@@AngryBones69 It's a 2D action platformer. Think Rayman platforming meets Megaman shooting with a dash of Sonic and Crash Bandicoot speed and a pinch of Shantae's artstyle. It's still a little rough, but I'm going all in on development at the moment
I uironically LOVE desert levels mainly because of the music they provide rather than the substance it brings. I love how they use the Middle Easter influence in some games like Twilight Princess' version of Gerudo Valley.
BotW Gerudo Desert has a really interesting gimmick... If you go in early. Having to deal with both extremes of weather depending on the time is neat. Running from shadow to shadow in day or splashing water on yourself to avoid heatstroke, and lighting a torch at night which renders you helpless to enemies at night, with the only time you really can move freely is at twilight where the weather is in a sweet spot. It's kinda invalidated when you get gear that lets you ignore the temperature mechanics entirely, but on a playthrough where I went in early it became a highlight of the entire game. And it probably was based off of the desert from Skyward Sword which was easily the most memorable part of that game, where you need to use time shift stones to solve puzzles. Katamari Forever also had a similar gimmick to the desert level, where you need to get your katamari wet and roll over the sand as the objective of the stage, and regularly return to the fountains to re-wet your katamari. Perhaps the key to making fun desert levels in games that aren't ENTIRELY desert themed is to focus on "harsh environment an occasional oasis" as a gameplay element. At least for me.
I find the desert from Skyward Sword probably the best in all of Zelda and in all the games I've played. The ancient civilization thing was so cool, the pirate ship as well
One of my favorite desert levels is Sherbet Desert from Mario+Rabbids Kingdom Battle. I love how they mixed the desert with the ice and how they split the levels between desert, ice, and a mix of both. It makes both themes stand out more when they’re together.
I really like Kirby planet robobot’s desert levels. It’s basically the standard desert theme but with a mechanized twist to it, fitting in with the rest of the game. You even enter a pyramid that’s been turned into a factory, and it gives a homage to the factory on shiver star in Kirby 64. It’s pretty cool stuff
I noticed I tend to love the music and aesthetic (unless its literally just a barren wasteland) of desert levels, but the actual levels themselves usually aren't that interesting. Appreciate the shoutout of Shamar's music in Sonic Unleashed, I like to listen to both the night overworld theme and the night level theme.
3:16 Sandopolis Act 2 is most definitely the hardest level in Sonic & Knuckles. So long that you often die from the timer running out. I don't hate desert levels at all, but that one in particular as fun as some of the puzzles can be is a royal pain
Man you have gotten better and better at writing these videos like seriously, you’ve gotten a lot more confident and your scripts flow a lot smoother now. It’s awesome to see
Also the desert world in Paper Marion the Origami King with the missing sun and everything looking purple or dark blue, as well as and this bazaar run by ShyGuys were a pretty good spin on the desert world architype
My favorite desert level in any game is definitely Torna from Xenoblade 2’s dlc. It has so much depth and areas to it. So much unique designs and aesthetics that make it impossible to say it’s a bland desert level. Plus the music is so serene and beautiful.
In my opinion also the desert in Slime Rancher is worth mentioning. As the last place you visit in the game it is very special, but its atmosphere is what makes it the best, the soundtrack and the place is just so overwhelming that makes it the best desert in every video game.
Detritus Desert from Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz has one of my favourite video game songs of all time, which is especially impressive considering the song it's a remix of, Blistering Sands, is one of the most BORING video game songs of all time.
Fun fact, oil oceans music was originally for dust hill zone in sonic 2 which is why it sounds the way it does. Also it took till sonic 3 to get a proper desert level despite plans for CD and 2 to have desert dazzle and dust hill
For me Lanayru Desert from TLOZ Skyward Sword is easily one of the best desert stages in a game. It introduces the timestone mechanic which (literally) switches the area, it has amazing atmosphere, two of the best dungeons in the game The Sandship and Lanayru Mining Facility. And don't get me started on that soundtrack 🤩
@@TheGalaxyWings - No, not in my opinion anyway. the desert sections are really good too. The contrasting themes just make it more varied then the desert sections already are. The desert also plays off of the lush green area's in interesting ways. and switching between deserted ruins and a high-tech factory was a super cool dungeon gimmick. It's great BECAUSE it's a dry desert and lush green field at the same time. You spend most of your time in the desert sections so it's still very much a desert area overall. Lanayru Desert is probably the most mechanically diverse deserts in the entire series honestly.
Two desert levels I love are Spargus and The Wasteland in Jak 3 and the desert level in Smugglers Run. Because both have places to see/go to, have great music, AND a fun way to explore them
I think the Octopath Traveler games may have some of my favorite desert settings. The way the dunes glisten in the HD-2D artstyle is probably the only time I’ve found vast expanses of sand particularly appealing to look at.
Well said. The desert in Octopath Traveler II also includes gorgeous rivers, rainbows, and Asian-inspired architecture, which makes it a lot more visually satisfying to roam.
Honestly I love Desert Levels, especially Western style ones. My favourite SM64 course is Shifting Sand Land because the music just makes you feel the heat and the level itself is quite fun by itself.
I unironically LOVE desert levels. Like maybe there boring in lik new super mario bros but almost every level theme is boring there. I love the music and the aesthetic, probably because of all the mystery we westerners imagine when we think of desert countries.
All of these dessert levels have their ups and downs, but no matter how good or bad they seem, they make me think of one thing: Patrolling the Mojave almost makes you wish for a nuclear winter.
Rayman Origins and Legends had godly level themes. The landscapes and mechanics were done insanely well. You’d be surprised how much they were able to fit into their desert.
One desert that I think deserves a mention is the Dusty Dunes Desert in Earthbound, while it can be annoying due to randomly getting heatstroke (unless you know the trick) but it's also pretty memorable too, with the black and white sesame seeds, finding a guy's lost contact lenses and the fact that the reason you go through the desert is to get around a big traffic jam only for said traffic jam to clear by the time you reach the other end meaning the whole trek was pointless, you also go back to the desert a little later and go into a mined out cave where you fight five bosses who all claim they're the 3rd strongest and even have a big No.3 in their battle background and then you come back even later to go to the monkey cave (which isn't that fun but whatever)
The Desert in Mother 3 with Salsa and Fassad was such a pain in the ass that first time through cause hes so weak and Fassad so unhelpful, but in retrospect i adore the gameplay storytelling of it
As with most of my recent comments, I'd like to draw attention to Kirby and the forgotten lands Originull Wasteland. The games general post apocalypse theming works great as your wandering through a dried up ocean. My favorite level of the world would be Moonlight Canyon.
I'm kind of shocked you didn't bring up the sandboarding stage from Sonic Adventure where you evade a sandstorm as Tails. It was basically the same thing as the snowboarding stage where you escape an avalanche as Sonic, but it was still pretty cool & a unique take on the level type. My favourite desert stages are usually the ones with appealing visuals & some sort of gimmick, whether your sandboarding, a sandstorm occasionally goes through (NSMB Wii), or something else, they always add to the level to make it just as good if not better than other stages. I have seen a lot of horrible sand stages though, unfortunately there are so many that do nothing to be unique or interesting. Another one that I really loved though was a specific stage in Super Mario 3D Land that I can't remember the name of right now but it opens with this massive amount of land to run around & find secrets in, with these sand worm-like things chasing Mario & trying to eat him. Eventually you find an entrance into a big Egyptian-like structure & begin making your way to the top through traps & new enemies & whatnot, until you reach the top & beat the level. It's more interesting than that but bare in mind I haven't played Super Mario 3D Land in at least 3 years so I don't remember every detail, however it was one of those stages that tells you exactly what you were gonna play & I knew from then on I would love the game & I did, so much so it's one of the few games I've ever attempted & succeeded at 100%ing.
I really like the Greed Layer in ULTRAKILL as a desert level, with the interesting twist of the “sand” being gold dust superheated by the sun. Also the introduction of an enemy that can explode and cover enemies in the same gold dust that makes healing from them impossible. Plus, the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, and the Big Ben are also in the layer for you to see.
Thoughts on the Birabuto Kingdom from Super Mario Land? Personally I like it. Being the first world means it doesn't have to introduce any stage gimmick to slow the pace down like a lot of desert levels in platformers tend(ed) to do, even if the aesthetic is pretty much just your average desert (and egyptian pyramid interior for 1-3). It's also kinda ballsy that it's the first world in the game; and you go straight to a water kingdom (the Muda Kingdom) right after, meaning you're basically free from the Mario grasslands curse (unless you wanna count the Easton Kingdom, which is world 3 here, but the ground there looked far more rocky imo). And the music is a bombastic melody instead of basically screaming "this is a desert, get used to it" (which, I think people should be kinda concerned about? Peach's kingdom literally thrives right next to a desert in almost every iteration of it, how are there NO ecological worries?).
I like Birabuto Kingdom. I guess since the GameBoy is in black and white, most levels look visually similar to a degree lol I have a soft spot for Super Mario Land.
I think a good example of a great desert course would be Originull Wasteland from Kirby And The Forgotten Land. All the levels feel fun and unique. The first level has you go through the post apocalyptic sands where you see many destroyed stuff, until you reach the end where you see the resort that the 2nd level takes place in(Which makes the world feel more alive). The second level has you inside the remains of what once was a relaxing resort which turned into an Arabian Nights themed place. The third has you go through an abandoned mall with a pretty cool sunset look. And the 4th has you go through some dark caverns until you go outside to see the night sky and after climbing some clifds, you glide through the nighttime canyon.
I'm personally a bit fed up by the usual Arab or Egyptian themes used for desert levels... It has become better with more Mexican or Western Cowboy themes but it's already becoming redundant in my opinion. I think that's a missed occasion to not touch on other desert cultures that are as interesting (musically or by design) as the previous ones cited. I was pleasantly surprised by the desert levels of Rayman: Origins using Australian design and music (I loved that didgeridoo). Shoutout also to the recent Donkey Kong games using not often seen Dino theme and African Savannah theme. That's the kind of diversity I'm looking for.
I'm sure everyone already knows this, but I wanted to mention it since I didn't see it in the video. Oil Ocean Zone from Sonic 2 is one of the most notable desert levels in the Sonic series, that's why I wanted to bring it up. I personally think it looks pretty bland in 2, but in Mania I really like how they tried to freshen up the purple accents in the zone. The music is also very nice, it kind of makes me think of an Egyptian/Arabic region (which is fitting for a desert). Also in Mania, you can burn the oil slides and the oil sea, if you have a flame shield, and I think that's pretty cool.
Mirage Saloon's concept actually came from a Sonic 2 scrapped zone. Whitehead never gave up on trying to create and include that zone and I think a lot of us Sonic fans are glad he didn't.
So the whole joke about Mushroomy Kingdom is actually something that was lost in translation. The stage is a play on how those 8-Bit Mario stages from 64 and Melee were named "Ancient Kingdom" in Japanese. Essentially, the Brawl version is taking that and actually show the Kingdom being ancient, with it being called "Ancient‐Like Kingdom" in that version.
ULTRAKILL by far has the best desert levels imo. Not only is it a vibrant yellow instead of a dull tan, but it also has some of the best music in the game (like many desert levels). Having it just be much more entertaining to look at makes a desert level infinitely better.
Dry Dry Desert from Paper Mario is one of my favorite desert levels. Gobi’s Valley from Banjo Kazooie and Tabora from Ratchet and Clank 2 are pretty solid desert levels too.
I always viewed desert levels as beginner-intermediate stages that provide some challenges but mostly fun, maybe even a hidden power-up or collectable item. One that always sticks out in my mind is Shadow The Hedgehog .
Sonic Lost World also did the clever "dessert" pun with the 2nd act of Desert Ruins. They even add an "s" to the name just to emphasize the dessert theme.
Open space, structures, western setting, beings, emptiness, heat, & more. Love Monster's Inc Scare Island 4 levels showing each way to go about a desert/oasis/pyramid/tomb/puzzles.
My favourite desert level is world 3 from donkey kong country tropical freeze. It has a savanna theme and features some really creative levels such as Scorch'n'Torch, which takes place during a forest fire with scorched earth, burning enemies and trees that slowly combust. Other interesting levels in this world include the bramble level that calls back to DKC2, the first level of the world, which features animal-like wooden figures and poles, and the level that takes place inside a tornado.
I feel like all you need to do to spice up a desert level is to give the ground that layered effect with different colors in between like what mania did, it does go a long way in making it more visually appealing
I always had a good experience with deserts in games where the desert is the primary setting for that game. The environments of Afghanistan in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain or Egypt in Assassin's Creed Origins feel great to traverse and play in. That's why I have a soft spot for deserts in games.
I was really disappointed when hearing that PSO2 NGS's first new region was a desert one, but I was surprised it was so pretty. I'm used to desserts being barren and uninspiring.
1:28 A new example of a great desert level in a Mario game would be Sunbaked Desert from Mario Wonder. For starters, the desert uses a more arabian type of theming as opposed to the generic desert theming with hints of egyptian stuff. Especially the music, since it uses some arabian instruments to make a great theme(And also has a nice leitmotif to the world 1 theme). Not only that, but the area makes itself distinct with white sand, some jelly, and a cool palace. As for the levels, we have one where you're in a Ninji dance party(Which is a cute callback to SMB2), a color swith dungeon where you later on get chased by cosmic mario, a level all about the pushers guys, a level where you bounce on balloon fish, an underground level that tilts and has lots of spike balls(It even has a cute easter egg when you don't follow the rules), a level set at beautiful evening with some mummy enemies where you pull stuff, and I love how the boss battle uses the story of Bowser Jr stealing the water for his pool party. Plus, I love the open area part where you literally find levels like you're discovering the secrets of the sands. Best world of the game imo.
Skyward Swords Lanayru region is such a banger. You explore a ruined mining facility, just to realise that you can use timeshift stones around you to go in the past, and bring all of the nature and robots to life, so you alternate between future and past to beat that region. Its also extremely visually appealing, those ancient devices are extremely aesthetic (honestly way prettier than zonai and sheikah) and making a wonderful luscious jungle appear in the middle of a barren desert thanks to a magic stone, IS PRETTY FUCKING COOL
I love deserts in video games. I think i fell in love with them thanks to Crash bandicoot 3, its arabian and egypt levels are great. Other great deserts are Gerudo desert from Botw and Totk, Oblivia from Xenoblade X and Torna from Xenoblade 2 I just love how expansive they are, except Torna, its small for a desert, but it has multiple levels with spider filled caves benath it, and otherwordly oasis above it, it's really pretty, but small for a desert. On the other side, going to the edge of gerudo and gazing into the distance is amazing, and climbing the rings in olbivia and seeing the whole desert is great. And don't even start me on deserts at night, and the beautiful mix of oranges, blues and purples that you get.
Yeah most desert areas are really bland, and I dunno I always feel oddly burned out (pun unintended) when playing through them. I don't know why... But its unfortunate because deserts can be quite beautiful if done correctly!
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who feels the same way about desert levels. The moment I approach a desert themed world, my enthusiasm drags to a halt. Sometimes I leave it satisfied like with many Sonic games but most of the time I am ready to move on to the next theme. I'm also glad to hear Sonic Unleashed's soundtrack get some praise.
Journey is a desert GAME and it goes very hard! The sand is so shiny, sliding around feels really smooth and satisfying, and it made me question what it means to be alive... best desert level 🔥
I believe Rayman 3 did the desert level well. Instead of it being just sand, it’s mostly a cavern in the desert to give variety. Where there is sand, they make it lava hot that you can’t touch which makes the platforming vital
5:04 I mean, Sand Oasis is literally the only stage with sand in it. All the rest are dinosaurs, pirate ships, and a bunch of other random themes, for the most part.
Imo desert levels shine in RPGs. Golden Sun, for example, has multiple deserts in the series, and none of them have the same gimmick. One deals with a heat meter and using reveal magic to uncover secret lagoons, another has giant twisters with frilled lizard men inside them, one of whom takes you to the secret dungeon, and another deals with sand levels. Also Oblivia from Xenoblade X. One of the best themes in the game, and it has a bit of visual storytelling displaying why it is a desert, as a bunch of pieces of a giant device are scattered all over the middle of the desert, implying in the past this device blew up and created Oblivia. Route 111 from Pokemon RSE is a very memorable location, as it requires a special goggle item to traverse, it gives you one of the two fossils, and it has the Regirock temple. In Final Fantasy, there's a bunch, like Figaro in FF6, the area outside Golden Saucer in FF7 where you can fight Ruby Weapon, Galbadia in FF8 which has the Moombas (seriously Moombas should be in more FF games, they're adorable), Sanubia in FFX home of the Al Bhed (no stop it Wakka), Dalmasca in FF12, and a few in FF15. There are also a lot of desert maps in Fire Emblem. In particular map 15 of Path Of Radiance, if only because you can get Stefan there who has the badass line "I am the desert, and I brook no intrusion. Make peace with your goddess." As for other RPGs, there's also the Wild Arms series, like almost tge whole series, as it's Wild West themed. As for non RPGs, pretty much every Zelda game with a desert level has a good desert level. I know Uncharted 3 is divisive, but I quite like it. And there's also the whole game Deadly Creatures, an underlooked Wii game where you play as a Scorpion and a Tarantula. Seriously, it's awesome, check it out.
Maybe interesting maybe not but Tales of Symphonia puts it desert region first in terms of landscapes which means everything after it is by default more visually appealing. It also lowkeys sets the tone pretty early for something I won't spoil.
I recall thinking the Mushroom Kingdom in Brawl was kinda interesting. Now it's sorta of a time capsule for how nostalgia for retro games were like in the 2000s. As the medium was crowded with photo-realism, rather than painting a pretty picture of the past, it's was more of a melancholic "those were the days" sort of feel... Also it kind goes alongside edgy deconstructive parodies of Mario from that decade, though that was likely unintentional from Nintendo.
Gobi’s Vally from Banjo Kazooie is notable for basically being the only place in the game that needs you to go back to a previous level. The previous level… is an Ice level. Neither Gobi’s Vally or the ice level Freezeezy Peaks are bad, but it is interesting that two of the worst level archetypes are both considered good, but a highlight in it’s game. GV has the game’s smooth flying controls being used all over the place, you get a fast running power up and it has some of the better side missions in BK.
I don't know who you are but I never fully agreed with someone. The Mario series definitely oversaturated the dessert levels. I think the dessert in Shadow of Collusses are interesting because of the use as the fighting arena
Desert levels/areas i love: Stage 2 - panzer Dragoon Desert caravan - panzer Dragoon saga Titania - StarFox64 City of Nasrad - skies of arcadia Loc lac city - Monster Hunter 3tri Minato ward - Shin Megami Tensei V
At 3:53 I knew it was coming from the moment you said "have you EVER" and I just had to sing along LMAO Although I love desert levels this is a great video outlining valid criticisms and possible improvements to be made on a pretty tired video game trope. Great job! That's a subscribe from me :)
Yeah I use to not like anything Desert or Heat related areas in games, I always enjoy a cool blue cold area any day, and I still do it's just that I am slowly appreciating sandy places a little bit more. Just only a bit more.
As an indie gamedev I'm literally working on a desert level RIGHT now and had this recommended to me. How topical
That's a funny coincidence! Best of luck with your game project. It's always good to see indie devs making cool stuff.
What kind of game is it?
@@AngryBones69 It's a 2D action platformer. Think Rayman platforming meets Megaman shooting with a dash of Sonic and Crash Bandicoot speed and a pinch of Shantae's artstyle. It's still a little rough, but I'm going all in on development at the moment
@@VinnimonCinnimonInteresting.
@@VinnimonCinnimonwhat the name
I uironically LOVE desert levels mainly because of the music they provide rather than the substance it brings. I love how they use the Middle Easter influence in some games like Twilight Princess' version of Gerudo Valley.
Twilight Princess Gerudo Desert is the ONLY exception. I hate pretty much every other desert setting including irl
Why do desert levels always have such good music lol
kinda surprised twilight princess desert dungeon in general wasnt talked about
Music is the main reason but as we seen its possible to make really good ones. We also know that if you make a bad one it will standout way more.
it's always either inspired by ancient egypt or arabian desert
BotW Gerudo Desert has a really interesting gimmick... If you go in early. Having to deal with both extremes of weather depending on the time is neat. Running from shadow to shadow in day or splashing water on yourself to avoid heatstroke, and lighting a torch at night which renders you helpless to enemies at night, with the only time you really can move freely is at twilight where the weather is in a sweet spot. It's kinda invalidated when you get gear that lets you ignore the temperature mechanics entirely, but on a playthrough where I went in early it became a highlight of the entire game.
And it probably was based off of the desert from Skyward Sword which was easily the most memorable part of that game, where you need to use time shift stones to solve puzzles.
Katamari Forever also had a similar gimmick to the desert level, where you need to get your katamari wet and roll over the sand as the objective of the stage, and regularly return to the fountains to re-wet your katamari.
Perhaps the key to making fun desert levels in games that aren't ENTIRELY desert themed is to focus on "harsh environment an occasional oasis" as a gameplay element. At least for me.
yeah, so sad that he's not talking about it
I find the desert from Skyward Sword probably the best in all of Zelda and in all the games I've played. The ancient civilization thing was so cool, the pirate ship as well
One of my favorite desert levels is Sherbet Desert from Mario+Rabbids Kingdom Battle. I love how they mixed the desert with the ice and how they split the levels between desert, ice, and a mix of both. It makes both themes stand out more when they’re together.
An instant way to make a desert level awesome is making it Wild West themed. That always puts a smile on my face.
Going arabian way also isn't that bad either.
@@Dnedriexhibit A: Metal slug 2/X
When will we get an outback desert level?
@@tomvlogs8463I know right! If i ever make a game with desert levels, i am absolutely making it based on australia.
@@tomvlogs8463 Monster Hunter Australian edition
I really like Kirby planet robobot’s desert levels. It’s basically the standard desert theme but with a mechanized twist to it, fitting in with the rest of the game. You even enter a pyramid that’s been turned into a factory, and it gives a homage to the factory on shiver star in Kirby 64. It’s pretty cool stuff
Big blenders in the background too
I noticed I tend to love the music and aesthetic (unless its literally just a barren wasteland) of desert levels, but the actual levels themselves usually aren't that interesting. Appreciate the shoutout of Shamar's music in Sonic Unleashed, I like to listen to both the night overworld theme and the night level theme.
3:16 Sandopolis Act 2 is most definitely the hardest level in Sonic & Knuckles. So long that you often die from the timer running out.
I don't hate desert levels at all, but that one in particular as fun as some of the puzzles can be is a royal pain
Man you have gotten better and better at writing these videos like seriously, you’ve gotten a lot more confident and your scripts flow a lot smoother now. It’s awesome to see
Thanks a bunch, I appreciate the feedback! I hope to improve more and more as time goes on.
Also the desert world in Paper Marion the Origami King with the missing sun and everything looking purple or dark blue, as well as and this bazaar run by ShyGuys were a pretty good spin on the desert world architype
I’m a shy guy
My favorite desert level in any game is definitely Torna from Xenoblade 2’s dlc. It has so much depth and areas to it. So much unique designs and aesthetics that make it impossible to say it’s a bland desert level. Plus the music is so serene and beautiful.
I liked all the impossible geography in the desert area in 3 from the annihilation events
In my opinion also the desert in Slime Rancher is worth mentioning. As the last place you visit in the game it is very special, but its atmosphere is what makes it the best, the soundtrack and the place is just so overwhelming that makes it the best desert in every video game.
Speaking of banger music in desert, Shantae has a couple of that in Pirate’s Curse and Half-Genie Hero.
One Desert aesthetic I really like is the one in Crash 3, as well as Shamar from Sonic Unleashed. Both great levels with near aesthetic
Detritus Desert from Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz has one of my favourite video game songs of all time, which is especially impressive considering the song it's a remix of, Blistering Sands, is one of the most BORING video game songs of all time.
Fun fact, oil oceans music was originally for dust hill zone in sonic 2 which is why it sounds the way it does. Also it took till sonic 3 to get a proper desert level despite plans for CD and 2 to have desert dazzle and dust hill
For me Lanayru Desert from TLOZ Skyward Sword is easily one of the best desert stages in a game.
It introduces the timestone mechanic which (literally) switches the area, it has amazing atmosphere, two of the best dungeons in the game The Sandship and Lanayru Mining Facility.
And don't get me started on that soundtrack 🤩
So this is your favourite desert stage because it turns into not a desert ?
@@TheGalaxyWings - No, not in my opinion anyway. the desert sections are really good too. The contrasting themes just make it more varied then the desert sections already are. The desert also plays off of the lush green area's in interesting ways. and switching between deserted ruins and a high-tech factory was a super cool dungeon gimmick.
It's great BECAUSE it's a dry desert and lush green field at the same time. You spend most of your time in the desert sections so it's still very much a desert area overall.
Lanayru Desert is probably the most mechanically diverse deserts in the entire series honestly.
@@TheGalaxyWingsis that a schaffrillas reference?
Two desert levels I love are Spargus and The Wasteland in Jak 3 and the desert level in Smugglers Run. Because both have places to see/go to, have great music, AND a fun way to explore them
I think the Octopath Traveler games may have some of my favorite desert settings. The way the dunes glisten in the HD-2D artstyle is probably the only time I’ve found vast expanses of sand particularly appealing to look at.
FINALLY another Octopath fan
Well said. The desert in Octopath Traveler II also includes gorgeous rivers, rainbows, and Asian-inspired architecture, which makes it a lot more visually satisfying to roam.
Honestly I love Desert Levels, especially Western style ones. My favourite SM64 course is Shifting Sand Land because the music just makes you feel the heat and the level itself is quite fun by itself.
It’s rare to watch content that is really just someone talking about something with no super deep stakes needed. I love this, you earned my sub !
I unironically LOVE desert levels. Like maybe there boring in lik new super mario bros but almost every level theme is boring there. I love the music and the aesthetic, probably because of all the mystery we westerners imagine when we think of desert countries.
All of these dessert levels have their ups and downs, but no matter how good or bad they seem, they make me think of one thing: Patrolling the Mojave almost makes you wish for a nuclear winter.
I can confirm, Mojabe sucks
the entire gerudo desert section in Twilight Princess is great.
Fr why didn't he talk abt Zelda
Rayman Origins and Legends had godly level themes. The landscapes and mechanics were done insanely well. You’d be surprised how much they were able to fit into their desert.
One desert that I think deserves a mention is the Dusty Dunes Desert in Earthbound, while it can be annoying due to randomly getting heatstroke (unless you know the trick) but it's also pretty memorable too, with the black and white sesame seeds, finding a guy's lost contact lenses and the fact that the reason you go through the desert is to get around a big traffic jam only for said traffic jam to clear by the time you reach the other end meaning the whole trek was pointless, you also go back to the desert a little later and go into a mined out cave where you fight five bosses who all claim they're the 3rd strongest and even have a big No.3 in their battle background and then you come back even later to go to the monkey cave (which isn't that fun but whatever)
The music there is pretty cool too, it sounds like it's being played on an old radio lol. It really adds to the atmosphere.
The Desert in Mother 3 with Salsa and Fassad was such a pain in the ass that first time through cause hes so weak and Fassad so unhelpful, but in retrospect i adore the gameplay storytelling of it
As with most of my recent comments, I'd like to draw attention to Kirby and the forgotten lands Originull Wasteland. The games general post apocalypse theming works great as your wandering through a dried up ocean. My favorite level of the world would be Moonlight Canyon.
I'm kind of shocked you didn't bring up the sandboarding stage from Sonic Adventure where you evade a sandstorm as Tails. It was basically the same thing as the snowboarding stage where you escape an avalanche as Sonic, but it was still pretty cool & a unique take on the level type. My favourite desert stages are usually the ones with appealing visuals & some sort of gimmick, whether your sandboarding, a sandstorm occasionally goes through (NSMB Wii), or something else, they always add to the level to make it just as good if not better than other stages. I have seen a lot of horrible sand stages though, unfortunately there are so many that do nothing to be unique or interesting.
Another one that I really loved though was a specific stage in Super Mario 3D Land that I can't remember the name of right now but it opens with this massive amount of land to run around & find secrets in, with these sand worm-like things chasing Mario & trying to eat him. Eventually you find an entrance into a big Egyptian-like structure & begin making your way to the top through traps & new enemies & whatnot, until you reach the top & beat the level. It's more interesting than that but bare in mind I haven't played Super Mario 3D Land in at least 3 years so I don't remember every detail, however it was one of those stages that tells you exactly what you were gonna play & I knew from then on I would love the game & I did, so much so it's one of the few games I've ever attempted & succeeded at 100%ing.
0:24 bro chill
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse has a great desert level
I really like the Greed Layer in ULTRAKILL as a desert level, with the interesting twist of the “sand” being gold dust superheated by the sun. Also the introduction of an enemy that can explode and cover enemies in the same gold dust that makes healing from them impossible.
Plus, the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, and the Big Ben are also in the layer for you to see.
I think Rail Canyon and Bullet Station from Sonic Heroes are good levels with a sort of desert theme
A desert level that will always be nostalgic to me is the one in the PS2 Game, Smuggler's Run
Same. Cause there's a lot of stuff in it. An oasis, pueblos, and the pyramid
Some indie examples: Gris has a great desert level/section, and Journey is visually stunning with its depiction of a desert as well.
Journey is only kind of half indie
Unpopular opinion: I think deserts rule and I find their vast emptiness appealing
ah yes, sand mixed with the occasional quicksand, and also sandstorms mixed in somewhere too.
Quicksand! ...How fun.
I love having the press the A button ten times just to move forward ONE INCH.
2 other desert themes in sonic games which are very good are: Sand Ruins (sonic riders) and Ares Island (sonic frontiers)
One of the most visually interesting desert levels I have ever played are from Rayman origins
Shoutout Planet Tabora from Ratchet and Clank 2 for being a literal empty sandbox
Thoughts on the Birabuto Kingdom from Super Mario Land?
Personally I like it. Being the first world means it doesn't have to introduce any stage gimmick to slow the pace down like a lot of desert levels in platformers tend(ed) to do, even if the aesthetic is pretty much just your average desert (and egyptian pyramid interior for 1-3). It's also kinda ballsy that it's the first world in the game; and you go straight to a water kingdom (the Muda Kingdom) right after, meaning you're basically free from the Mario grasslands curse (unless you wanna count the Easton Kingdom, which is world 3 here, but the ground there looked far more rocky imo).
And the music is a bombastic melody instead of basically screaming "this is a desert, get used to it" (which, I think people should be kinda concerned about? Peach's kingdom literally thrives right next to a desert in almost every iteration of it, how are there NO ecological worries?).
I like Birabuto Kingdom. I guess since the GameBoy is in black and white, most levels look visually similar to a degree lol I have a soft spot for Super Mario Land.
Cactus Mine from Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is one of my favorite desert levels, its simple but an absolute banger
I think a good example of a great desert course would be Originull Wasteland from Kirby And The Forgotten Land.
All the levels feel fun and unique. The first level has you go through the post apocalyptic sands where you see many destroyed stuff, until you reach the end where you see the resort that the 2nd level takes place in(Which makes the world feel more alive). The second level has you inside the remains of what once was a relaxing resort which turned into an Arabian Nights themed place. The third has you go through an abandoned mall with a pretty cool sunset look. And the 4th has you go through some dark caverns until you go outside to see the night sky and after climbing some clifds, you glide through the nighttime canyon.
I'm personally a bit fed up by the usual Arab or Egyptian themes used for desert levels... It has become better with more Mexican or Western Cowboy themes but it's already becoming redundant in my opinion. I think that's a missed occasion to not touch on other desert cultures that are as interesting (musically or by design) as the previous ones cited. I was pleasantly surprised by the desert levels of Rayman: Origins using Australian design and music (I loved that didgeridoo). Shoutout also to the recent Donkey Kong games using not often seen Dino theme and African Savannah theme. That's the kind of diversity I'm looking for.
I'm sure everyone already knows this, but I wanted to mention it since I didn't see it in the video.
Oil Ocean Zone from Sonic 2 is one of the most notable desert levels in the Sonic series, that's why I wanted to bring it up. I personally think it looks pretty bland in 2, but in Mania I really like how they tried to freshen up the purple accents in the zone. The music is also very nice, it kind of makes me think of an Egyptian/Arabic region (which is fitting for a desert).
Also in Mania, you can burn the oil slides and the oil sea, if you have a flame shield, and I think that's pretty cool.
Mirage Saloon's concept actually came from a Sonic 2 scrapped zone. Whitehead never gave up on trying to create and include that zone and I think a lot of us Sonic fans are glad he didn't.
So the whole joke about Mushroomy Kingdom is actually something that was lost in translation. The stage is a play on how those 8-Bit Mario stages from 64 and Melee were named "Ancient Kingdom" in Japanese. Essentially, the Brawl version is taking that and actually show the Kingdom being ancient, with it being called "Ancient‐Like Kingdom" in that version.
Sometimes dessert level in mario is just annoying as fck like why am I getting hit by the sun while also trying to jump on turtles
Both Gerudo Valley and Gerudo Desert have killer music.
ULTRAKILL by far has the best desert levels imo. Not only is it a vibrant yellow instead of a dull tan, but it also has some of the best music in the game (like many desert levels). Having it just be much more entertaining to look at makes a desert level infinitely better.
Dry Dry Desert from Paper Mario is one of my favorite desert levels. Gobi’s Valley from Banjo Kazooie and Tabora from Ratchet and Clank 2 are pretty solid desert levels too.
"bland land of tan sand"
kiro spittin bars now
I always viewed desert levels as beginner-intermediate stages that provide some challenges but mostly fun, maybe even a hidden power-up or collectable item. One that always sticks out in my mind is Shadow The Hedgehog .
Sonic Lost World also did the clever "dessert" pun with the 2nd act of Desert Ruins. They even add an "s" to the name just to emphasize the dessert theme.
I've strangely always really enjoyed the desert aesthetic. Idk what it is about it
Open space, structures, western setting, beings, emptiness, heat, & more. Love Monster's Inc Scare Island 4 levels showing each way to go about a desert/oasis/pyramid/tomb/puzzles.
Neir Automita desert area was so pretty. Octopath traveller also. i love the sparkly, glittery effect they have
Kiro my hero! Speaking of the hub worlds in Sonic Unleashed, a look into the different approaches to hub worlds in games might be a cool video idea
My favourite desert level is world 3 from donkey kong country tropical freeze. It has a savanna theme and features some really creative levels such as Scorch'n'Torch, which takes place during a forest fire with scorched earth, burning enemies and trees that slowly combust. Other interesting levels in this world include the bramble level that calls back to DKC2, the first level of the world, which features animal-like wooden figures and poles, and the level that takes place inside a tornado.
I feel like all you need to do to spice up a desert level is to give the ground that layered effect with different colors in between like what mania did, it does go a long way in making it more visually appealing
I always had a good experience with deserts in games where the desert is the primary setting for that game. The environments of Afghanistan in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain or Egypt in Assassin's Creed Origins feel great to traverse and play in. That's why I have a soft spot for deserts in games.
I was really disappointed when hearing that PSO2 NGS's first new region was a desert one, but I was surprised it was so pretty. I'm used to desserts being barren and uninspiring.
1:28
A new example of a great desert level in a Mario game would be Sunbaked Desert from Mario Wonder.
For starters, the desert uses a more arabian type of theming as opposed to the generic desert theming with hints of egyptian stuff. Especially the music, since it uses some arabian instruments to make a great theme(And also has a nice leitmotif to the world 1 theme).
Not only that, but the area makes itself distinct with white sand, some jelly, and a cool palace. As for the levels, we have one where you're in a Ninji dance party(Which is a cute callback to SMB2), a color swith dungeon where you later on get chased by cosmic mario, a level all about the pushers guys, a level where you bounce on balloon fish, an underground level that tilts and has lots of spike balls(It even has a cute easter egg when you don't follow the rules), a level set at beautiful evening with some mummy enemies where you pull stuff, and I love how the boss battle uses the story of Bowser Jr stealing the water for his pool party.
Plus, I love the open area part where you literally find levels like you're discovering the secrets of the sands.
Best world of the game imo.
Skyward Swords Lanayru region is such a banger. You explore a ruined mining facility, just to realise that you can use timeshift stones around you to go in the past, and bring all of the nature and robots to life, so you alternate between future and past to beat that region. Its also extremely visually appealing, those ancient devices are extremely aesthetic (honestly way prettier than zonai and sheikah) and making a wonderful luscious jungle appear in the middle of a barren desert thanks to a magic stone, IS PRETTY FUCKING COOL
Did you ever play sonic frontiers??! The desert is beautiful in that game especially with how the sand feels realistic
I love deserts in video games.
I think i fell in love with them thanks to Crash bandicoot 3, its arabian and egypt levels are great.
Other great deserts are Gerudo desert from Botw and Totk, Oblivia from Xenoblade X and Torna from Xenoblade 2
I just love how expansive they are, except Torna, its small for a desert, but it has multiple levels with spider filled caves benath it, and otherwordly oasis above it, it's really pretty, but small for a desert.
On the other side, going to the edge of gerudo and gazing into the distance is amazing, and climbing the rings in olbivia and seeing the whole desert is great.
And don't even start me on deserts at night, and the beautiful mix of oranges, blues and purples that you get.
Ys Seven makes you like it just because you get to listen to Desert of Despair while going through it.
My favorite desert level was the mario oddesy for sure
Yeah most desert areas are really bland, and I dunno I always feel oddly burned out (pun unintended) when playing through them. I don't know why... But its unfortunate because deserts can be quite beautiful if done correctly!
Another desert level I love is oregano desert from pizza tower. The latter portion of it ends up in an alien ufo. And the music absolutely slaps
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who feels the same way about desert levels. The moment I approach a desert themed world, my enthusiasm drags to a halt. Sometimes I leave it satisfied like with many Sonic games but most of the time I am ready to move on to the next theme. I'm also glad to hear Sonic Unleashed's soundtrack get some praise.
Kiro talks moaning doesn't exist, he can't hurt you.
Kiro talks moaning: 0:24
Zelda has always nailed the desert levels. Im remembering my first time in Twilight Princess' desert. It felt like a mini open world. What a good time
Shantae desert levels are always great.
I don't know how you do it
But every time I eat eggs and toast for dinner you upload a video
That's very odd lol I think whenever upload it's usually around the same time...or maybe eggs and toast is a summoning call for a video
@@kirotalksytboth lmao
I love the vibe of desert levels the music and pyramids and all that stuff
i shall not let the children say FIRST
Thank you
You were third man
Thank you
These comments are more annoying than saying first at this point
@@Player-p4k aw man really? I haven’t seen these comments since awhile
Journey is a desert GAME and it goes very hard! The sand is so shiny, sliding around feels really smooth and satisfying, and it made me question what it means to be alive... best desert level 🔥
I love the levels set in deserts, my absolute favorite is Sandopolis
I believe Rayman 3 did the desert level well. Instead of it being just sand, it’s mostly a cavern in the desert to give variety. Where there is sand, they make it lava hot that you can’t touch which makes the platforming vital
5:04 I mean, Sand Oasis is literally the only stage with sand in it. All the rest are dinosaurs, pirate ships, and a bunch of other random themes, for the most part.
I'd say the best desert levels are the courses in Stunt from Angry Birds Go.
These stages are,
* The Dust Bowl 🏜️
* Corkscrew 🌌
* Blast Off 🌇
As a sand level hater myself I found that Kirby’s Epic Yarn was able to keep their sand areas have some interesting variety
Lanayru Desert from Skyward Sword is a great one
Imo desert levels shine in RPGs.
Golden Sun, for example, has multiple deserts in the series, and none of them have the same gimmick. One deals with a heat meter and using reveal magic to uncover secret lagoons, another has giant twisters with frilled lizard men inside them, one of whom takes you to the secret dungeon, and another deals with sand levels.
Also Oblivia from Xenoblade X. One of the best themes in the game, and it has a bit of visual storytelling displaying why it is a desert, as a bunch of pieces of a giant device are scattered all over the middle of the desert, implying in the past this device blew up and created Oblivia.
Route 111 from Pokemon RSE is a very memorable location, as it requires a special goggle item to traverse, it gives you one of the two fossils, and it has the Regirock temple.
In Final Fantasy, there's a bunch, like Figaro in FF6, the area outside Golden Saucer in FF7 where you can fight Ruby Weapon, Galbadia in FF8 which has the Moombas (seriously Moombas should be in more FF games, they're adorable), Sanubia in FFX home of the Al Bhed (no stop it Wakka), Dalmasca in FF12, and a few in FF15.
There are also a lot of desert maps in Fire Emblem. In particular map 15 of Path Of Radiance, if only because you can get Stefan there who has the badass line "I am the desert, and I brook no intrusion. Make peace with your goddess."
As for other RPGs, there's also the Wild Arms series, like almost tge whole series, as it's Wild West themed.
As for non RPGs, pretty much every Zelda game with a desert level has a good desert level. I know Uncharted 3 is divisive, but I quite like it. And there's also the whole game Deadly Creatures, an underlooked Wii game where you play as a Scorpion and a Tarantula. Seriously, it's awesome, check it out.
Maybe interesting maybe not but Tales of Symphonia puts it desert region first in terms of landscapes which means everything after it is by default more visually appealing. It also lowkeys sets the tone pretty early for something I won't spoil.
my favorite desert stage in sonic series is arid sands, as well as sand ruins from sonic riders
I recall thinking the Mushroom Kingdom in Brawl was kinda interesting. Now it's sorta of a time capsule for how nostalgia for retro games were like in the 2000s. As the medium was crowded with photo-realism, rather than painting a pretty picture of the past, it's was more of a melancholic "those were the days" sort of feel...
Also it kind goes alongside edgy deconstructive parodies of Mario from that decade, though that was likely unintentional from Nintendo.
JRPGs seem to do deserts a lot more justice
Like blasted tokyo from smt4
The whole video i couldn’t stop thinking about the Pyramid/desert palace from Persona 5 lol
Gobi’s Vally from Banjo Kazooie is notable for basically being the only place in the game that needs you to go back to a previous level. The previous level… is an Ice level.
Neither Gobi’s Vally or the ice level Freezeezy Peaks are bad, but it is interesting that two of the worst level archetypes are both considered good, but a highlight in it’s game.
GV has the game’s smooth flying controls being used all over the place, you get a fast running power up and it has some of the better side missions in BK.
I don't know who you are but I never fully agreed with someone. The Mario series definitely oversaturated the dessert levels. I think the dessert in Shadow of Collusses are interesting because of the use as the fighting arena
Desert levels/areas i love:
Stage 2 - panzer Dragoon
Desert caravan - panzer Dragoon saga
Titania - StarFox64
City of Nasrad - skies of arcadia
Loc lac city - Monster Hunter 3tri
Minato ward - Shin Megami Tensei V
At 3:53 I knew it was coming from the moment you said "have you EVER" and I just had to sing along LMAO
Although I love desert levels this is a great video outlining valid criticisms and possible improvements to be made on a pretty tired video game trope. Great job! That's a subscribe from me :)
4:45 bro just described sonic superstars
Dry Dry Desert in Paper Mario is dope
Yeah I use to not like anything Desert or Heat related areas in games, I always enjoy a cool blue cold area any day, and I still do it's just that I am slowly appreciating sandy places a little bit more.
Just only a bit more.
i like desert levels it looks sooo comfy and nostalgic and heart warming
I realized I only like the American, or “Wild West” style of desert stages
Assassins Creed Origins is practically ALL DESERT, being set in Egypt and all.
Errrrmmmm I kind of like Sandopolis? The song slaps
The song hits harder than my parents
You deserve 1million+ subs bro you will for sure get there!