The default map editor is pretty OK, besides the fact that you can't have layers that aren't 64x64 tiles.
The controls aren't ever explained though...
Upper row of buttons:
0 1 2 3 - control which layers are displayed on the upper screen
- toggle upper screen grid
- zoom upper screen in/out
SCSAVE - save uncompressed data
0 1 2 3 - select light box layer
- lower screen grid
- exit
Lower row of buttons:
S - pen tool
F - rectangle tool
C - copy
A - ???
0 1 2 3 - select current layer
LOAD - load compressed data
SAVE - save compressed data
- undo
0/90/180/270 - select tile rotation
H - toggle tile left/right flipping
V - toggle tile up/down flipping
Buttons:
d-pad/circle-pad - scroll
L/R - color picker (does not get rotation/flipping)
X - exit
Y - menu:
A - load menu
A - load compressed
X - load uncompressed
B - save menu
A - save compressed
X - save uncompressed
Y - clear
B - back
Compressed map data is meant for saving/loading map files as you're working on them.
Uncompressed map data is 4 DAT files, one for each layer. These can be loaded with BGLOAD.