A stage with a desert theme has a desert setting. Common elements include implications of extreme heat, sand as far as the eye can see, and oases. Sometimes stages with a desert theme include special enemies. Often they feature temple-like structures or abandoned ruins in the middle of a desert, both of which are elements of the ancient ruins theme.
Stages with a desert theme
- Sand Shower Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992) - A scrapped Zone intended to appear in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. This Zone also incorporates elements of the canyon theme.
- Desert Dodge, SegaSonic the Hedgehog (1993)
- Landslide Limbo, SegaSonic the Hedgehog (1993) - This Zone also incorporates canyon and industrial elements.
- Desert Palace, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994) - This Zone also incorporates the ancient ruin elements.
- Sandopolis Zone, Sonic & Knuckles (1994) - This Zone also incorporates elements of the ancient ruin theme and haunted theme in Act 2.
- Dark Valley, Sonic Drift 2 (1995) - This zone also incorporates elements of the canyon theme
- Desert Road, Sonic Drift 2 (1995)
- Flying Carpet, Sonic the Fighters (1996)
- Yellow Desert Zone, Sonic Blast (1996) - This stage also includes elements of the ancient ruins theme.
- Red Sands Zone, Sonic X-treme (Scrapped)
- Sand Hill, Sonic Adventure (1998)
- Riot Train, Sonic Shuffle (2000) - This board also includes elements of the railway theme.
- Wild Canyon, Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) - This stage also includes elements of the ancient ruins and canyon themes.
- Sand Ocean, Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) - This stage also includes elements of the ancient ruins theme.
- Hidden Base, Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) - This stage also includes elements of the ancient ruins theme.
- Pyramid Cave, Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) - This stage also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins theme.
- Egg Rocket Zone, Sonic Advance (2001) - This stages also include elements of the industrial, canyon, space, and sky themes.
- Rail Canyon, Sonic Heroes (2003) - This stages also include elements of the industrial, canyon, railway, and sky themes.
- Bullet Station, Sonic Heroes (2003) - This stages also include elements of the industrial, railway, and canyon themes.
- Egg Fleet, Sonic Heroes (2003) - Expert Race only. This stages also include elements of the industrial and sky themes.
- Mirage Road, Sonic Rush (2005) - This stage also includes elements of the ancient ruins theme.
- Sand Ruins and Dark Desert, Sonic Riders (2006) - These tracks also include elements of the ancient ruins and canyon themes.
- Dusty Desert, Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) - This stage also includes elements of the ancient ruins theme.
- Lost Prologue, Sonic and the Secret Rings (2007)
- Sand Oasis, Sonic and the Secret Rings (2007)
- Sandopolis Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog (Didj) (2008) - This Zone also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins theme.
- Arid Sands, Sonic Unleashed (2008) - This stage also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins and canyon themes.
- Forgotten Tomb, Sonic Free Riders (2010) - This stage also includes elements of the ancient ruins and canyon themes.
- Desert Dazzle, Sonic the Hedgehog CD (2011) - This was a deleted Zone from the remastered version of Sonic CD.
- Oil Desert Zone, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II (2012) - This Zone also has industrial theme elements.
- Desert Ruins, Sonic Lost World (2013) - excluding Zone 3.
- Sky Road Zone 4, Sonic Lost World (2013) - This Zone also incorporates elements of the sky theme.
- Shadow Canyons, Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal (2014) - This stage also includes elements of the canyon theme.
- Desert Ruins, Sonic Runners (2015)
- Thunder Island, Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice (2016) - This stage also incorporates elements of the coastal and industrial themes.
- Desert Ruins, Sonic Runners Adventure (2017)
- Mirage Saloon Zone, Sonic Mania (2017) - This Zone also includes elements of the railway theme, sky theme and canyon theme.
- Green Hill, Sonic Forces/Speed Battle (2017) - These stages and tracks also incorporate elements of industrial and mostly Green Hill themes.
- Lost Valley, Sonic Forces (2017)
- Green Hill, Sonic Forces (2017)
- Arsenal Pyramid, Sonic Forces (2017)
- Guardian Rock, Sonic Forces (2017)
- Virtual Reality, Sonic Forces (2017)
- Bomb Block 1, Sonic Forces (2017)
- Flying Pod, Sonic Forces (2017)
- Reverse Block 2, Sonic Forces (2017)
- Corkscrew Canyon, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle (2017)
- Desert Falls, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle (2017)
- Parched Palms, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle (2017)
- Pyramid Valley, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle (2017)
- Sandy Hills, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle (2017)
- Sand Road, Team Sonic Racing (2019)
- Boo's House, Team Sonic Racing (2019) - This track also incorporates elements of the Haunted theme.
- Clockwork Pyramid, Team Sonic Racing (2019) - This track also incorporates elements of the industrial theme.
- Lost Valley, Sonic Speed Simulator (2022) - This Zone also incorporates elements of the Green Hill theme.
- Ares Island, Sonic Frontiers (2022) - This Open-Zone area also incorporates elements of the coastal and ancient ruins themes.
- Sand Sanctuary Zone, Sonic Superstars (2023) - This Zone also incorporates elements of the ancient ruins theme.
- Rail Canyon, Shadow Generations (2024) - This stage also includes elements of the industrial, railway, canyon, and sky themes.