Without a question, Lith Harbor is S tier Like a second home where you set your foot right after Maple Island. Along with the log-in screen, the most nostalgic BGM, Feeling like you are in a beach to play just by being there. Easily accessible junk equips for dummy scrolling, Undeniably the best town
I echo bonobono's sentiment. ^ Lith Harbor: S-tier. For one, it has the best BGM in the game, no question, and the visuals are really something else. I especially like the surrounding maps. They feel really fresh, as if everything is covered by morning dew, and they are calm and nice; the perfect place for a beginner adventurer. Henesys, Perion, Ellinia, Kerning City, Sleepywood: A-tier. I am forced to put them in A-tier, only to make Lith Harbor stand out. One can't begin to choose a favourite: Henesys is undeniably iconic a social hub, and its surrounding maps have fun layouts that really make the most of the platforming aspect of the game. Ellinia maps might be considered 'meh' (the sloping platforms are a bit of a nuisance) but the tree dungeons save the day. The BGMs and visuals throughout are world class. Perion, at first glance, doesn't seem like a nice place. It's arid and harsh, but that works in its favour; it's dangerous, and that is its appeal. Truly befitting of a warrior class. Kerning City is a multifaceted place, and the dozens of hours spent standing in wait, with track, outside of KPQ, cements it as a favourite, even though I was never a fan of the subway areas. Plus, one must applaud the creatitivity of the designers when it came to adding the mangrove swamp-like sewers. Such an unexpected choice for the place. Lastly, Sleepywood, the crème de la crème of mystery on Victoria Island. I still remember Ant Tunnel being utterly swamped with players in 2005's GMS. The first sight of yellow charms of the undead, flapping about on the foreheads of Zombie Mushrooms will forever be etched into my memory. And the sauna, how many hours did I spend in there for no good reason other than to hang around with other maplers...? Nautilus Harbor: The town is not bad, but it doesn't have that 2003-aura. You can definitely tell the design had taken a different direction by the time it was introduced. As I had more or less quit GMS by the time Pirates were released, this town has little sentimental value to me. As such, it can't hold a candle to the others.
everyone has brought such interesting thoughts about each town. i went on an OST binge after reading your responses and it was a real nostalgia trip
Henesys (A) + Some of the mushrooms look like adult toys + Eating shrooms grants you funny psychedelic trips - Mom and dad lives near Henesys. They are always against my psychedelic trips as well as my marriage Ellinia (C) + Many interesting plants to use as "healing herbs" + Grendel likes to massage my shoulders - Grendel likes to massage the rest of my body Lith Harbour (S) + Jane strips for me in her cute bunny maid costume - Phil is discriminating me for having a job and charges extra Kerning City (D) + Can climb up the construction sites and jump down to end myself when life is tough - Lots of thieves stealing and exploding my mesos - Swamp is smelly Perion (B) + Inhabitants are hot + Wares are hot - Everything's just freaking hot - I don't like getting sweaty Nautilus (C) + Lots of seamen here. Ho ho + Sharks are cute + Myoni shark lives here - I don't like pirates. They torrent my games so I make less money Sleepywood (B) + Sauna sex is kinda sweet - Old man in sauna always stares so I can't have sauna sex in peace - Built town right next to a dangerous dungeon It's a difficult list to rank honestly, since all towns have some annoying stuff going on. But I tried my best
(S Tier) Perion + Has the most easiest accessible FM in Victoria Island + Ore Refine NPC right beside FM + Spinel NPC + Not too big to navigate, plus there's a TP at the bottom to bring you near the FM - Boring BGM (A Tier) Henesys + Has a FM, not as easily accessible as Perion's, but it's there + Has NPC to Amoria + Spinel NPC + Pet Food / Revitalizer NPC + Good BGM - HPQ and Ariant PQ that nobody does - Town is split into 3 seperate maps Kerning City + Can travel by Subway to NLC + Can travel to Singapore + Spinel NPC + KPQ and CPQ right next to each other + Good BGM - No FM Available (B Tier) Ellinia +Spinel NPC + Boat to Orbis + Magic Seed to Leafre + Good BGM - Taxi to Sleepywood, easier to use Town Scroll - No FM Available - / + Very big map can be annoying to navigate, however there's a TP at the bottom to bring you to the top (C Tier) Nautillus Harbor +Has a FM + Warp to Omega Sector (quest required but can't be repeated, and can only get 5 warps per character) + Good BGM - Map is way too big to navigate -Not many people come here, just for quests / job adv (D Tier) Lith Harbor +Florina Beach NPC + Good BGM - Taxi to Sleepywood, easier to use Town Scroll -No FM Available - Not many people come here, mostly just for quests Sleepywood -Not many people come here, just for bosses/quests/ 3rd job adv - Boring BGM