Map
A Map is an item used in all of the Mario Role Playing Games. It shows Mario's current position in the world. It is received near the start of the game. In Mario & Luigi: Super Star Saga, one could get it by defeating the Border Bros. in a game of Border Jump. It is also received at the start of the game in Paper Mario and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.
In some games, such as Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, the Map is more of a feature rather than an item; these Maps (which are sometimes called map screens) are mere portals to the other places in the game. These types of Maps have even appeared in side-scrolling games such as Super Mario Bros. 3 (which was the first Mario game any type of Map appeared in) and Super Mario World. The Super Mario RPG Map is notable for being both a feature and an item, as it is used as a feature but given to Mario (by the Chancellor) as if it were an item. The Super Mario Sunshine Map was similarly "given" to Mario towards the beginning of the game (this time by a Pianta known to play for the Doot Doot Sisters), although this Map is not literally given as Mario could use it before it was "received" from the Pianta.
