Two "Break Time" stages in Sunbaked Desert prominently incorporate music from Super Mario Sunshine: the level "Break Time! Raise The Stage" uses the track "Secret Course", while "Break Time! Bouncy Tunes" uses the track "Isle Delfino" (commonly known as the Delfino Plaza theme).

The use of music from Super Mario Sunshine appears to tie in with the subplot for Sunbaked Desert, in which Bowser Jr. hoards the region's water for himself; Sunshine was previously a water-themed game featuring Bowser Jr. as a primary antagonist.