Desert Land


 * "Desert Hill" redirects here. For the similarly-named racetrack in Mario Kart DS, see Desert Hills.

Desert Land (more commonly known as Desert Hill) is the second world of Super Mario Bros. 3. It contains five levels, two Boomerang Bros., a fortress, three Toad Houses, and special Desert and Pyramid stages. Most of the levels have quick sand or Fire Snakes. The last Warp Whistle can be acquired by defeating the hidden Fire Bros. level (to access the level, you must take a hammer and smash the rock in the far upper-right corner of the screen, which will give access to a hidden part of the map where the Fire Bros. are located).

The Desert Land is home to some of the rarest enemies in the game, including the Fire Bros., the Angry Sun, and Tweester (an obstacle that is exclusive to the desert level). Morton Koopa Jr. guards this area and is the boss of Desert Land.

The Desert Land's references are Egypt and Saudi Arabia

2-1
The first level of Desert Land takes place in a sandy area with many Brick Blocks and some metallic constructions filled with coins. The level also introduces the Pile Driver Micro-Goomba, a small Goomba that disguises itself as block, and the Fire Snake, a creature that is ablaze and that can only be defeated with a Starman or a swipe from Raccoon Mario's tail. A Warp Pipe surrounded by blocks can be found by Raccoon Mario over the first metallic construct. It will lead into a room with a P-Switch and some Silver Coins.

2-2
This level takes place in an area with many quicksand fields and a pond filled with water and Cheep Cheeps. The player should watch out for the Venus Fire Traps that live in the quicksand, and if Mario falls in such a sandpit, he should hurry and get out soon or he will be engulfed and lose a life. The latter, flooded half of the level is traversed by a floating platform. Mario has to jump over the hovering Brick Blocks, or he will be pushed down into the water filled with enemies. A hidden P-Block can be found in one of the blocks that will turn all the other blocks into coins. If the player manages to collect every coin in the level, a White Toad House with an Anchor inside will appear.

Fortress
The fortress of Desert Land is a building with two stories and several enemies inside. The stage intoduces Thwomps, big stones that try to crush Mario, as well as Boos, timid enemies that will only move when Mario's back is turned at them. Dry Bones also inhabit the first floor of the fortress. The player can gather many Extralives from them by repeatedly jumping on them and using Raccoon Mario's ability to slow his descent to hit them again when they regenerate. After a big room with spiked traps, Mario will encounter Boom Boom, the guardian of the fortress.

2-3
Loyal Fire Snakes guard the gold pyramids of the harsh desert. From the third and last pyramid, Raccoon-powered Mario can take off to fly to five blocks, one containing a P-Switch that will turn the blocks below into Coins!

Desert
Sun-baked sand stretches as far as the eye can see. The Angry Sun is also here, when he starts diving, defeat him with a Koopa Shell. A Tweester roams about sucking up any and all in its path. To get past it, Mario must run as fast as he can and jump into it (he will fly up into the air and end up on the other side of it).

2-4
Finally, a desert oasis! Unfortunately, Mario won't have time to relax in paradise. Only Raccoon Mario can access the secret part of this level. After grabbing a Super Leaf, Mario must go to the very beginning, race back and forth, then fly to the very left, smashing bricks as he goes to gain access to a secret coin bonanza!

2-5
Mario must be dodgy here to get away from the Chomps! When he's near the huge formation of wooden blocks, the first solitary Koopa he sees should be booted to the left, activating a Magic Vine leading up to the clouds. Hop along them to reach a pipe to a bonus room!

Pyramid
The great Pyramid is a labyrinth of Buzzy Beetle infested tunnels. The routes taken inside are as follows: First, middle tunnel, then hop on the pipe and take the top route. Each tunnel is blocked, so Mario must use either a Super Leaf or a Buzzy Beetle to clear the way! Once out of the maze, a pipe guarded by wooden blocks is seen. By its side is an invisible ? Block that grants access to the exit pipe.

Airship
In an Airship floating high above the desert dunes, Morton Koopa Jr. awaits. The airship features Bullet Bills and a new kind of enemy called Rocky Wrenches. To defeat Morton Jr., you either stomp on him three times or shoot him with a few fire balls.

Trivia

 * Desert Hills (a course in Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii) is based on this world.
 * It also appears in the Super Mario Bros. movie, as the Koopahari Desert.
 * In fandom, Koopahari Desert is yet another name for this area, although it is not official.