Topic: A map from every letter of the alphabet

[JonLeung]

At one point I wanted to see a console with at least one map from games beginning with each letter in the alphabet on a single console.  Then I thought it was silly, but I figured we'd reach it eventually.

Today, the Super NES has become the first console to have maps here from games beginning with each letter, thanks to a map from Vs. Collection (J) by Tropicon, fulfilling our previous lack of "V".

Easy to remember considering the Maps Of The Month that were chosen for this month - even though VVVVVV is on the PC.

Speaking of the PC, that and the Arcade atlases already achieved the feat of having at least one map from every letter...but considering their multi-generational nature, it's not surprising.  I think it's more of a feat for a single console, like the Super NES (yes, this includes the Super Famicom, nitpickers) to have reached this milestone.

If you look on the Directory listing, at first glance it might look like the Commodore 64 and NES have also achieved this.  However, considering that the listings can link to similar games if they are part of another platform's library, you'll find the C64 is actually missing maps from games beginning with J, K, N, O, R, T, U, V, W, Y and Z; that's a whopping eleven letters.  The NES is close, though...it's only missing the letter O.

Anyone want to map some Operation Wolf?  

[TerraEsperZ]

I've actually mapped the first half of Over Horizon, a neat but often forgotten little NES shooter. I meant to finish mapping the whole thing up until recently (which is why I hadn't sent anything) but that doesn't look like it'll happen anytime soon. I'm sending what I've done right now so I guess you get to double your wish!

[JonLeung]

Nice!  Thanks, Terra, for the Over Horizon (E) maps to finish off the alphabet for the NES atlas!

Funny how the NES and Super NES both had the alphabet finished off with games not released in North America, as well.

As amusing as this was, please don't all start mapping games that begin with Q or Z for obscure consoles just because. 

[Trop]

You know what's funny?  That was the reason I did Vs. Collection in the first place.  I wanted to fill in every letter at vgmapper and I needed V.  Verne World would have taken too long and Vortex was too strange so Vs. Collection it was.  Same reason I did Q Bert too.

[StarFighters76]

Here's a question. While it's good to get every letter, what about every number? Or would A number suffice for a full completion?

[JonLeung]

Well, it's not so much that it's good to get "every letter" just because; I think it's just one neat indication of how popular or complete an atlas is, but is obviously minor and not truly relevant because there's no guarantee that every letter will even be covered - by worthwhile games - in the lifespan of a console.

(I wonder if I should remove the letter links for the obvious ones...for example I recall offhand that the Virtual Boy only has a dozen games, which obviously can't cover the alphabet even if they all started with a different letter.)

The atlases I noticed above which have the full alphabet also have at least one game with a title beginning with a number.  Not all numbers, just at least one.  I don't recall seeing one with a full alphabet but without a numbered game.  But numbered games are uncommon, so I think it's a stretch to expect to have 0-9 covered, and even if there were games beginning each of those digits, then it would put too much emphasis on mapping those few games.

As neat as this was, I didn't really push for it.  I think there are better reasons to map games.  If we're going to map games just for the sake of checking them off a list, I think that energy could be better focused on things like the Nintendo Power or Game Boy checklists.