For this month's "Maps Of The Month" featurette, I wish to draw your attention to Cleeem's and TerraEsperZ's Equinox (Super NES) maps.
Shadax, the hero of Galadonia, has been captured by the evil witch, Sonia. It is up to Shadax's son, Glendaal, to make his way to Sonia's Ice Palace to save him, as well as all the kingdoms of the world. That's the entire premise of this perilous adventure of platforms and puzzles!
Equinox on the Super NES is the sequel to Solstice on the NES, and both are puzzle-laden adventures presented in isometric view. Both colourful and challenging, maps of these games are the kind that not only would you like to merely look at - for their tints and hues - but, if you are playing this, you might have to refer to - for any hints and clues. These are pretty maps, and pretty
useful maps, too.
Cleeem took on the maps of the eight underground/interior areas, with all these platforms, blocks and spikes. The dungeon under Galadonia is barely more than a couple passageways, but it doesn't take long before you will need some assistance when navigating the sprawling labyrinths of Quagmire or Afralona. TerraEsperZ took on the overworld map, a rotating plane, courtesy of the Super NES's "Mode 7". To conquer it, fancy math had to be employed, and the end result is a crisp and clear map of the kingdoms of the world of Equinox, which is actually sharper than what is seen from actual Super NES hardware.
Just as the term "equinox" refers to when daytime and nighttime equally share a day, Cleeem and TerraEsperZ can claim the "Maps Of The Month" honour together.
So to recognize the effort put into team-mapping this puzzlish isometry, Cleeem's and TerraEsperZ's Equinox (Super NES) maps will be known as VGMaps.com's Maps Of The Month for September 2020.
