File:Aincrad (LN).png

Summary
The original design of Aincrad in the Light Novel.

A coloured illustration on page 8 of Sword Art Online Volume 01 and Volume 02.

Latest image source: Ruranobe

Original image source: Gsimenas

Sword Art Online Volume 01 and 02, Yen Press release
Floating Castle: Aincrad

A castle of rock and iron comprising one hundred floors. Inside are countless cities, towns, villages, forests, plains and lakes. Only one staircase connects each floor to its adjacents, and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players within must navigate their way through these floors to the top, defeating powerful boss monsters with nothing more than the weapons in their hands. Outside of combat, there are also crafting disciplines like blacksmithing, leatherworking and sewing; productive endeavors such as fishing and cooking; and even creative pursuits such as playing musical instruments. Players are not limited to adventuring within this vast, virtual world―they can literally choose their own lifestyle within the game.
 * Aincrad is the setting of Sword Art Online, the very first example of the VRMMO genre.

Alternative translation
Gargantuan Game Castle; Aincrad

An iron-and-stone made castle consisting of 100 floors. Inside it are numerous cities, small towns and villages, forests, grasslands, and lakes. One stairway connects each floor to the previous and succeeding floor, and all of them are in dangerous labyrinth zones where monsters wander about. Players in this world rely on one weapon as they run past them, find the way to the upper floors, and take down strong guardian monsters, single-mindedly aiming for the top of the castle. Aside from battling with monsters, there are many scopes of play from manufacturing like smithing, leathercraft and sewing, to hunting and cuisine, to music. This is not merely adventuring in a vast field, «Life» is literally possible here.

«Aincrad» is the world set as the stage for «Sword Art Online», declared as the world's first in the VRMMO game genre.