Who remembers unfolding a physical map and reading it on the hood of your car or held up over the dashboard? Bonus points if you were able to fold it back up to its original state.
Most people who grew up in the 70s, 80s, and 90s may remember these road maps, either from a visitor’s center or gas station while on vacation or on a visit to a local AAA office. They may also remember being able to buy a Thomas Bros. guide book at a convenience store like Rite Aid or Walgreens. Nowadays, maps are available at one’s fingertips, thanks to technology.
This week, we’re celebrating National Read a Road Map Day, to consider and learn of a time when people referred to a foldout or page of a map for a city or neighborhood. In turn, we’ll be listening to tracks from video games that have some interesting maps: a hero charged with saving a princess in a dark world, a space hunter chasing after a creature, and a world where dragons roam and guards complain about arrows to their knees.
Perhaps there’s a game you’ve played in which the map was fascinating to read and interact in game…
20 Amazing In-Game Maps That Did More Than Show the Way Forward
Track Listing
Intro: “King of the Road” – composed by Roger Miller, from the album “The Return of Roger Miller”
“Hyrule Field Main Theme” – [The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past] – composed by Koji Kondo
“A Link to the Past: Hyrule Field Orchestral Arrangement” – arranged by The Noble Demon
“Tallon Overworld Main Theme” – [Metroid Prime] – composed by Kenji Yamamoto, Kouichi Kyuma
“Solitude” – remixed by zircon & C-GPO, from the album “Harmony of a Hunter”
“Dragonborn (Theme)” – [The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim] – composed by Jeremy Soule
“Skyrim Main Theme Cover (A Capella)” – covered by Johannes Johansson and Petra Liden
Outro (Listener’s Request): “Mario Kart 3DS Rainbow Road Remix” – [Mario Kart DS] – composed by Shinobu Tanaka, remixed by Shootkapow
Podcast: Play in new window | Download