Desert Hills (theme)
| "Desert Hills" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| "Desert Hills" in Mario Kart DS | |||
| Composed by: Shinobu Nagata | |||
| Key | G Mixolydian | ||
| BPM | 130 | ||
| Time signature | 4 4 (Common time) | ||
| First appearance | Mario Kart DS (2005) | ||
| Latest appearance | Mario Kart World (2025) | ||
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"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.
Composition[edit]
"Desert Hills" draws inspiration from Middle Eastern and Indian music, and utilizes a sitar, tablas, and a fiddle mimicking a shehnai. This theme also quotes "Dry Dry Desert" from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! approximately 46 seconds in.
History[edit]
Mario Kart DS[edit]
Mario Kart DS marks the first appearance of "Desert Hills".
Mario Kart Wii[edit]
In Mario Kart Wii, the source-quality version of "Desert Hills" plays in DS Desert Hills.
The theme that plays in Dry Dry Ruins quotes the first bar of "Desert Hills". It is titled「カラカラいせき」 (Karakara Iseki, "Dry Dry Ruins") in the official Mario Kart Wii Platinum Soundtrack album.
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Mario Kart World[edit]
In Mario Kart World, an arrangement of "Desert Hills" plays when racing in the course of the same name. This arrangement uses a wider percussion selection, a real shehnai in place of the fiddle, and a shamisen and erhu in place of the sitar. The synth choir has also been made quieter. In Knockout Tour, approaching the next checkpoint 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 theme that plays during the intro cutscene for the Flower Cup quotes the opening percussion of "Desert Hills (Intro)". It is titled "Opening (Flower Cup)" in the Nintendo Music app.
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Gallery[edit]
- Image for "Desert Hills (Intro)" 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)"[1] | |
| Arrangement | "Desert Hills (Intro)"[1] | ||||
| "Desert Hills"[1] |
Albums[edit]
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart World (Nintendo Music) | 2026 | Past pastiche (Mario Kart World) | "Opening (Flower Cup)" | |
| Past arrangement (Mario Kart World) | "Desert Hills (Intro)" | |||
| "Desert Hills" |
Names in other languages[edit]
"Desert Hills"[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | サンサンさばく Sansan Sabaku | Sun Sun Desert | [1] | |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 阳光沙漠 Yángguāng Shāmò (Mandarin) Yèuhnggwōng Sāmohk (Cantonese) | Sunshine Desert | [1] | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 陽光沙漠 Yángguāng Shāmò (Mandarin) Yèuhnggwōng Sāmohk (Cantonese) | [1] | ||
| Dutch | Zonneruïne | Sun Ruin | [1] | |
| French | Désert du Soleil | Sun's Desert | [1] | |
| German | Glühheiße Wüste | Glowing Hot Desert | [1] | |
| Italian | Deserto Picchiasol | Sun Beaten Desert | [1] | |
| Korean | 썬썬 사막 Sseon-sseon Samak | Sun Sun Desert | [1] | |
| Polish | Wydmowa Wyżyna | Dune Upland | [3] | |
| Portuguese | Colinas Desérticas | Desertic Hills | [1] | |
| Russian | Песчаный путь Peschanyy put' | Sandy Path | [1] | |
| Spanish | Desierto Sol-Sol | Sun-Sun Desert | [1] |
"Desert Hills (Intro)"[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | サンサンさばく(イントロ) Sansan Sabaku (Intoro) | Sun Sun Desert (Intro) | [1] | |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 阳光沙漠(序曲) Yángguāng Shāmò (Xùqǔ) (Mandarin) Yèuhnggwōng Sāmohk (Jeuihkūk) (Cantonese) | Sunshine Desert (Overture) | [1] | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 陽光沙漠(前奏) Yángguāng Shāmò (Qiánzòu) (Mandarin) Yèuhnggwōng Sāmohk (Chìhnjau) (Cantonese) | Sunshine Desert (Prelude) | [1] | |
| Dutch | Zonneruïne (intro) | Sun Ruin (intro) | [1] | |
| French | Désert du Soleil (intro) | Sun's Desert (intro) | [1] | |
| German | Glühheiße Wüste (Intro) | Glowing Hot Desert (Intro) | [1] | |
| Italian | Deserto Picchiasol (intro) | Sun Beaten Desert (intro) | [1] | |
| Korean | 썬썬 사막 (인트로) Sseon-sseon Samak (Inteuro) | Sun Sun Desert (Intro) | [1] | |
| Portuguese | Colinas Desérticas (Introdução) | Desertic Hills (Introduction) | [1] | |
| Russian | Песчаный путь (вступление) Peschanyy put' (vstupleniye) | Sandy Path (introduction) | [1] | |
| Spanish | Desierto Sol-Sol (introducción) | Sun-Sun Desert (introduction) | [1] |