GBA Yoshi Desert

Yoshi Desert is the third course in the Star Cup from Mario Kart: Super Circuit. In this course, there are pyramids and a Yoshi Sphinx statue in the background. About the track, there are cacti and quicksand zones, where Piranha Plants wait to prey on any kart that falls in. There are also two oases, and at the second, the player can use a Star or Mushrooms to make a shortcut. The course has a few Dash Panels, which can either help the player or make the player lose control.

The Yoshi Sphinx that appears in this course appeared multiple times after, the first time being in Dry Dry Ruins in Mario Kart Wii. Later in Paper Mario: Sticker Star the sphinx appears as a location Mario visits rather than a background detail.

This is the only Yoshi course that has yet to reappear as a retro course in later installments.

The background music for the course is heavily Arabic-inspired, using the Arabian flute as its main melody. A modified version of the sound effect which plays when Yoshi is released from his egg in Super Mario World plays in time with the music throughout the song.

Course layout
The track starts on a small straightaway with a short left turn. A series of S-turns follow, with a Dash Panel shortly after the first wide turn. After the S turns is a somewhat wider area with quicksand pits on the off-road sections, small ramps near the beginning and a large group of Coins in the wider area. An oasis is located to the left of this area. After the wider area is a right hand turn with more quicksand pits to the side and another large right hand U turn. Following this turn is a longer straightaway with a few coins and ramps. Another right hand U turn is after the straight path leading to another sharp U turn. At the end of the U turn is another oasis, with the track going around it. After the oasis is the final straightaway leading to the finish.

Shortcuts

 * At the beginning of the turn at the second oasis is a ramp going over the oasis. The player can use a Mushroom to jump the oasis. A quicksand pit is located before the ramp.

Trivia

 * The Prima guidebook for Mario Kart: Super Circuit states that this is Yoshi's homeland.