put into mapping one of the "Metroidvania" Castlevania games, G.E.R.'s Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin (DS) maps will be known as VGMaps.com's Maps Of The Month for October 2026.

Dang, my YouTube channel's a decade old?

Ten years ago today, I posted this video:

Slightly awkward and not as polished. But feeling cringe at past videos proves that I've gotten better since then!

[zagato blackfist]

Last night, zagato blackfist got through THREE of my four NES requests, Bomberman, Crash 'N The Boys: Street Challenge, and Stanley: The Search For Dr. Livingston...!

Bomberman I requested because I think it was the remaining NES game whose protagonist is still a (somewhat) known character today, so it's just nice to get the history of legacy characters.  Not that the remaining NES games all have nobodies... I'll have to check again, but I doubt there are many games (certainly in the North American library) with characters still currently having games so that younger games would recognize them.  The first Bomberman game has random stages that look rather "samey", but I'm glad zagato still thought it was worth doing (aside from wanting all the NES games mapped anyway, that is).

Crash 'N The Boys is always enjoyable.  I always like the River City/Kunio-Kun games.  Almost every time that my brother and I play, the three events we play are the 400 Meter Hurdles, Hammer Throw, and Swimming.  The Hammer Throw music often gets stuck in my head, randomly!  As a short game, I was kinda surprised this wasn't mapped yet... now that's not an issue.

Stanley: The Search For Dr. Livingston I have more memories of reading about it in Nintendo Power and being impressed with how epic it looks, than actually playing the game.  Still, I like to see games that present an actual adventure get mapped.

Thanks again and as always, zagato blackfist!

The current remaining NES game map request is for Bill & Ted's Excellent Video Game Adventure, which again is like Stanley... though I had attempted to play it back in the day and didn't get far, so maps would be great for if I ever try again!

I wonder if I should add more NES games to my requests list... surely there must be something else I want to see nearly as much or even more than Bill & Ted.  But I think we've only got a little more than 100 official North American games remaining, so it's not surprising if there's not much that I personally really want to see other than that every one mapped gets us closer to the goal of having every NES game here on VGMaps.com!

EDIT: Though I would like to see the North American NES library prioritized, I had to add the PAL exclusive, Parasol Stars: The Story Of Bubble Bobble III (also known as "Parasol Stars: Rainbow Islands II/2", as if the series isn't confusing enough already).  After all, there are still new Bubble Bobble games, I think?  So Bomberman wasn't the last character still recognizeable by younger gamers today from unmapped NES games if including European NES games...

Quest 64

For this month's "Maps Of The Month" featurette, I wish to draw your attention to VGCartography's Quest 64 (N64) maps.

The Nintendo 64's release in North America was 30 years ago from the end of this month! This would be a great time to honour the map set for Super Mario 64... but we did that already. The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time? Mario Kart 64? Super Smash Bros.? Paper Mario? Already recognized. What else is iconic on the Nintendo 64 that we could praise on this milestone anniversary?

Why, Quest 64, of course!

That's a bit of a joke, of course, but though derided for being short and simplistic, Quest 64 is also acknowledged as being one of very few RPGs on the Nintendo 64. Perhaps because of, and despite, its infamy, it has its fans, and not all for irony.

One such fan is VGCartography, who has mapped out all of the polygons of the island of Celtland.  The apprentice Spirit Tamer, Brian, sets off to find his father, who disappeared while searching for Eletale's Book, a powerful tome of magic that has been stolen and misused.  With these maps covering Kennishire all the way to Brannoch Castle, all marked with elemental gem locations and monster stats, you may be able to help Brian save Celtland!

So to recognize the effort put into mapping this infamous Nintendo 64 RPG, VGCartography's Quest 64 (N64) maps will be known as VGMaps.com's Maps Of The Month for September 2026.

LTIan, I know it's super-frustrating that you've been asking for maps of Looney Tunes games for over a decade, and your requests never get fulfilled.

But ask yourself... how does it help your case to demand that ALL map requests stop?

It's not a personal attack on you if other people don't love the Looney Tunes games as much as you do, and others' requests being granted (which is still rare) is not meant to be a snub towards you.

[Spanettone]

Spanettone has mapped the GBA game, Gunstar Super Heroes!

The original on the Genesis is much-loved, I feel like the GBA game should be remembered too, and now that Spanettone has mapped it, it is better preserved.

Thanks for your continued work in the GBA atlas, qwert_vs_qwerty!

Checking it off from the list that I made on VGMaps.com's 24th anniversary, this is where we are at now: