DS Desert Hills

Desert Hills is a race course in Mario Kart DS. Pokeys roam around the desert, and the Angry Sun will drop Fire Snakes on the track (on the DS version they're just fireballs) at three different places (one is in front of the starting line, and the other two are on twisting turns on the track). The course has many sharp turns before the finish line, possibly resulting in driving onto the sand, losing time. Missions 2-6 and 4-4 take place here, where Wario participates in both of them.

There is a considerably shortcut in this course, taken by going straight across the hairpin turn, instead of going around. In 150cc, this shortcut requires only one mushroom, if the player jumps at the right time. There is also another, where two mushrooms (or one star) is needed to get through. This shortcut is a dash-through behind the pyramid, right before the Pokeys start appearing.

Desert Hills appears as a remade classic track in Mario Kart Wii, being the first racecourse of the Leaf Cup. No real changes had been made in the track after its first appearance, other that the Pokeys are no longer flat and karts don't flip when making contact on them. Instead of that, they just spin around. Also, the course map has been rotated 180 degrees in contrast to its predecessor.

Course layout
The track starts near an oasis with a small lake where a racer can sink in the water, bringing Lakitu for the rescue. To the right of the first turn, the track partially surrounds a pyramid made out of Brick Blocks while racers leave the oasis to find then a field of dunes infested of Pokeys sliding to the sides of the course. Just before the finish line, a curly path of soft sand will cause karts (especially those with high drifting) to lose a bit of control, ending up on going to rough ground zone and lose speed. The Pipes, Angry Sun, and blocks are the same of Super Mario Bros. 3.

Missions
There are two missions involving this circuit: 2-6 and 4-4. In mission 2-6, the player must use the Bob-ombs to destroy 5 pokeys, and in mission 4-4, the player must pass the 7 gates in the order.

Official descriptions
Mario Kart DS
 * Instruction booklet: "This racetrack built in the middle of the desert tends to be quite bumpy."
 * Sites
 * Flag of USA.png "This racetrack built in the middle of the desert tends to be quite bumpy. Watch out for fireballs and stray Pokeys!"
 * Flag of Europe.png "Bring plenty of sunscreen and seat cushions for this race because the baking desert heat and bumpy terrain can give unprepared drivers serious sunburn and and saddle sores. Watch out for the Pokeys too - walking cacti that can stop a speeding kart in its tracks and cost you precious seconds."

Mario Kart Wii
 * European website: "If you can't stand the heat, then stay away from the desert hills! Fireballs falling from the sun make it even tougher to negotiate the high turns snaking through the dunes."

Tournaments
In Mario Kart Wii, a tournament took place on this track. Players had to defeat 10 Pokeys with Stars and Triple Green Shells as quickly as possible. It was the first tournament of December 2009.

Trivia

 * One part of the course is a corkscrew similar to that of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.