Can't get enough of The Hobbit? Try Google's cool map of Middle Earth

Warner Bros has teamed up with Google for a promotion for the second installment of The Hobbit which is sure to provide Tolkien fans hours of entertainment: a Google Chrome experiment that presents the vast layout of Tolkein’s Middle Earth in a 3D, interactive form. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, which released in India last Friday, is set in Middle Earth, the fictional land where JRR Tolkien set his stories. The Google interface maps all the important landmarks in this world, and makes references to characters from both The Hobbit as well as the Lord of the Rings trilogy. [caption id=“attachment_1294253” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] A screengrab of the Middle Earth map. Image courtesy Google[/caption] By clicking on territories, such as Rivendell, the land of the elves, the viewer can not only view the land but also visit the histories of the elves and learn about their cultures. Actor Ian McKellen does a voice-over as the wizard Gandalf, explaining the land and its stories. The map also includes character bios, and also locations which are only in the second movie - such as Lake Town, The Misty Mountain and so on - are also in the map. Once you finish going through each area, you’ll get a chance to play an interactive game. Try your hand at archery in Lake Town or avoid the wrath of Smaug with clever responses.