Dry Dry Desert (race course)
- This article is about the race course from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! For its musical theme, see Dry Dry Desert (theme). For the race course from Mario Kart 64 known as "Dry Dry Desert" in Japanese, see Kalimari Desert.
- Not to be confused with Dry Dry Ruins (race course).
| Dry Dry Desert | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Appears in | Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2003) Mario Kart 8 (2014) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cups | Mushroom Cup (Double Dash!!) Banana Cup (8, 8 Deluxe) Battle Mode (8) | ||||||||||||||||||
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Dry Dry Desert is the fourth and last course of the Mushroom Cup in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. It reappears as a classic course in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as the first course of the Banana Cup, as well as a battle course in Mario Kart 8.
This is the first course in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! that is not owned by a character or characters. It is also one of three courses in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! to have unique music which is not shared with any other course, the others being Sherbet Land and Rainbow Road.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!![edit]
Course layout[edit]
The track starts crossing a stone arch where the starting line is located. The course is located in a burning desert containing many Egyptian-themed elements like pyramids, obelisks showing pictures of multiple characters carved in the stone resembling hieroglyphs, and large stone statues. The track begins with a straight dirt path which then curves to the right. The road twists moderately with some Pokeys to the left and right. The player may use a Dash Mushroom to cut through the sand in this area, but has to watch out for the collapsed obelisks acting as speed bumps, which may slow the player down if they plan to cut through this area. There is also a large tornado that roams the track in the reverse direction, and can suck up racers into the sky, causing them to lose any items they were currently holding.
Following this section is a right curve that ends facing towards an oasis, which splits into two paths. In the center of the fork is a giant sand pit, which drags any racer into the center of it. If the player reaches the bottom, they are eaten by the Pit Plant lying in the center of the pit. This causes the player to be rescued by Lakitu. The fork winds around this circular pit.
After the pit are two statues and a right bend. Two Pokeys are standing next to each other with a Double Item Box in between the two Pokeys. There is a turn right after the two Pokeys and the Double Item Box, which leads into an area with five sand dunes, each with an Item Box on top of them. One Big Pokey is at the beginning of this area and two Big Pokeys with Item Boxes directly next to them are at the end before the final major turn. The track ends with a curve right that leads into the final straightaway. More obelisks and a sphinx can be seen in the background while the player is turning right into the straight path that leads into the finish line.
The entire main path is surrounded with a pale sand on each side on which drivers can go mostly unhindered, but they will lose a bit of speed. This sand is what makes up the sand dunes. Past this strip, there is darker sand that acts as ordinary off-road where a boosting item is required to traverse it. Past this, there is even darker sand that is considered out of bounds. Lakitu will rescue any racer who reaches this sand.
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]
Dry Dry Desert makes its classic course debut in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as the first course of the Banana Cup. The structure serving as the starting banner has been slightly updated, now featuring four flags and only one Mario Kart logo instead of three. The course now features a more slope-like design, and the palm trees and advertisement boards have switched positions. The characters that were carved in stone have been removed. All of the statues, including the Sphinx, have been reworked to resemble Hammer Bros., with the latter sporting a Wiggler headdress. The large open portion of the end of the track has been turned into an oasis allowing players to drive underwater and perform tricks from holes with rising jets (similar to Dolphin Shoals) and on the sand dunes. Because of this, only the Pokeys on the S-turns at the start of the course (which now sport their current design) are present. Falling pillars from Dry Dry Ruins are also seen in this course. The tornado, Pit Plant, and Big Pokeys have been removed (with the bottom of the pit now simply being considered out of bounds). The pit itself has had its suction toned down considerably and can now be cut through with Dash Mushrooms. The layer of lighter off-road sand has also been removed with all off-road acting like ordinary off-road. However, the darker sand that is considered out of bounds remains.
Dry Dry Desert also appears on some of the posters for the Galaxy Air brand in Sunshine Airport. In Mario Kart 8, this course is one of the eight selectable battle courses.
Shortcuts[edit]
- The first turn can be cut-off entirely with the use of at least two Dash Mushrooms.
- The turn with the second row of Item Boxes may be skipped entirely through the off-road. A minimum of two Dash Mushrooms are required to take it in its entirety.
- It is possible to skip the final turn by turning right and using a Dash Mushroom or other boosting item through the off-road.
- This shortcut may be extended to include the shortcut on the first turn with a Golden Dash Mushroom. The player must begin using their Golden Dash Mushroom in the final turn shortcut and stay to the right in the off-road. The player must then pass the beginning archway in the off-road to the right and stick to the right past the rock in the off-road before finally exiting the shortcut near the first Pokey.
Profiles[edit]
Mario Kart: Double Dash!![edit]
- North American website bio: Kick up some dust in Dry Dry Desert – but watch out for the sand traps. Beware of the roving tornado, or you'll get caught up in the excitement.
- European website bio: Dodge the kart-spinning cyclones and deadly pools of quicksand, and don’t be distracted by hieroglyphics of Mario and co.
Mario Kart 8[edit]
- Mario Kart Facebook page (United States): The mysterious (and some say cursed) Hammer Bros. Sphinx looms over hapless kart drivers in Dry Dry Desert in Mario Kart 8. Take a lap … if you dare.[2]
Brands[edit]
Mario Kart: Double Dash!![edit]
- Danger!!! (Signs)
- KoopaKart (Trackside banners)
- Mario Racing (Trackside banners)
- Shoot!! (Trackside banners)
- Sunshine Parts (Signs)
- Super Mario Kart (Signs)
- Super Mushroom (Trackside banners)
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]
- Red Shell Strike Equipment (Signs)
- Sunshine Parts (Signs)
Gallery[edit]
Mario Kart: Double Dash!![edit]
The course logo
A series of turns after the first turn
Avoiding the tornado
A large area with hills and Pokeys
One turn can be bypassed with a Mushroom boosted shortcut
Another shortcut exists near a sign that reads "Sunshine Parts"
In a split-screen race, Pokeys are less abundant, and the rocks are lacking noses
The Pit Plant lives inside the quicksand pit
Pre-release screenshot of the course
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]
The course icon
The full course icon
Results screen
The course, as seen from the starting line
Rosalina drifts at a portion of the course
Toad, approaching the underwater section of the course
The underwater section of the course
The course as a battle course in Mario Kart 8
A pre-release screenshot of Waluigi racing through the course in the E3 trailer
A pre-release screenshot of Wario drifting in the E3 trailer
A pre-release screenshot of Peach racing on a bike surrounded by the other characters
A released screenshot of the course, revealing the name of the track
Postcard image from Facebook
The stamp obtained for beating the staff ghost at this course
Naming[edit]
Internal names[edit]
| Game | File | Name | Meaning
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart: Double Dash!! | Desert.arc | Desert | |
| Mario Kart 8/Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Ggc_DryDryDesert | Grand Prix GameCube Dry Dry Desert |
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | カラカラさばく Kara Kara Sabaku |
Dry Dry Desert | [3][4] | |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 干旱沙漠 Gānhàn Shāmò |
Dry Desert | [3] | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 乾旱沙漠 Gānhàn Shāmò |
Dry Desert | [3] | |
| Dutch | Zinderende Zandvlakte | Sizzling Sandplains | [3] | |
| French (Canadian) | Désert Sec-Sec | Dry-Dry Desert | [3] | |
| French (European) | Désert Sec Sec | Dry Dry Desert | [3][4] | |
| German | Staubtrockene Wüste | Dust-Dry Desert | [3][4] | |
| Italian | Desertico Deserto | Desertic Desert | [3][4] | |
| Korean | 바싹바싹 사막 Bassakbassak Samak |
Dry Dry Desert | [3] | |
| Polish | Strasznie Sucha Pustynia | Very Dry Desert | [5] | |
| Portuguese | Areias Desertas | Deserted Sands | [3] | |
| Russian | Иссушенная пустыня Issushennaya pustynya |
Seared Desert | [3] | |
| Spanish (Latin American) | Desierto Seco | Dry Desert | [3] | |
| Spanish (European) | Desierto Seco-Seco | Dry-Dry Desert | [3][4] |
Notes[edit]
- This course and SNES Donut Plains 3 are the only non-DLC classic courses in Mario Kart 8 to not feature Glide Ramps.
- Coincidentally, both are in the Banana Cup. They are also both Battle courses.
References[edit]
- ^ Mario Kart: Double Dash!! § Staff Ghost Initials. The Cutting Room Floor. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ MarioKartEN (August 22, 2014). Facebook. Retrieved June 29, 2023. (Archived June 29, 2023, 19:18:53 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m String 1447 in file UI/<language>/message.sarc/Common.msbt. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017). Nintendo EPD et al.
- ^ a b c d e In-game name in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.
- ^ Music track title in Mario Kart World (Ver. 1.5.0). Nintendo. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
