Desert Hills (theme)

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"Desert Hills"
"Desert Hills" in Mario Kart DS
Wario racing on Desert Hills
Composed by:
Shinobu Nagata
Key G Mixolydian
Time signature 4
4 (Common time)
First appearance Mario Kart DS (2005)
Latest appearance Mario Kart World (2025)
Quoted by
"Dry Dry Ruins" (Mario Kart Wii)

"Desert Hills"[1] is a musical theme composed by Shinobu Nagata for Mario Kart DS, where it plays in the race course of the same name. This theme draws inspiration from Middle Eastern and Indian music, and uses sitar and shehnai instrumentation.

History[edit]

Mario Kart DS[edit]

Mario Kart DS marks the first appearance of "Desert Hills".

Mario Kart Wii[edit]

Main article: Dry Dry Ruins (theme)

In Mario Kart Wii, the source-quality version of "Desert Hills" plays in DS Desert Hills.

Arrangements of the first bar of "Desert Hills" are interspersed into the theme that plays in Dry Dry Ruins. It is titled 「カラカラいせき」 (Karakara Iseki, "Dry Dry Ruins") in the official Mario Kart Wii Platinum Soundtrack album.

Icon of an audio speaker. カラカラいせき - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart Wii
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Mario Kart World[edit]

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In Mario Kart World, an arrangement of "Desert Hills" plays when racing in the course of the same name. In Knockout Tour, leaving Desert Hills causes the theme to transition into a coda.

When approaching Desert Hills from a route or during a rally before reaching the course's finish line, a simple prelude arrangement of "Desert Hills" plays. It is titled "Desert Hills (Intro)" in the Nintendo Music app. A remix of "Desert Hills (Intro)" played solely on bass and percussion plays during the rolling start of the Golden Rally.

The opening percussion of "Desert Hills (Intro)" is incorporated in the theme that plays during the intro cutscene for the Flower Cup. It is titled "Opening (Flower Cup)" in the Nintendo Music app.

Icon of an audio speaker. Desert Hills (Intro) - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart World
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Icon of an audio speaker. Desert Hills (Intro) (Knockout Tour) - The remix heard in Mario Kart World
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Icon of an audio speaker. Desert Hills - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart World
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Icon of an audio speaker. Desert Hills - The coda heard in Mario Kart World
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Gallery[edit]

  • Image for "Opening (Flower Cup)" from Mario Kart World on Nintendo Music

    Image for "Opening (Flower Cup)" from Mario Kart World on Nintendo Music

  • Image for "Desert Hills (Intro)" from Mario Kart World on Nintendo Music

    Image for "Desert Hills (Intro)" from Mario Kart World on Nintendo Music

  • Image for "Desert Hills" from Mario Kart World on Nintendo Music

    Image for "Desert Hills" from Mario Kart World on Nintendo Music

List of Super Mario appearances[edit]

Games[edit]

Work System Year Type Title Credits
Mario Kart DS Nintendo DS 2005 Original Shinobu Nagata
Mario Kart Wii Wii 2008 Original Shinobu Nagata
Arrangement 「カラカラいせき」(Karakara Iseki)[2]
Mario Kart World Nintendo Switch 2 2025 Pastiche "Opening (Flower Cup)"[3]
"Desert Hills (Intro)"[3]
Remix
Arrangement "Desert Hills"[3]

Other media[edit]

Work Year Type Title Credits
Nintendo Music 2026[a] Past pastiche (Mario Kart World) "Opening (Flower Cup)"
"Desert Hills (Intro)"
Past arrangement (Mario Kart World) "Desert Hills"
  1. ^ Added on June 1, 2026

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Note(s) Ref.
Japanese サンサンさばく
Sansan Sabaku		 Sun Sun Desert [1]
Spanish Desierto Sol-Sol Sun-Sun Desert [1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Mario Kart World pause menu
  2. ^ Mario Kart Wii Platinum Soundtrack
  3. ^ a b c Nintendo Music
[Edit]
Mario Kart DS
Drivers and their karts Mario (Standard MR · B Dasher · Shooting Star) • Luigi (Standard LG · Poltergust 4000 · Streamliner) • Princess Peach (Standard PC · Royale · Light Tripper) • Yoshi (Standard YS · Egg 1 · Cucumber) • Toad (Standard TD · Mushmellow · 4-Wheel Cradle) • Donkey Kong (Standard DK · Rambi Rider · Wildlife) • Wario (Standard WR · Brute · Dragonfly) • Bowser (Standard BW · Tyrant · Hurricane) • Princess Daisy (Standard DS · Power Flower · Light Dancer) • Dry Bones (Standard DB · Banisher · Dry Bomber) • Waluigi (Standard WL · Gold Mantis · Zipper) • R.O.B. (Standard RB · ROB-BLS · ROB-LGS) • Shy Guy (Standard SG)
Courses Mushroom Cup Figure-8 Circuit • Yoshi Falls • Cheep Cheep Beach • Luigi's Mansion
Flower Cup Desert Hills • Delfino Square • Waluigi Pinball • Shroom Ridge
Star Cup DK Pass • Tick-Tock Clock • Mario Circuit • Airship Fortress
Special Cup Wario Stadium • Peach Gardens • Bowser Castle • Rainbow Road
Shell Cup SNES Mario Circuit 1 • N64 Moo Moo Farm • GBA Peach Circuit • GCN Luigi Circuit
Banana Cup SNES Donut Plains 1 • N64 Frappe Snowland • GBA Bowser Castle 2 • GCN Baby Park
Leaf Cup SNES Koopa Beach 2 • N64 Choco Mountain • GBA Luigi Circuit • GCN Mushroom Bridge
Lightning Cup SNES Choco Island 2 • N64 Banshee Boardwalk • GBA Sky Garden • GCN Yoshi Circuit
Battle courses New courses Nintendo DS • Twilight House • Palm Shore • Tart Top
Retro courses Block Fort • Pipe Plaza
Items and objects Banana • Blooper • Bob-omb • Boo • Bullet Bill • Cannon • Coin • Dash Panel • Emblem • Fake Item Box • Fire Chain • Green Shell • Item Box • Lava • Lightning • Mushroom • Red Shell • Shine Sprite • Spinning bridge • Spiny Shell • Super Star • Triple Bananas • Triple Green Shells • Triple Mushrooms • Triple Red Shells • Trophy
Species, enemies, and obstacles Angry Sun • Big Bully • Bubba • Bumper • Chain Chomp • Cheep Cheep • Chief Chilly • Clock hand • Eyerok • Firesnake • Flipper • Ghost • Goomboss • Lakitu • Monty Mole • Moo Moo • Pianta • Piranha Plant • Pokey • Pinball • Pendulum • Puddle • Rocky Wrench • Swoop • Thwomp • Traffic (Bus • Car • Cargo truck) • Venus Fire Trap • Walking Tree • Wiggler
Techniques Drift • Hop • Mini-Turbo • Rocket Start • Slipstream • Spin Turn
Battle modes Balloon Battle • Shine Runners
Music "Airship Fortress" • "Battle Course" • "Cheep Cheep Beach" • "Delfino Square" • "Desert Hills" • "DK Pass" • "Figure-8 Circuit" • "Luigi's Mansion" • "Peach Gardens" • "Rainbow Road" • "Shroom Ridge" • "Staff Credits" • "Tick-Tock Clock" • "Waluigi Pinball" • "Yoshi Falls"
Miscellaneous Boss arenas • Finish line • Item probability distributions • Sponsors
Further info Gallery • Mario Kart DS (lenticular jigsaw puzzle 1) • Mario Kart DS (lenticular jigsaw puzzle 2) • Mario Kart DS comic • Mario Kart DS (stopwatch) • Multimedia • Opina • Pre-release and unused content • Quick Poll • Staff • The Year of Luigi Sound Selection
[Edit]
Mario Kart Wii
Drivers
Small Baby Mario • Baby Luigi • Baby Peach • Baby Daisy • Toad • Toadette • Koopa Troopa • Dry Bones
Medium Mario • Luigi • Peach • Daisy • Yoshi • Birdo • Diddy Kong • Bowser Jr.
Large Wario • Waluigi • Donkey Kong • Bowser • King Boo • Rosalina • Funky Kong • Dry Bowser
Any Mii
Vehicles
Karts Small Standard Kart S • Booster Seat • Mini Beast • Cheep Charger • Tiny Titan • Blue Falcon
Medium Standard Kart M • Classic Dragster • Wild Wing • Super Blooper • Daytripper • Sprinter
Large Standard Kart L • Offroader • Flame Flyer • Piranha Prowler • Jetsetter • Honeycoupe
Bikes Small Standard Bike S • Bullet Bike • Bit Bike • Quacker • Magikruiser • Jet Bubble
Medium Standard Bike M • Mach Bike • Sugarscoot • Zip Zip • Sneakster • Dolphin Dasher
Large Standard Bike L • Flame Runner • Wario Bike • Shooting Star • Spear • Phantom
Courses
Wii Grand Prix Mushroom Cup Luigi Circuit • Moo Moo Meadows • Mushroom Gorge • Toad's Factory
Flower Cup Mario Circuit • Coconut Mall • DK Summit • Wario's Gold Mine
Star Cup Daisy Circuit • Koopa Cape • Maple Treeway • Grumble Volcano
Special Cup Dry Dry Ruins • Moonview Highway • Bowser's Castle • Rainbow Road
Retro Grand Prix Shell Cup GCN Peach Beach • DS Yoshi Falls • SNES Ghost Valley 2 • N64 Mario Raceway
Banana Cup N64 Sherbet Land • GBA Shy Guy Beach • DS Delfino Square • GCN Waluigi Stadium
Leaf Cup DS Desert Hills • GBA Bowser Castle 3 • N64 DK's Jungle Parkway • GCN Mario Circuit
Lightning Cup SNES Mario Circuit 3 • DS Peach Gardens • GCN DK Mountain • N64 Bowser's Castle
Battle stages Wii Stages Block Plaza • Delfino Pier • Funky Stadium • Chain Chomp Wheel • Thwomp Desert
Retro Stages SNES Battle Course 4 • GBA Battle Course 3 • N64 Skyscraper • GCN Cookie Land • DS Twilight House
Tournament arena Galaxy Colosseum
Other
Items and objects Item Box items Banana • Blooper • Bob-omb • Bullet Bill • Fake Item Box • Golden Mushroom • Green Shell • Lightning • Mega Mushroom • Mushroom • POW Block • Red Shell • Spiny Shell • Super Star • Thunder Cloud • Triple Bananas • Triple Green Shells • Triple Mushrooms • Triple Red Shells
Other Barrel Cannon • Cannon • Coin • Dash Panel • Halfpipe-style boost ramp • Hot-air balloon • Launch Star • Leaf pile • Mushroom Trampoline • Ramp • Trophy
Background characters and species Big Cheep Cheep • Birdo • Boo • Delfino Oak Tree • Goomba • Hammer Bro • Lakitu • Mii • Monty Mole • Moo Moo • Noki • Petey Piranha • Penguin • Pianta • Shy Guy • Sledge Bro • Toad • Unagi • Yoshi • Yoshi's Egg
Enemies and obstacles Angry Sun • Baby Penguin • Big Pokey • Boulder • Bowser Statue • Cataquack • Chain Chomp • Crusher • Delfino Oak Tree • Falling Pillar • Fire • Fire Bar • Fire Chain • Fire Snake • Ghost • Giant Wiggler • Goomba • Ice • Koopa Zapper • Lava • Lava Geyser • Mecha Bowser • Mecha Piranha Plant • Mine Cart • Monty Mole • Moo Moo • Oil slick • Penguin • Piranha Plant • Podoboo • Pokey • Shy Guy Galleon • Shy Guy Snowboarder • Sidestepper • Spiky Topman • Swoop • Thwomp • Traffic (Bob-omb Car · Car · Cargo truck) • Warp Pipe • Volcanic debris
Techniques Drift • Hop • Mini-Turbo • Rocket Start • Slipstream • Spin Turn • Trick • Wheelie
Battle modes Balloon Battle • Coin Runners
Music "Chain Chomp Wheel" • "Coconut Mall" • "Daisy Circuit" • "Delfino Pier" • "DK Summit" • "Dry Dry Ruins" • "Grumble Volcano" • "Luigi Circuit" • "Wii Maple Treeway" • "Moo Moo Meadows" • "Moonview Highway" • "Mushroom Gorge" • "Rainbow Road" • "Selection Screen" • "Staff Credits A" • "Thwomp Desert" • "Toad's Factory" • "Wario's Gold Mine"
Miscellaneous Children's Puzzle Mario Kart • Cowboy Jed • Daisy Cruiser • Emblem • Finish line • Gallery • Glitches • Item probability distributions • Iwata Asks • Jed Junior • Mario Kart (Wii/DS) • Mario Kart Channel tournaments • Mario Kart Wii Collector's Puzzle • Mario Kart Wii Grand Prix • Mario Kart Wii Platinum Soundtrack • Pre-release and unused content • Quick Poll • Sponsors • Staff • Trading cards • The Year of Luigi Sound Selection
[Edit]
Mario Kart World music
Courses Race courses New courses "Acorn Heights" ("Opening (Special Cup)") • "Boo Cinema" • "Bowser's Castle" ("Opening (Lightning Cup)") • "Cheep Cheep Falls" ("Opening (Leaf Cup)") • "Crown City" ("Opening (Shell Cup)") • "Dandelion Depths" ("Opening (Leaf Cup)") • "DK Spaceport" ("Opening (Mushroom Cup)") • "Dry Bones Burnout" ("Opening (Leaf Cup)") • "Faraway Oasis" ("Opening (Shell Cup)") • "Great ? Block Ruins" • "Mario Bros. Circuit" ("Opening (Mushroom Cup)" · "Replay" · "Trophy Theme") • "Peach Stadium" ("Opening (Shell Cup)" · "Opening (Special Cup)") • "Rainbow Road" ("Opening (Special Cup)" · "Results Screen (Rainbow Road)" · "Victory Lap (Rainbow Road)") • "Salty Salty Speedway" • "Starview Peak" ("Opening (Star Cup)") • "Whistlestop Summit" ("Opening (Mushroom Cup)")
Returning courses "Airship Fortress" ("Opening (Flower Cup)") • "Choco Mountain" ("Opening (Lightning Cup)") • "Desert Hills" • "Dino Dino Jungle" • "DK Pass" • "Koopa Troopa Beach" ("Opening (Shell Cup)") • "Mario Circuit" ("Opening (Special Cup)" · "Staff Credits") • "Moo Moo Meadows" • "Peach Beach" ("Opening (Banana Cup)") • "Shy Guy Bazaar" • "Sky-High Sundae" ("Opening (Star Cup)") • "Toad's Factory" • "Wario Shipyard" ("Opening (Star Cup)") • "Wario Stadium" ("Opening (Flower Cup)")
Battle courses "Battle Course" (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!) • "Battle Course" (Mario Kart DS) • "Battle Course" (Mario Kart 64) • "Battle Course" (Super Mario Kart) • "Battle Stadium" • "Chain Chomp Wheel" • "Delfino Pier" • "Thwomp Desert"
Arrangements Mario Kart arrangements Super Mario Kart "Bowser Castle" • "Choco Island" • "Donut Plains" • "Ghost Valley" • "Koopa Beach" • "Rainbow Road" • "Staff Credits" • "Title Screen" • "Vanilla Lake"
Mario Kart 64 "Character Select" • "DK's Jungle Parkway" • "Frappe Snowland" • "Kalimari Desert" • "Koopa Troopa Beach" • "Moo Moo Farm" • "Rainbow Road" • "Results Screen" • "Title Screen" • "Toad's Turnpike"
Mario Kart: Super Circuit "Bowser Castle" • "Cheese Land" • "Peach Circuit" • "Rainbow Road" • "Ribbon Road" • "Shy Guy Beach" • "Yoshi Desert"
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! "Baby Park" • "Dry Dry Desert" • "Luigi Circuit" • "Mushroom Bridge" • "Rainbow Road" • "Sherbet Land"
Mario Kart DS "Cheep Cheep Beach" • "Delfino Square" • "Figure-8 Circuit" • "Luigi's Mansion" • "Peach Gardens" • "Rainbow Road" • "Shroom Ridge" • "Staff Credits" • "Tick-Tock Clock" • "Waluigi Pinball" • "Yoshi Falls"
Mario Kart Wii "Coconut Mall" • "Daisy Circuit" • "DK Summit" • "Dry Dry Ruins" • "Grumble Volcano" • "Luigi Circuit" • "Maple Treeway" • "Moonview Highway" • "Mushroom Gorge" • "Rainbow Road" • "Staff Credits A" • "Wario's Gold Mine"
Mario Kart 7 "Bowser's Castle" • "Daisy Hills" • "Music Park" • "Piranha Plant Slide" • "Rainbow Road" • "Rock Rock Mountain" • "Rosalina's Ice World" • "Toad Circuit"
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe "Bone-Dry Dunes" • "Cloudtop Cruise" • "Dolphin Shoals" • "Dragon Driftway" • "Electrodrome" • "Ice Ice Outpost" • "Mario Circuit" • "Mario Kart 8" • "Rainbow Road" • "Shy Guy Falls" • "Sunshine Airport" • "Super Bell Subway" • "Sweet Sweet Canyon" • "Thwomp Ruins" • "Toad Harbor" • "Twisted Mansion" • "Water Park" • "Wild Woods"
Mario Kart Tour "Bangkok Rush" • "Merry Mountain" • "Ninja Hideaway" • "Los Angeles Laps" • "Singapore Speedway" • "Tokyo Blur" • "Vancouver Velocity"
Super Mario arrangements Super Mario Bros. "Ending" • "Game Over" • "Ground BGM" • "Underground BGM" • "Underwater BGM"
Super Mario Bros. 2 "Ground BGM" • "Please Select Player" • "Underground BGM"
Super Mario Bros. 3 "Airship BGM" • "Athletic BGM" • "Course Clear" • "Ending" • "Fortress Boss BGM" • "Ground BGM" • "Underwater BGM" • "World 1 Map (Grass Land)" ("Overworld Medley") • "World 2 Map (Desert Land)" ("Overworld Medley") • "World 3 Map (Water Land)" ("Overworld Medley") • "World 5 Map (Sky Land) - In the Sky" ("Overworld Medley") • "World 7 Map (Pipe Land)" ("Overworld Medley")
Super Mario Land "Ground BGM" • "Underground BGM"
Super Mario World "Donut Plains (Map Screen)" ("Overworld Medley") • "Ending" • "Forest of Illusion (Map Screen)" ("Overworld Medley") • "Ground BGM" ("Bonus Game BGM" · "Castle BGM" · "Underground BGM" · "Underwater BGM") • "Koopalings BGM" • "Special World (Map Screen)" ("Overworld Medley") • "Star World (Map Screen)" ("Overworld Medley") • "Title BGM" • "Yoshi's Island (Map Screen)" ("Overworld Medley")
Super Mario Land 2 - 6 Golden Coins "Main Theme"
Super Mario 64 "Bowser's Road" • "Bowser's Theme" • "Dire, Dire Docks" • "File Select" • "Peach's Castle" • "Piranha Plant's Lullaby" • "Staff Roll" • "Title Theme" ("Cool, Cool Mountain" · "Slider")
Super Mario Sunshine "Delfino Plaza" ("Ricco Harbor") • "Secret Course - Sky and Sea"
New Super Mario Bros. "Castle BGM" • "Ground BGM"
Super Mario Galaxy "Buoy Base Galaxy" • "Egg Planet" • "Enter Bowser Jr.!" • "Final Battle with Bowser" • "Gusty Garden Galaxy" • "Purple Comet" • "Rosalina in the Observatory 3" • "Space Junk Road"
New Super Mario Bros. Wii "Beach Theme" • "Castle BGM" • "Castle Boss" • "Credits Theme 1" • "Desert BGM" • "Underwater BGM" • "Volcano BGM"
Super Mario Galaxy 2 "Bowser's Galaxy Generator" • "Cloudy Court Galaxy" • "Digga-Leg" • "Melty Monster Galaxy" • "Puzzle Plank Galaxy" • "Starship Mario 1" • "Sky Station Galaxy" • "The Starship's Journey" • "Yoshi Star Galaxy"
Super Mario 3D Land "Beach Theme" • "Ground Theme" • "Snow Mountain Theme"
New Super Mario Bros. U "Ground Theme"
Super Mario 3D World "A Boss Approaches" ("Bowser's Highway Showdown" · "World 8") • "Athletic Theme" • "Captain Toad Goes Forth" • "Double Cherry Pass" • "Hands-On Hall" • "Hisstocrat" • "Piranha Creeper Creek" • "Shifty Boo Mansion" • "Sprawling Savanna" • "Super Bell Hill"
Super Mario Maker "Title Screen"
Super Mario Odyssey "Break Free (Lead the Way)" • "Fossil Falls" • "Jump Up, Super Star!" • "Peronza Plaza" • "Shiveria Town" • "Steam Gardens" • "Tostarena Ruins"
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury "Attack! Bowser's Fury" • "Plessie Ride!"
Yoshi arrangements Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island "Athletic BGM" • "Bowser" • "Flower Field BGM" • "Opening Melody" • "Stage Boss" • "Stage Start"
Yoshi's Story "Yoshi's Song" • "Yoshi's Tale"
Other arrangements Mario Paint "Flyswatter Level 1" • "Painting Mode 1"
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 "Main Theme"
Donkey Kong Country "DK Island Swing"
Luigi's Mansion "Title Theme (Humming)"
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! "Voices Being Carried on the Waves"
Flipnote Studio "Mario Drawing Song"
Other "Awards Ceremony (1st – 3rd Place)" ("Trophy Theme") • "Final Lap Fanfare" • "Mario Kart 64 Title Screen" ("Victory Lap (Rainbow Road)") • "Mission Clear" • "Results Screen" • "Staff Credits" • "Staff Credits" (Mario Kart 64) ("Special Cup Appears" · "Trophy Theme" · "Victory Lap" · "Victory Lap (Rainbow Road)") • "Super Star" • "Title Theme" ("Opening (Knockout Tour)" · "Peach Stadium" · "Rainbow Road" · "Replay" · "Course Select" · "Special Cup Appears" · "Spectating")
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