Desert Hills Mario Kart DS · Flower Cup, race 1
Inspired by Desert Land from Super Mario Bros. 3, this sandy course runs past an oasis and a brick-block pyramid into rolling dunes full of Pokeys. The Angry Sun drops Fire Snakes onto the track in greater numbers as the laps go on, and sharper turns and steeper slopes make it a step up in difficulty for the Flower Cup.
- Cup
- Flower Cup · race 1
- Origin
- New in Mario Kart DS
- Laps
- 3
- Staff ghost
- 1'31"262
- Online play
- Yes (until 2014)
Lap walkthrough
- Start beside an oasis lake, with a Pokey standing just ahead of the line
- Take the first turn around the side of a pyramid made of Brick Blocks
- Cross the field of dunes where most of the Pokeys roam
- Get through the hairpin and the run of sharp turns near the end of the lap
- Return to the finish line
Racing tips
- Cut straight across the hairpin instead of driving around it; in 150cc one Mushroom is enough if you hop at the right moment.
- A second shortcut runs behind the pyramid just before the Pokeys start, but it needs two Mushrooms.
- Keep off the dark sand, which is out of bounds and costs you a Lakitu rescue.
- Fire Snakes start falling from the second lap and increase each lap, so stay alert late in the race.
Hazards
Also watch for: Fire Snakes, Oasis water, Out-of-bounds dark sand.
Staff ghost
Set a Time Trial record within 108% of the staff time to unlock the ghost. All staff ghost times.
Missions on Desert Hills
- Mission 2-6 Use Bob-ombs to destroy all 5 Pokeys! (Wario, 0:55)
- Mission 4-4 Drive through all 7 numbered gates in order! (Wario, 0:45)
Screenshots
FAQ
What cup is Desert Hills in?
The Flower Cup, as race 1 of 4, in the Nitro Grand Prix.
How many laps is Desert Hills?
3 laps.
What is the staff ghost time on Desert Hills?
1'31"262, set with R.O.B. in the ROB-LGS. Finish a Time Trial in 1'38"562 or faster to race it.
Could you race Desert Hills online?
Yes: it was one of the 20 courses on Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, which closed on May 20, 2014.
Sources & picture credits
- Desert Hills (Super Mario Wiki)
- Mario Kart DS staff ghosts (Super Mario Wiki)
- Picture: DesertHillds.png
- Picture: MKDS_Desert_Hills_Map.png
- Picture: MKDS_Desert_Hills_Course_Icon.png
- Picture: MKDS_Desert_Hills_Pyramid.png
- Picture: MKDSDesertHills.png
Guide text is original retrogameindex writing, checked against the Super Mario Wiki and the Mario Kart Racing Wiki. Kart statistics, staff ghost times and item odds are the values from the game data as transcribed by the Super Mario Wiki. Screenshots, renders and artwork © Nintendo; local copies archived from Super Mario Wiki file pages (listed on the image gallery).