Wandering the Virtual Deserts Trivia Quiz

Answer: Rub' Al Khali

In "Uncharted 3", Nate and company are in search of the mysterious Atlantis of the Sands (or Iram of the Pillars). In one particular setpiece, Nate stows away aboard a cargo plane on its way to rendezvous with a caravan in the Rub' Al Khali. When he is discovered, his ensuing actions cause the plane to crash into the sands and leave him stranded in the middle of nowhere.

The Rub' Al-Khali, also known as the Empty Quarter, is a vast sand desert on the Arabian Peninsula. It covers an immense 650,000 sq km (that's slightly bigger than the area of mainland France).

Answer: Journey

In typical thatgamecompany fashion, "Journey", like its predecessors, is presented in a largely minimalistic way. There's no UI and very little in the way of on-screen instructions. From the very beginning, the ultimate goal of reaching a great mountain in the distance is made clear.

While not so much a game as an interactive experience, "Journey" nonetheless transitions between a desert environment, the crumbling ruins of a forgotten civilisation, a darkened subterranean cave system and a snowy ascent to the top of the mountain.

Answer: Banjo-Kazooie

On their quest to save Banjo's sister Tooty from the evil clutches of Gruntilda the witch, Banjo and Kazooie find themselves in Gobi's Valley in search of more musical notes and jigsaw pieces. Pyramids and a talking sphinx called Jinxy can be found here, as well as shambling mummies and disembodied bandaged hands. A few puzzles can be played here too, including a memory card game using large floor tiles, and a hasty jaunt through the maze of King Sandybutt.

The eponymous Gobi the camel can be found in this world, tied up to a rock. Banjo and Kazooie free him but later force him to give up his water to rejuvenate a dying tree. Annoyed, Gobi runs off to a small alcove hidden away in the world, whereupon Banjo and Kazooie can force him to give up an Empty Honeycomb Piece (used to increase their health). Now extremely annoyed, Gobi leaves his world and turns up later in Click Clock Wood, where yet again he is forced to give up his water to help a seedling grow. Poor old Gobi.

Answer: Dubai

Unusually for a shooter video game, "Spec Ops: The Line" is more narrative-driven than its forebears. Set amongst a partially-buried Dubai after a series of severe sandstorms, the game follows a team of US military soldiers who are sent into the city to search for survivors after a radio transmission. Captain Walker, the central character, experiences a series of hallucinations that get progressively worse before he is confronted with the true nature of the events that have occurred in Dubai.

Answer: Mario Kart 64

Racing around the Kalimari Desert is fairly straightforward, with very little in the way of hazards. The only major thing that could pose a risk is the train track that runs around and through the course, upon which a pair of trains chug, stopping for nothing and noone.

When they cross the road at each of the two level crossings, they can and do bring proceedings to a brief halt as racers wait for a safe opportunity to continue. Kalimari Desert later appears in "Mario Kart 7" as one of the sixteen Retro tracks taken from previous games in the series and given an update.

Answer: Guild Wars

In "Guild Wars: Prophecies", the Crystal Desert is one of the later areas in the game, accessed after completing the Sanctum Cay mission, as players embark upon a quest to complete their Ascension and become closer to the gods. A whole host of dangerous foes roam the sands of the Crystal Desert, making it unsafe to travel alone.

The northwestern Elonian region of the Desolation in "Guild Wars: Nightfall" connects to the Tyrian Crystal Desert by way of a teleporter, allowing access from one region to the other for players owning both games. This can provide players with an advantage, since outposts in the Crystal Desert allow a maximum party size of 6, while adventurers from the Desolation can take up to 8 party members.

Answer: Locked and Loaded / Going Commando

With Megacorp CEO Abercrombie Fizzwidget "accidentally" ejecting Ratchet and Clank from his spaceship above Tabora, they find themselves wandering the enemy-infested cave system beneath the surface, eventually emerging into an abandoned mining site. Fizzwidget strikes again and "accidentally" crushes their ship underneath his, leaving them with no way of getting off the planet. Well, almost no way. Thanks to the advice of a nearby mystic, collecting special crystals from the desert sands can repair the duo's ruined ship. After this occurs, any additional crystals collected can be traded for the galaxy's currency, bolts.

In addition to crystals above the sands, buried raritanium can be extracted using a special drilling vehicle at the mining site. This raritanium is a rare resource that allows Ratchet and Clank to acquire upgrades for their ship from a shady, black market dealer.

Answer: Twilight Princess

With the Desert Province inaccessible by conventional means (such as by foot), Link eventually makes his way there by being fired out of a cannon. At one end of the Gerudo Desert is the Arbiter's Grounds, a former prison once home to Hyrule's worst criminals. Sitting atop this structure is the Mirror Chamber and the only place to access the mysterious Twilight Realm.

At the other end is the Gerudo Mesa, beneath which is the Cave of Ordeals. However, this fifty-floor test of strength is initially inaccessible due to the entrance being blocked by a section of the mighty Bridge of Eldin. With increasingly difficult foes on each level, Link needs to defeat each and every one of them in order to progress to the next level. At the very end, after all fifty floors have been conquered, he is rewarded with Great Fairy's Tears which can restore his health to maximum and temporarily grant him double sword damage.

Answer: Red Dead Redemption

"Red Dead Redemption" is set in the American Wild West in the early 1910s and follows John Marston, a former outlaw placed in a difficult position when the government takes his wife and son away. In order to get them back, he needs to track down and apprehend the outlaws he once called friends.

The game is open-world, allowing Marston to travel freely between locations and complete side objectives (such as tracking down criminals for bounties). Though it forms part of the "Red Dead" series, "Red Dead Redemption" is not really a sequel to the 2004 game "Red Dead Revolver" but a spiritual successor.

Answer: Sonic

In the Wii U version of "Sonic Lost World", Desert Ruins contains four separate zones. Zone 1 is largely open and sees Sonic running through a desert littered with enemies and other hazards, transitioning between 3D and 2D platforming when he enters some ruins. Zone 2 is less deserty and focuses on Sonic running full pelt vertically down a series of platforms and honeycomb tunnels. Zone 3 is more accurately described as Dessert Ruins, which features a variety of sweet treats that Sonic runs and jumps on (similar to the Sweet Mountain world in "Sonic Colours"). Zone 4 takes place entirely in a 2D perspective as Sonic attempts to outrun a sand tornado.