Thanks! I checked out your products quick - very cool. Is your NES homebrew listed though (I only saw other systems)?
Each level in Story Mode has a password (not a LONG password like NES games usually have - it's a 4 character password using upper/lower case). You'll have to start at the beginning of the level, but you definitely don't have to play through the whole game in 1 sitting.
Actually, I'm quite pleased with how the mapping turned out. You have 4 scouts that you can send out at a time. When they are fully upgraded, each scout can go out and map 5 squares each. Plus, you can send out 4 groups of Wizards (each group mapping 6 squares when fully upgraded). That's a lot of coverage once you get to the point of having things upgraded. It's just like any RTS where things speed up as you play. Also, when you send out guys to map the land, you'll be busy with other things like troop training, building your town, etc.