World size

Map size refers to the size of a Terraria world. Upon creation, on the  PC version,  Console version,  Mobile version,  Old Chinese version,  tModLoader version, and  tModLoader 1.3-Legacy version, the player can select either "small", "medium", or "large" for the size of the map to generate. On the  Windows Phone version and Nintendo 3DS version, the player can select either "normal" or "expanded". The worlds are smaller due to less storage. An "expanded" world is the equivalent of a "small" world.

Dimensions of the different map sizes are as follows: (one block = two feet)

Map	Size of map (feet)	Size of map (blocks)	Accessible area (feet)	Accessible area (blocks)	Floating Islands
Normal	3500 × 1800	1750 × 900	3486 × 1786	1743 × 893	2–5
Small / Expanded	8400 × 2400	4200 × 1200	8234 × 2234	4117 × 1117	2–3
Medium	12800 × 3600	6400 × 1800	12634 × 3434	6317 × 1717	4–6
Large	16800 × 4800	8400 × 2400	16634 × 4634	8317 × 2317	4–8

Map Size Comparison

Different world sizes may be better suited for different purposes. Players may find that creating many small worlds may be more efficient than creating large worlds due to the amount of memory needed.

Advantages of Small Worlds

Everything is closer and quicker to reach:

• Getting to specific locations like the Dungeon, Jungle and Oceans requires less walking.
• Building skybridges, subways, teleporters, and hellevators is quicker and less costly.
• Less digging is required to reach the Underworld.
• Floating Islands are lower and therefore easier to find.
• Wyverns spawn closer to the ground and are therefore easier to farm.
  • Note though that this can be a double-edged sword as simply being above the treetops can trigger them to spawn.
• Ores are potentially easier to find.
• The Corruption/Crimson/Hallow is easier to control.
• It is easier to find the Jungle Temple.
• Retrieving liquids such as water and lava with buckets or pumps is quicker and easier.
• Meteors are easier to locate.
• The world generates, saves, and loads faster.

Advantages of Large Worlds

There is more space to build and explore:

• The Wyvern spawn level is higher making above-ground housing safer at low altitudes.
• Conversely, there is more below-ground space that counts as "surface", which can be used for farms of "surface-only" plants like trees or mushrooms.
• The Underworld is longer, potentially giving more time to defeat the Wall of Flesh.
• The Celestial Towers will be more spread out, reducing the likelihood of the player's base and NPC homes being overrun.
• There is a greater chance of having lakes big enough for fishing in surface biomes.
• The surface terrain tends to be more varied and interesting.

There is more "stuff" in the world:

• There are more total chests and pots underground per world.
• There is more ore, and more ore will generate in Hardmode.
• There is more wood already grown and more room to plant trees.
• There are more Jungle Shrines.
• There are more Enchanted Sword Shrines.
• There are more Floating Islands.
• The Dungeon is larger, with a greater chance to have all three Dungeon Wall types.
• There are more Corruption/Crimson chasms and Demon Altars. This also means there would be more hardmode ores to generate.
• The evil biome or hallow is less likely to spawn near the Jungle
• There are more Shadow Orbs/Crimson Hearts to destroy, which drop unique and valuable items.
• There is a higher chance of generating Pyramids.
• The Jungle Temple is larger and possibly contains more traps and Lihzahrd Power Cells.
• More meteorite crash sites can be in the world at one time.
  • Like with Wyvern spawn heights, this can also be a double-edged sword as a higher number of meteorite blocks are required in the world to prevent more meteorites from spawning and potentially destroying landscapes or player built structures.