History Main / SandWorm

* The ''Literature/FightingFantasy'' series had Giant Sandworms, which made their first appearance in ''Literature/TempleOfTerror''.

** The sand worm design in ''Film/Dune2021'' and ''Film/DunePartTwo'' eschews the pedipalps for a LampreyMouth, but its massive scale is perhaps the best rendered out of all examples on this page, thanks to flawless CGI. The films also add an additional explanation as to how the sand worms can swim through sand, namely that the sandworms use the real-life process of fluidization (where sand can be made to act like a liquid by blowing air through it), which also means the sandworms are [[QuicksandSucks living quicksand generators]].

** ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', where the ''Millennium Falcon'' lands ''inside'' one - well, inside of an Asteroid Worm - and barely escapes.

* ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'' introduces The Driller, which is essentially a MechanicalLifeform version of a sandworm. They're supposedly Cybertron's apex predators. Shockwave has one as a "pet".

* ''Manga/NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind'': According to Miyazaki himself, the Ohmus are partly inspired by ''Dune'''s Sandworms, though they don't really burrow and look more like pillbugs. The name is actually a dual pun on both "King Bug" (''Oh-Mushi'') and the way Sandworm is pronounced in Japanese (''Sando Uohmu'').

* ''Anime/{{Vexille}}'' uses this, in the form of Jags, giant revolving tubes of scrap metal that make their way across the desert outside Tokyo. They eat more metal to survive, which means that it's really not a good idea to drive cars out there. Also, the reason why there's a "giant concrete gate" outside the main city. They also die when they fall into the water, a fact that is used to great effect in the movie.

* The ''Film/{{Dune|1984}}'' film by Creator/DavidLynch helped codify their typical appearance. They're also a [[HorseOfADifferentColor Fantastic Cavalry]].
* The sand worm design in Creator/DenisVilleneuve's ''Film/{{Dune|2021}}'' and ''Film/DunePartTwo'' eschews the pedipalps for a LampreyMouth, but its massive scale is perhaps the best rendered out of all examples on this page, thanks to flawless CGI. The films also add an additional explanation as to how the sand worms can swim through sand, namely that the sandworms use the real life process of fluidization (where sand can be made to act like a liquid by blowing air through it), which also means the sandworms are [[QuicksandSucks living quicksand generators]].

* The titular monster from the Chinese sci-fi film, ''Film/LandShark'', a kaiju-sized shark created from an experiment gone wrong. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jzumHfr5FY It needs to be seen to believe]].
* ''Film/LoveAndMonsters'': One of the monsters Joel encounters on his journey are burrowing lamprey-like predators known as Sand-Gobblers First, he lands in a pit filled with baby Sand-Gobblers, which swarm him like piranhas, and he later encounters the much larger Sand-Gobbler Queen, which is able to swim through dirt like a shark through water, complete with a SharkFinOfDoom.

* The [[Creator/{{Syfy}} Sci Fi Channel]] movie ''Film/SandSerpents'' has gigantic sand worms accidentally awakened by a fire fight between soldiers and Taliban.

So you're traveling the desert. A dangerous place, isn't it? You've got [[ThirstyDesert dehydration and heatstroke]] to worry about of course, and that's not getting to how it seems like EverythingIsTryingToKillYou - [[ScaryScorpions scorpions]], [[ReptilesAreAbhorrent snakes]], [[MoodyMount pack animals of dubious trustworthiness]], and native peoples who may be ruthlessly territorial or just poorly disposed toward your particular ethnicity. But if you think that these are all you have got to worry about, check your setting. If you are somewhere other than Earth, be it a sci-fi or fantasy world, then tread softly, without rhythm, and check the ground often. Because you may just wind up with a case of Sand Worms.

* ''Literature/TheColSecTrilogy'': In ''Exiles of ColSec'', these are a recurring threat. They vary from about three feet long to about ''seven'' feet in ''diameter'', and are armed with deadly stinging tentacles. They're at least somewhat justified in that they have durable exoskeletons, and that they lurk under a shallow layer of soil and ground cover rather than actually burrowing. [[spoiler:In the end, it's helping to kill a particularly large one that serves to somewhat endear the central cast to the native humanoids.]]

** Two more episode featured or alluded to what was essentially a landshark-varient being hunted by an [[Literature/MobyDick Captain Ahab]] CaptainErsatz.

** In one episode, Agrabah was assaulted by a vicious and legendary sandworm that was drawn by rancid-smelling foods (in this case, the smelly yak cheese they had received from Odiferous]].

* At least two episodes of Disney's ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries'' featured or alluded to what was essentially a landshark-variety sandworm hunted by an [[Literature/MobyDick Captain Ahab]] CaptainErsatz.

[[quoteright:250:[[Literature/{{Dune}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sandworm.jpg]]]]
[-[[caption-width-right:250:Shai-Hulud, the Great Maker, the Grandfather of the Desert, the Worm Who Is God.]]-]

* ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs'' had a desert planet that contained these which the Wolkenritter extracted {{Mana}} from. Pretty powerful too, considering how one of them almost killed [[MasterSwordsman Signum]].

%% Needs context * ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle'': They appear in the "Acid Tokyo" arc.
* In ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'', Sandworms are apparently the dominant native species on the planet; in the manga, they play a fairly major part in the story, because they are sentient and able to communicate with one another telepathically.

* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' has sand worms controlled by a [[LovableSexManiac naughtier Paio II]] [[spoiler:[[SamusIsAGirl who turned out to be an extremely naughty little girl]]]].
* Mister from ''Anime/CoyoteRagtimeShow'' takes advantage of Sand Worms as weapons against the 12 Sisters.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': The hollow Bawabawa acts like one of these in desert-like Hueco Mundo, including giving the protagonists a ride to Las Noches.

* ''Anime/TheBigO'': In episode 17 "Leviathan", the title megadeus is a giant mechanical version.
* Though shaped more like a lobster, Renocraft in the ''Monster Farm''/''Anime/MonsterRancher'' anime digs through the sand and targets its prey much like a sandworm.
* ''Anime/{{Vexille}}'' uses this, in the form of Jags, giant revolving tubes of scrap metal that make their way across the desert outside Tokyo. They eat more metal to survive, which means that it's really not a good idea to drive cars out there. Also, the reason why there's a "giant concrete gate" outside the main city. They also die when they fall into the water, a fact that is used to great effect in the movie.
* ''Anime/SpaceRunawayIdeon'': On some occasions, sandworms appear.

* ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'': The Asgardian desert has giant sand worms.

* ''Film/{{Tremors}}'' reinvented the trope to drastic degrees. Indeed, the Graboids weren't really wormlike at all except in basic principles, and asserted the predatorial habits that have made Sandworms the monster-movie favorite they are now.
** They made some nice [[MinovskyPhysics theoretical background]] for the series, though. They "swim" through the ground through the use of thousands of little "spines" on their sides pushing the ground, they ''must'' retreat from explosions due to sheer pain from vibrational shock, and they have a brilliantly executed life cycle; the Sandworms which show up on seismometers, then mini-velociraptors with [[InfraredXrayCamera infrared-vision]], then organic rocket-critters which carry the eggs to other areas.
** The website explained that their initial classification as "pre-Cambrian" life was incorrect, and graboids actually evolved from squid or cuttlefish-like organisms that adapted to drier habitats (such as by losing the eyes and relying on other senses). This theoretical background was rather well thought out even if it did have its flaws. The squid/cuttlefish connection does make a lot of sense when you look at the Graboids' anatomy and intelligent behavior.

* ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'' was taken out by one of another iconic sandworm species that lived on Saturn. These had white-and-black stripes and [[NestedMouths one mouth inside another]]- compare the xenomorphs of the ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' movies.
* The [[Creator/{{Syfy}} Sci Fi Channel]] movie ''Film/SandSerpents'' has gigantic sand worms accidentally awakened by a fire fight between soldiers and Taliban.
* [[FluffyTheTerrible Jeff]] from ''Film/MenInBlackII'', though he uses tunnels which are already built (the NYC subway).

* In ''Film/TheHobbitTheBattleOfTheFiveArmies'', Azog employs were-worms, massive, rock-eating giant worms which he used to burrow a tunnel to Erebor as a quick route for his troops. They didn't actually participate in the battle, because then the heroes would have been [[https://youtu.be/TZm_Zth0rhw completely outmatched]].

* ''Film/MetalstormTheDestructionOfJaredSyn'': Deep in Nomad territory, Dogen and Rhodes are attacked by a sand-swimming snake that almost drags Rhodes underground before Dogen shoots it.
* ''Film/LoveAndMonsters'': One of the monsters Joel encounters on his journey are burrowing lamprey-like predators known as Sand-Gobblers First, he lands in a pit filled with baby Sand-Gobblers, which swarm him like piranhas, and he later encounters the much larger Sand-Gobbler Queen, which is able to swim through dirt like a shark through water, complete with a SharkFinOfDoom.

* Subverted in the third book of Creator/JohnVarley's ''Literature/GaeaTrilogy''. Yes, there is a giant sand worm; Gaea herself has created and placed it, no doubt directly inspired by Earth fiction. It's miles long, it's probably hungry (it has ''turned'' the original landscape into the desert it is now)...and it moves so slowly that it's basically just a living terrain feature.[[note]]Another one, that is; since the bulk of the books are set inside the alien known as Gaea, nearly every terrain feature is "living" in some sense or other if you dig deep enough.[[/note]] Some of the passing humans cut graffiti into its skin.

* A ''Franchise/StarWars'' [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Expanded Universe]] example is [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Greater_Krayt_Dragon Greater Krayt Dragons,]] ridiculously huge ten-legged dragons that mostly ate banthas, but there's an illustration in ''The Wildlife of Star Wars'' of one digging up and eating a ''[[http://msngroup.aimoo.com/IcewindDaleGamers/krayt_dragon_lg.jpg sarlaac]]'' . Usually they stayed buried in the sand.
** Tatooine also has [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Dune_worm dune worms,]] which... are basically exact {{Expy}}s of sand worms.
* The Flayers in the ''Literature/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineRelaunch'' are carnivorous worm-like creatures which lurk beneath the sand of a certain desert on the planet Harkoum. They're known to eat people; crossing the desert on foot is practically suicide.
* In the Literature/{{Retief}} story "Internal Affair", the ambassador sent to the planet Quahogg disappears after reporting being chased by forty-foot giant worms, and Retief and Magnan are sent to investigate. The worms turn out to be [[spoiler:the intelligent life forms the ambassador was sent to meet]] (somehow the CDT overlooked this little fact), and, while the ambassador ''was'' eaten, [[spoiler:this did no harm]]--in fact, it turns out that [[spoiler: the only safe place for humans on the planet is inside the worms.]]
* ''Literature/{{Redshirts}}'' has Borgovian Land Worms, which eat two characters.
** Later it is revealed that [[spoiler:not only did the lead writer of the show have nothing to do with these, he was on vacation, but the TV company got in trouble with the Herbert estate as well]] proving that sand worms are VERY lawyer unfriendly.
* ''Literature/TheShipWho'': In ''The City Who Fought'', Simeon is attacked by a literal "worm" program, two metres thick with rows of rotating concentric teeth -- apparently based on a real creature.
* In ''[[Literature/TheColSecTrilogy Exiles of ColSec]]'', these are a recurring threat. They vary from about three feet long to about ''seven'' feet in ''diameter'', and are armed with deadly stinging tentacles. They're at least somewhat justified in that they have durable exoskeletons, and that they lurk under a shallow layer of soil and ground cover rather than actually burrowing. [[spoiler:In the end, it's helping to kill a particularly large one that serves to somewhat endear the central cast to the native humanoids.]]
* The Guan a Var in ''Literature/PerryRhodan'', basically giant worms that live in ''hyperspace'', feed on the energy of stars, and cause them to go nova to reproduce, got their start like this -- the issue detailing their backstory even includes a couple of not-at-all-subtle shout-outs. Probably nothing would ever have happened if some clever aliens hadn't discovered them, realized these animals were sensitive to hyperspace energies, and decided it'd be a great idea to over successive generations engineer them into [[LivingShip organic starships]]...
* Giant ''rust'' worms appear in Creator/BrianLumley's ''Literature/TheHouseOfDoors'', when the trapped humans enter a realm of ruined machines and all-rust deserts, generated from the inborn fears of Gill the machine-empath.
* ''Literature/DaystarAndShadow'' has fireworms, monstrous beings with poisonous bristles who can swallow a man whole. They tend to attack people who venture alone into the desert, except for Robin, whom the fireworms protect.
* ''Literature/WellWorld'': Ghlmon, a desert hex, is home to sandsharks, huge beasts resembling whales that swim through the endless dunes.

* ''[[Series/{{Tremors}} Tremors: The Series]]'': While El Blanco the sterile albino Graboid appears more often in the background and is the focus of a few episodes, one episode features a normal Graboid as well.

* The ''Series/FrankHerbertsDune'' miniseries.
* An episode of ''Series/TheOuterLimits1963'' titled "[[Recap/TheOuterLimits1963S2E7TheInvisibleEnemy The Invisible Enemy]]" has an astronaut team investigating why a previous landing party has vanished and their ship destroyed. They barely escape after being attacked by ''[[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever giant]] [[SandIsWater sand]] [[ThreateningShark sharks]]''.
* ''Series/SeaQuestDSV'' features a giant, fire-breathing worm that lives in underwater caves.
* ''Series/Earth2'' had the Terrians, humanoids with a complex and very alien psychology who traveled like sandworms through the soil of their (living, symbiotic) homeworld.
* ''Series/LostTapes'' did an episode about Mongolian death worms.
* ''Series/{{Andromeda}}'' featured an episode with "Squorms," large, genetically engineered mining beasts that looked like fat worms, moved through rock, and excreted aluminum.

* In season two of ''Series/TheMandalorian'', we finally see a Greater Krayt Dragon. Sure enough, it mostly stays buried under the sand while its movement causes massive disruptions in the sand above it, almost like a living wave. Judging just by the size of its head and neck, it's enormous, able to swallow elephant-sized Banthas whole. During the climax of the episode the Krayt is able to force its head through the top of the ''mountain'' that sits above its den.

%%* ''TabletopGame/{{Talislanta}}'' has giant sand ''eels''. Same idea, different flavor-text.%%How are they examples?
* ''TabletopGame/{{Deadlands}}'' has rattlers. No, [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes not those]]. Mojave rattlers are named for the noise a cowpoke's teeth make as they race toward him. Before taking one on, re-read that part about "varying intelligence" real careful: rattlers in different parts of the country even have different ''personalities'', implying at least the intelligence of a clever hunting animal. [[spoiler: They're [[CosmicHorror smarter]] than they seem, too. And they don't eat everyone they catch. [[BodyHorror What do they do with them...?]] ]]

* ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}''
** Supplement ''Creatures of the Night'': The Graveworm is an effectively harmless version of this. They're very easy to kill (literally, they have the "Easy To Kill" disadvantage) and have no real attacks but if people that spend to much time around a living one find their intelligence being drained away.
** Supplement ''Space Bestiary'''. The alien species known as world worms travel between planets in pods. When a pod lands, the worms pour out and infest the planet, eating their way to the planet's core. By the time they've grown to full size (several miles long), [[PlanetaryParasite they've done so much damage to the planet that it disintegrates]]. After mating, the worms split up and release pods, which begin their journey to find a new planet to destroy.
* ''TabletopGame/CallOfCthulhu'' has two:
** Dholes, gigantic underground worms with a penchant for destroying planets by burrowing through them. They are ''that'' large. Getting hit by a Dhole requires you to make a Luck roll; a success means there is enough of you left to hold a proper funeral.
** Chthonians, somewhat smaller underground worms with blood-draining tentacles and telepathy.
* ''TabletopGame/ArkhamHorror'', being Franchise/CthulhuMythos TheBoardGame, has dholes and cthonians as per the literature and RPG examples above. In game terms, dholes are massive and incredibly powerful while cthonians can damage all the investigators by causing earthquakes.
* Creator/{{Chaosium}}: The ''All the Worlds' Monsters'' supplement has Sand Worms that grow 100-200 meters long, live in sandy deserts, are poisoned by water, can hear things miles away, attack creatures on the surface by creating a sand whirlpool beneath them, and can be controlled and used as mounts with a certain item. In other words, they're a fantasy version of ''Literature/{{Dune}}'' sandworms.
* ''TabletopGame/WerewolfTheApocalypse'' has the Thunderwyrms, gigantic beasts that travel under the earth and are drawn above the surface by storms (hence the name). It's believed they were born of irradiated soil, a belief backed up by the fact that the largest Thunderwyrm (big enough to host a Caern inside it) nests under the soil of the Trinity test site.
* ''TabletopGame/RocketAge's'' Silt Seas of Mars are home to a range of animals, of which the apex predator is the Silt Dragon, a serpent over 150 metres long.
* ''Heroes'' magazine Volume I #3 article "Creepy Critters: Insects for TabletopGame/RuneQuest'': Sandswimmers are the worm-like maggots of giant flies and grow up to 10 meters long. They burrow beneath the surface of sandy areas (beaches and deserts). They sense their prey through vibrations and burst through the surface to attack it.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Talislanta}}'' has the Land Kra, a subterranean eel that may exceed 40' in length and weigh up to five tons.

%%* ''Webcomic/LookingForGroup'' has one and ''munch [[spoiler:CALE!]]''
* In ''Webcomic/DemonEater'' some demons are seen to grow into this shape.
* ''Webcomic/YetAnotherFantasyGamerComic'': At one point Halfling Clover Firelight and Gnome Gummer Groundpounder take down a rampaging bulette. (Gummer is an open copy/homage of Burt Gummer of the ''Tremors'' franchise.)

* Website/{{Cracked}} examines this phenomenon [[http://www.cracked.com/article_24757_6-oddly-specific-things-movies-kept-stealing-from-each-other.html here]].

* ''Creator/{{Toonami}}'': Unlike the [[WesternAnimation/TheIntruder first]] [[WesternAnimation/TheIntruderII two]] ''Intruders'', which features a blob monster, [[WesternAnimation/TheIntruderIII the third one]]'s title characters were these. Additionally, [[spoiler:they were trying help get TOM and SARA off the planet because it was dying and help them in exchange for the two taking the youngest and last one of their number with them.]]

* According to [[ExpandedUniverse supplemental material]], [[Franchise/StarTrek the planet Vulcan]] has a second, silicon-based type of these known as ''a'kweth'', or "underliers". [[StarfishAliens They're sapient.]]

A related creature is the '''Landshark''', a ground-burrowing creature with the appetite, temperament, and often appearance of a ThreateningShark. A landshark is often (but not always) a SharkMan.

The bigger ones are a type of {{Kaiju}}. In video games, this is a common type of MoleMonster. Compare SpaceWhale, FlyingSeafoodSpecial, DrillTank, AntlionMonster. See also {{Wormsign}}.

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/AgeOfWonders'': Enormous, funnel-mouth sand worms appear as units in the Azrac army.
* In ''VideoGame/AkujiTheHeartless'', giant sandworms roams the shores of the river Styx, and attacks by lashing their heads out at Akuji. They're among the first enemies encountered during gameplay.
* ''VideoGame/AloneInTheDark1992'' features the Chtonian, a great burrowing worm that lives in caverns and makes new tunnels. He's the one independent monster not under the control of Pregzt.
* The first stage of ''VideoGame/AndroDunos'' has scorpion-like creatures that burrow under the sand and then emerge to fire off shots. They're not that large or aggressive, though.
* ''VideoGame/ANNOMutationem'': At The Consortium's underground facility, there are Sandpit Worms that evolved from Native Grubs after adapting to a barren desert environment. Like their sewer counterpart, they're easily disposable.
* ''VideoGame/ARKSurvivalEvolved'': The ''Scorched Earth'' expansion packs has giant deathworms in the sand dunes surrounding the map that attack any creature that enters the area. The lore gives them the scientific name ''[[OurCryptidsAreMoreMysterious Khorkhoi]] [[Literature/{{Dune}} arrakis]]'', and [[spoiler:reveals they were placed there by the artificial environment to prevent inhabitants from wandering outside the designated area.]]
* ''VideoGame/Armageddon2'', a map-pack for Skulltag, has a pair of these as bosses in the "Sand Worm Trench" level. They don't swallow people, just breathe fire at them (and are lanky, looking somewhat like snakes).
* ''VideoGame/BattleAxe'' has gigantic worms that resembles cephalopod tentacles as enemies, who pops up from underground to attack. They can be spotted before appearing thanks to WormSign.
* ''Videogame/BattleForge''
** The game has rare, ''artificial'' versions of these for all terrains in Core Dredges, enormous worm-like constructs built from temple ruins, ice and tree roots [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/skylords-reborn/images/5/58/Core_Dredge_Card_Artwork.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/320?cb=20190204191552 weaved together into a cohesive, enormous creature]]. Its {{wormsign}} alone can knock down and damage smaller enemies, and it breathes blasts of crushed eye that will utterly demolish either structures or frozen enemies, depending on the version you have. It's also one of the earlier XL units you can get, which is a plus all by itself.
** Fire Worms are [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/skylords-reborn/images/c/cb/Fire_Worm_Card_Artwork.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/320?cb=20190204191622 more traditional examples]], while still being all-terrain and spewing magma to attack. Everything they do seems to cause massive geological instability: summoning them is destructive, and their movements through the earthknock enemies around if they're anywhere nearby; furthermore, they can cause an Earthquake that damages and knocks down everything in a wide area.
* ''VideoGame/BlackSigil'' has a desert in which are sandworms. You can avoid them by walking through a specific path, but going out of said path leads to interesting items (in [[InexplicableTreasureChests chests]], of course).
* ''VideoGame/BodyHarvest'': Some of the aliens in the America stage are giant worms who burrow through the ground throughout the desert level.
* Threshers in ''VideoGame/Borderlands2''. Threshers tend to live on fertile ground near water, and they have squid-like tentacles that they use to either pummel or throw rocks at you. The "Captain Scarlett" DLC campaign introduces actual Sand Worm enemies, which are found in an arid desert; they don't seem to be related to Threshers, appearing and behaving quite different from them.
* ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireIV'' actually has a ''dragon'' that resembles a sandworm with fins. [[spoiler: It wrecks your ship, enabling you to find the HeroicMime Ryu.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Bug}}'' had a [[ThatOneBoss really nasty]] swamp worm as the boss of [[BubblegloopSwamp Splot]].
* These pop out of the sand in the Egyptian stage of ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaPortraitOfRuin''.
* ''VideoGame/CivilizationBeyondEarth'' has the Siege Worms, massive, BossInMookClothing aliens that spawn in the world starting from turn 1. Luckily, they aren't automatically hostile; aliens are only hostile to humans if humans have a reputation for attacking aliens. If you get lucky, it's possible to get one for yourself, [[DiscOneNuke long before the other factions have access to anything that stands a chance against them.]] In addition, because of the Affinity's NuclearWeaponsTaboo, Harmony players can instead send spies to set up a Thumper in an enemy city, summoning a horde of Siege Worms to ravage it.
* In ''VideoGame/ClickerGuild'', the Sand Worm is a segmented and toothed worm in the Desert Zone.
* The red Crawler Tank/Twilobite in Stage 5 of ''[[VideoGame/{{Contra}} Contra III]]'', the "Snow Worm" in ''Shattered Soldier'' and the "Land Worm" in Area 3 of ''Neo Contra'' are the most obvious examples of this trope.
* ''VideoGame/CreatureShock'' have those giant alien worms as recurring enemies, though they turn out to be of the FakeUltimateMook variety; despite their size, they go down after spamming enough shots with your blaster, and they're hard to miss because they take up more than half a screen.
* ''VideoGame/CryingSuns'' features Sandworms as one of the Major Threats that your commandos may encounter during expeditions. They’re so dangerous that you get an achievement just for completing an expedition where a Sandworm appears.
* ''VideoGame/{{Darksiders}}'' has these in a desert called the Ashlands, with an even larger one as the boss of the area.
* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'': A unique miniboss in the Smouldering Lake is the Carthus Sandworm. Highly aggressive, heavily armored, and large enough to swallow several men whole at once. It can also, for some reason, shoot giant beams of lightning out of its mouth. Speculation abounds as to its origin, since it is the only sandworm that has ever been seen in the franchise.
* ''[[http://gmc.yoyogames.com/index.php?showtopic=279075 Death Worm,]]'' in which you play a giant worm, leaping from the ground and eating people to grow larger.
* The Burrow Beast in ''VideoGame/DestroyAllHumans 2'', a ''Film/{{Tremors}}'' ShoutOut that Crypto summons by dropping bait, whereupon it starts popping up from beneath any mook in the surrounding area and dragging them underground to feed on.
* ''VideoGame/DiabloII'' has the burrowing Sand Maggots, which the [[AllThereInTheManual official backstory]] points out are actually arthropods and not worms at all. A gigantic boss variant named Coldworm the Burrower was so bloated it resembled a worm more than the normal Sand Maggots. ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'' once again features desert locations with giant worms, this time the far more traditional Rockworms, which can swallow players whole and spit them out. The Cave of Burrowing Horror has the corpse of a truly immense specimen winding through the floor. This game also features the dinosaur-like Dune Threshers [[SandIsWater swimming through the sand like sharks]], and one particular unique giant rockworm, Shaitan The Broodmother - Great Maker, explicitly references ''Literature/{{Dune}}''.
* ''VideoGame/{{Dune}}'', ''VideoGame/DuneII'' (and its [[VideoGameRemake remake]] ''Dune 2000''), and ''VideoGame/EmperorBattleForDune'', of course. In the first game (which doesn't actually share any continuity with the others) they mostly serve as Paul's means of transportation and to occasionally eat a spice harvester if your troop does not also have an orni to watch for WormSign, while in ''2'' they show up semi-randomly to eat units. In ''Emperor'' they mostly do the same thing, but Fremen can intentionally summon them and temporarily control them.
* ''VideoGame/DustyRagingFist'' have giant worms in the underground temple stages, who sticks their heads out trying to chomp on Dusty. They're immobile however and relies on the element of surprise - Dusty can simply dodge them, then backtrack and shoot the worms from a distance.
* Sandworms are a recurring enemy in the desert stage of ''VideoGame/DynaGear'', sticking their heads out from sand pits when you're trying to jump over.
* The ''VideoGame/EffingWorms'' series, a small franchise of games where ''you'' are the Sand Worm. Where you spend entire levels tunneling in and out the ground, devouring hundreds of people and growing larger as you advance into later levels. You can even gain power-upgrades of your choice, like giving your worm ''wings'' or a more streamlined body for easier tunneling.
%%* Several appear in ''VideoGame/EpicBattleFantasy''.
* Mother Predator from ''VideoGame/EvilGenome'' is a tunneling worm monster (with centipede-like feet, somehow) who pops in and out of the area trying to chomp you down. She can even spawn smaller versions of herself as backup - the smaller versions which becomes common enemies in a later stage.
* ''VideoGame/EVOSearchForEden'' featured these in one level. Notably, they are the only invincible enemy in the game, fortunately they wouldn't attack you actively, though one might pop out of the ground under or in front of you. A later level featured sand-dwelling dinosaur-like creatures called Mosuchop which would jump out and bite you before retreating under the sand. (Real Moschops, the mammal-like reptile on which it was based, were not known to do this.)
* ''VideoGame/Fallout4'''s ''Nuka World'' DLC introduces Bloodworms, creatures roughly the size of a large dog at their biggest that like to burrow through the earth and ambush their prey by erupting out at their feet. Background information indicates they used to be an aquatic species that mutated and/or evolved to survive living in-land, where they reproduce by laying eggs in the bodies of their prey, preferably those with large bodies like brahmin to accommodate as many eggs as possible. A single Bloodworm "queen" is found in the Dry Rock Gulch theme park, but its name is the only difference from other bloodworms while it remains the same in size.
* ''[[VideoGame/{{Fast}} FAST Racing NEO and RMX]]'': The background of Scorpio Circuit features giant worms to complement the futuristic setting.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Fe}}'', the iguana-like LizardFolk [[MetamorphosisMonster mature into]] burrowing serpents, which the protagonist can ride a la ''Franchise/{{Dune}}'', and their leader is a ginormous version of the latter.
* A recurring enemy in the ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series.
** In ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyV V]]'', the defeated worm's corpse provides a stable path across the desert.
** A particular area of the overworld in ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyV V]]'' has a winding path of greenery passing through the desert. Simply traveling across the desert is faster, but you run the risk of encountering these things, which will almost certainly kill you at that point of the game.
** In ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI VI]]'', being eaten by a specific one on a specific island leads to a hidden dungeon and party member.
** These monstrosities are living, breathing, adventurer-eating ''entrances'' to [[OptionalBoss special boss fights]] in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI''. There are also much smaller person-sized worms that cast magic-- although considering they are immobile in combat, it's needed to prevent them from being too damn easy to kill with ranged attacks.
** The first time you face a Sand Worm in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'', it has the most HP of any enemy you've faced thus far and [[BossInMookClothing it's only a random encounter]]! Fortunately, it's not ''too'' deadly, and it's vulnerable to attacks that remove fractions of the enemy's HP, so if you have some Shadow Gems lying around, you can make quick work of one. And if you don't, you can steal Shadow Gems from the Sand Worm itself.
** The Abyssal Worm in the VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon can be farmed for the very valuable items that allow you to exceed the 9999 damage cap. Unfortunately, they're located after the PointOfNoReturn.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' features Giant Crawlers as enemies in its desert map, which, [[NonIndicativeName despite their name]], are effectively giant sandworms. They give Agarthium when their armor is broken.
* ''VideoGame/FZero GX'' shows a sandworm in the background of the Sand Ocean stages, though since this is a racing game, you (thankfully) don't interact with the scenery in any way.
* ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar 2'' features the Riftworm, a gigantic worm that the Locust use to sink cities, awakened by the detonation of the lightmass bomb in the first game. "Giant" doesn't even BEGIN to describe it -- it'd probably be around 4 ''kilometers'' long. It's also HandWaved as far as biology and physics go. It's supported by a skeleton, and doesn't seem to be carnivorous. Also it has red blood, [[PaintTheTownRed and a lot of it]].
* One of the bosses in ''VideoGame/GinormoSword'' is called "Sand Worm".
* ''VideoGame/{{Gradius}}'' series:
** ''Gradius III'''s [[ShiftingSandLand first stage]] has sand dragons (or wyrms, if you will).
** ''VideoGame/{{Gradius}} Gaiden'' has a snow worm as its first boss.
** In ''Gradius V'', ''Gaiden'''s worm boss [[DegradedBoss returns as a regular enemy]] in [[WombLevel Stage 4]].
** ''Nemesis III'' has ''[[TerribleTrio three]]'' sand worms as the desert stage [[WolfPackBoss boss]].
* ''VideoGame/GoldenForce'' has gigantic worms sticking out of the ground as enemies, though instead of a splayed mouth they have gigantic mandibles for heads.
* Giant Worms or "Wurms" are recurring monsters in ''VideoGame/GuildWars''. They come in a wide variety from basic Sand Wurms in the Crystal Desert, Frost Wurms in Shiverpeaks of Tyria, the Desert Wurms and unique undead Junundu wurms of the Elonan Desolation and the Chaos Wurms of the Fissure of Woe. They're by far the biggest monsters in the game (with the exception of one of the endgame bosses) and the boss versions of some of them, (and unique ones such as the Canthan Leviathan) are absolutely TITANIC. Very intimidating. The expansion pack Eye of the North gives us even more Wurms, with a whole dungeon dedicated to them. The end boss of that dungeon is the second largest enemy in all of Guild Wars, only bowing to [[spoiler:Abbadon]]. Yes, they surpassed their previous records of gigantic Wurms with even more gigantic Wurms.
* One appears in ''VideoGame/Halo5Guardians'' as an EasterEgg. Activating several secret triggers on the desert map "The Rig" causes one to rise in the distance, consume a mining platform, and slowly sink back into the earth.
* ''VideoGame/HeavyWeapon'' has the robotic Mechworm boss, fought in [[ShiftingSandLand Antagonistan]]. It jumps out of the sand and spams missiles and bombs.
* In ''VideoGame/HollowKnight'', the Pale King's original form prior to his arrival in Hallownest and subsequent metamorphosis was that of a gargantuan [[Film/{{Tremors}} Graboid-like]] Wyrm.
* The Rockbreaker in ''VideoGame/HorizonZeroDawn'' has a design more like a mechanical MoleMonster, but its role in combat suits a sandworm instead: drawn to the sound of movement, leaves {{wormsign}} as it tunnels, and its main attack is to attempt to swallow its prey whole. Its ability to tunnel through sand and dirt at a massive size is also justified by its being made of metal.
* ''VideoGame/TheImmortal'' features these as recurring enemies up until level five. Level four is dedicated to avoiding them [[FakeDifficulty by floating around on a magic carpet]] [[InterfaceScrew with extremely bad handling.]]
* The planet Blenjeel from ''VideoGame/JediKnightJediAcademy'' is loaded with them. There's a reason why you only have to do 4 of 5 missions in each act. Perhaps as a shout-out, you can trick them into eating explosives to distract them from chasing you.
* ''VideoGame/JewelMaster'' have sand worms as large enemies in the desert stages, leaping in and out of the sands trying to chomp on you.
* In ''VideoGame/KaijuWars'', the kaiju Duggemundr resembles a gigantic armor-plated serpent with tusks and tiny arms ending in finned hands. Its body never fully emerges from the ground, and it can burrow through the earth as quickly as the other kaiju can walk or fly.
* The pop culture reference-heavy ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'' has a quest that involves sandworm riding.
* Scorch from ''VideoGame/KrazyIvan'' is a robot sandworm who spends the whole fight tunneling in and out the ground to attack you randomly.
* The [[PlayerCharacter Sian Captain]] must fight one called Wahsh Al-Sahraa to rescue an expedition in one raid in ''VideoGame/LegacyOfAThousandSuns''.
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
** ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'' has Geldarms, centipede-like creatures that emerge out of the sand in desert-based RandomEncounters.
** A recurring boss enemy in the series, often fought multiple times in any given game, takes the form of a giant worm- or centipede-like monsters fought in a sandy arena, where it burrows in and out of the sand to attack Link. These enemies include the Moldorm in [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI the first game]], the Lanmolas in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast A Link to the Past]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', Twinmold in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'' and Molgera in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker The Wind Waker]]''. Oddly enough, most of them can ''[[IfItSwimsItFlies fly]]'' for short durations.
** On a more minor scale, Leevers, fat leech-like creatures that appear in some beach and desert areas, are able to hide themselves beneath the sand before suddenly emerging to attack Link.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' sizes down its Moldorms to a more reasonable size and populates the Gerudo Desert and the quicksand pits in the Arbiter's Ground with them. They leap out of the sand like fishes to attack Link, and must be pulled out with the Clawshot to be defeated.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass'' has green worm-like enemies (which are literally called Sandworms) that chase and try to eat Link if he moves any faster than walking speed across certain sandy areas.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks'' has a variant of the shark-like Gyorg seen in ''Wind Waker'' and ''Phantom Hourglass'' called Malgyorg who swim in the desert of Sand Realm.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' features the Molduga, a field boss in the Gerudo Desert that's basically a whale crossed with this trope. It detects something moving on the surface of the sand, {{wormsign}}s its way under it, and lunges out of the desert like a shark. If that's Link, he can say goodbye to ten of his hearts. [[FeedItABomb If it's not...]]
* ''VideoGame/LostLandAdventure'' has a sand worm boss in the underground crypt levels, which attacks you as you're in a minecart finding a way out of the tunnels. It blocks your way at the tunnel's exit, at which point you're required to shoot it's fangs and head to avoid getting chomped by the worm.
* ''VideoGame/LostPlanet'' features a giant snow worm in one of its missions.
* ''VideoGame/LunarEternalBlue'' has Sand Sharks in the [[ShiftingSandLand Salyan Desert]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Mabinogi}}'' has two different types of these.
** One is an odd twist on the traditional sandworm type; which bizarrely occurs in normal terrain rather than sand, including inside certain dungeons, moving indiscriminantly through turf, rock, and soil. Possibly justified, in that it appears to be partly supernatural in nature. This was the first version developed. There is a high-level field boss version, the giant sandworm, which does occur in desert sand dunes; and a minor variant, the ice worm, found only in snowfields. Both of these are played completely straight.
** A second type is called a "lungfish" (and looks vaguely like a real-life lungfish). Although the appearance is actually that of an eel-like fish, it acts like a straight sandworm, and is found in desert sand dunes.
* One of the earliest obstacles in ''VideoGame/{{Majyuo}}'' is a giant sand worm which serves as an AdvancingWallOfDoom, pursuing your hero down a tunnel, which your handgun couldn't do any sort of real damage on it because you're not a demon yet. Once you gained demonic powers, you fight the worm as an easy-to-beat MiniBoss.
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
** Thresher maws, apex predator of the DeathWorld that raised [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy the krogan]]. They don't exclusively appear on desert planets, but the only one that's actually necessary to fight in order to complete a mission does. Others can be found here and there, but they can be avoided with no ill effect beyond missing out on the experience from killing it. The codex also explains that they never fully leave the ground. The Alliance's first contact with them was when they destroyed a colony on Akuze. If you chose the SoleSurvivor background for Shepard, Shepard was one of the marines sent to investigate and was the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin sole survivor of the squad]].
** The lore also explains what in the hell they eat to maintain their mass: metal. That is, underground ore, usually. This also explains why they attack things like tanks and settlements: plenty of metal to munch on. It even explains the damaging acid they can spit, as they would need some pretty potent acids to digest metal.
--->'''Mordin''': Thresher maw getting closer!\\
'''Wrex''': Tell me something I ''don't'' know!\\
'''Mordin''': [[LiteralMinded Metal in truck an excellent iron supplement for Maw's diet.]]
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' introduces Kalros, planet Tuchanka's guardian, the ancient and exceedingly large "[[MonsterProgenitor Mother Of All Thresher maws]]". She gets into a fight with a [[HumongousMecha Destroyer-class Reaper]], and ''wins''.
** To further the ''Literature/{{Dune}}'' comparisons, they can be summoned by massive devices called "Maw Hammers" (''Dune'' had similar devices), and Javik can make an offhand comment that Protheans could ride them. They gotten ''a lot'' bigger since his time, so that isn't possible anymore.
** Elaaden in ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda'' has a variant, the Remnant Abyssal, more commonly simply called "the Worm". This is actually a HumongousMecha left behind by {{Precursors}} and is just a terrain hazard, not an enemy that needs fighting (not that the krogan haven't tried).
* ''VideoGame/MasterOfMagic'' has the fantastic unit Great Wyrm of the Nature school of magic. This is giant worm with a green dragon head, it's the physically strongest creature in the game in pure stats and it also has a poisonous bite to inflict heavy damage on its victims.
* ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork6CybeastGregarAndCybeastFalzar'' has a seldom seen sandworm virus that leaps in and out of panels, periodically appearing in front of or behind you before trying to plow through you. Its chip summons worms from behind your foes to attack in the same fashion.
* ''VideoGame/MelfandStories'' have a sand worm boss in the desert level who repeatedly leaps in and out of the sands to ambush you until you kill it.
* ''VideoGame/{{Meatgrinder}}'' have some ''impressively'' massive worms. One WombLevel happens after a sand worm suddenly pops up and devours everyone, including you, and later during a train chase you'll need to leap between carriages because there are ''other'' worms trying to swallow the whole trains!
* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'' features Amorbis, a trio of Sand Worms, as the boss of Dark Agon Wastes, which is a huge scaled-up version of the light world critter the Sandigger, which are about 6 foot long and spit acid.
* The ''Desolation of Mordor'' DLC expansion for ''VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfWar'' reintroduces the were-wyrms, now properly occupying the desert region of Lithlad where a clan of Marauder Orcs have set up shop in the local fortress. Baranor even loses what's left of his Gondorian brigade to them while trying to locate the Vanishing Sons mercenary company. Of particular note is a were-wyrm called the "Rumbler", and it earns the name by being thrice the size of regular wyrms, large enough to destroy whole rock cliffs as well as completely devastate the Orcs' fortress when baited by Baranor with several gallons of spilled grog.
* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'': While the series doesn't have actual worms (so far), these [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]] still serve this trope's role:
** ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter2004'': Cephalos and Cephadrome are sand-swimming Piscine Wyverns which are designed like Hammersharks. The latter is a KingMook of the former, and is part of the list of boss monsters to hunt (strangely, it has no unique drops; they're all shared with Cephalos).
** ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter3Tri'': Jhen Mohran is a 350-feet Elder Dragon with a whale-like appearance and two large tusks, and is capable of swimming within the sands of the Great Desert. The UpdatedRerelease ''3 Ultimate'' introduces the subspecies Hallowed Jhen Mohran, which not only attacks more aggresively but also has a very powerful attack that allows it to vomit a gigantic torrent of sand.
** ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterPortable3rd'': The Nibelsnarf is a three-way cross between a sandworm, a sand shark and a submarine. It even has the distinctive "burst up vertically from the sand and eat something on the way" move.
** ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter4'': Dah'ren Mohran is a close relative of the Jhen Mohran with one front tusk instead of two front ones. It borrows many of the attacks from its cousin, and in G Rank (only available in ''4 Ultimate'') it will start the second phase of the battle ''very'' close to the Sandship.
** ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterWorld: Iceborne'': Beotodus is a Piscine Wyvern that swims through the deep snow of Hoarfrost Reach.
* ''VideoGame/{{Mousehunt}}'' has the "[[AlliterativeName Big Bad Burroughs]] Mouse" and its smaller brother, the Itty-Bitty Burroughs Mouse. They're a [[MixAndMatchCritters cross between this trope and a mouse]].
* Giant sand worms, or their burrows at least, are among the field hazards in ''VideoGame/MutantFootballLeague''. If a player (on either team) gets close to a worm hole, the worm will pop out and take a bite, killing any player instantly and forcing a fumble if they had the ball. If the field has worms, you're ''going'' to lose a few players to them, primarily slower/less agile players on your kickoff and return teams (linemen, 3rd- and sometimes 2nd-string defensive backs etc).
* ''VideoGame/MystikBelle'' has a Cave Worm in the Detention Dungeon, which Belle needs to ride on to reach the higher platforms.
* ''VideoGame/MysticDefender'' have a giant green worm-monster sticking out the ground in the first stage, serving as an easily-killed mid-boss. Later on you encounter demon cultists, who can FusionDance themselves into gigantic worm monsters sticking from the ground.
* ''VideoGame/NetHack'' features both D&D Purple Worms, and [[LawyerFriendlyCameo lawyer-friendly]] versions of Dune's sandworms. Neither actually burrow through the ground, though.
* ''VideoGame/{{Noita}}'' has the Matot (Worms in Finnish), they are monsters which can burrow through any substance, leaving behind tunnels. They come in various sizes and small ones can even be hatched from eggs the player finds. they diverge from the small Pikkumato, to the massive Jättimato. [[spoiler:And the biggest of them all, the Helvetinmato, lives in Hell.]]
* ''VideoGame/NoMansSky'': A few are seen at the end of the VGX reveal trailer, though its scaly exterior suggests it has more in common with a snake than a worm. Absent from launch, finally added in the 3.0. updates.
* ''VideoGame/OriAndTheWillOfTheWisps'' has relatively normal-sized burrowing worms in the Windswept Wastes, and a gigantic one that resembles a cross between a ''Franchise/{{Dune}}'' worm and a [[Film/{{Tremors}} Graboid]] during an EscapeSequence at the end of the Windtorn Ruins.
* ''VideoGame/{{Overlord}}'' features giant sand worms in the later levels.
* ''VideoGame/{{Pankapu}}'' has Sah'laks, which are large, black, one-eyed worms that start appearing in the Starry Deep. They burrow back and forth in the ground until [[PlayerCharacter Pankapu]] gets close, whereupon they burst out of the ground to attack.
* ''Videogame/{{Patapon}}'' has Zaknel, a worm freqeuently encountered in deserts and so large it has palm trees growing on it. Its primary attacks consist of slamming itself against the earth for massive damage. Its more dangerous counterpart, Dokaknel, averts this by being encountered in ruins instead.
* ''VideoGame/PanzerDragoon'' has plenty of examples; they make an especially prevalent appearance in the second level of the first game. A pair of these worms also show up as [[DualBoss Dual]] {{Mini Boss}}es in the second stage of ''Orta'', although that stage is a lush rain-forest instead of an arid desert.
* In the ''VideoGame/{{Patapon}}'' games, there are two Sandworms named Zaknel and Dokaknel in the deserts. They drop vegetables.
* ''VideoGame/{{Penumbra}}'' has these deep inside an old mine. They are mutations of indigenous rock worms. They are "only" about four to eight feet in diameter...
* ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarIV'' had these infesting the planet Motavia, with an enterprising farmer deciding to open a sandworm ranch. Unfortunately, it gets too big for its britches, and thus becomes one of the first (and hardest) OptionalBoss fights in the game at that point. You often fought baby Sandworms in RandomEncounters, and at least one variant, if you left a single one alive, would run off and summon [[MamaBear Mama]] (another full-sized one like the boss mentioned above). When you get the [[TankGoodness Land Rover]], one of the enemies you ran into was a PaletteSwap of the Sandworm, while swaps of both the small and large kind could be found in the planet's oceans.
* ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'':
** The Burrowing Snagrets are functionally similar to these, though they're technically bird-headed reptiles and can burrow through the dirt as well as the sand.
** ''VideoGame/Pikmin3'' has the Sandbelching Meerslug, an AntlionMonster resembling a fat worm with a vertebrate mouth that serves as the boss of the Tropical Wilds, where it's fought in a large sandpit. Much of the fight has you track it down as it tunnels about in the sand, then FeedItABomb once it makes the sand funnel with its mouth at the bottom. Ironically, since Pikmin are little more that 10cm tall, the Sandbelching Meerslug wouldn't be considered giant to us.
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
** Onix and Steelix are Rock Pokémon that resemble giant snakes made out of boulders or iron. Fittingly, their respective types are Rock/Ground and Steel/Ground.
** Gible and its kin resemble sharks in their design, but they're really Dragon/Ground types.
** This is probably the most apt description of the legendary Zygarde's default form, an enormous Dragon/Ground, glowing green worm creature.
** Orthworm is a Steel-type earthworm-like creature that lives in arid deserts. It eats the iron in the soil to maintain its metal body, and its Earth Eater ability turns its weakness to Ground into a [[ElementalAbsorption source of healing]].
* There were a couple of these in ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando''. Some were real sand worms, and some were ice worms.
* In ''[[VideoGame/PrzygodyReksia Reksio i UFO]]'', giant sandworms known as The Great Worm are part of the fauna of the desertic planet Kurakis, which was based directly on Arrakis. The first challenge on this planet is to go through a maze full of these enemies. Any encountering with a worm forces the player to start over.
* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilCodeVeronica'' has the Gulp Worm. ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Nemesis'' has the Grave Digger, though it is based on the millipede.
* ''VideoGame/RigidForceAlpha'' has Clapworms, who dwell in the sands of the planet Vurgos, which also features an [[Anime/NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind Ohmu]]-like {{miniboss}}, and snow/ice worms on [[SlippySlideyIceWorld Creeo]].
* ''VideoGame/RogueGalaxy'' has them. And they're ''huge'', even by this trope's standard.
* ''VideoGame/RuneScape'' has the Strykewyrms, which come in Jungle, Desert, Ice, and Lava varieties. There also is a giant Lava Strykewyrm called the Wildywyrm. They're normally unagressive and can only be fought as a Slayer task.
* The land shark variety is in ''VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird'' and a ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' champion, released at about the same time. You shoot or throw a fish at the target, and after a short delay a shark breaks through the pavement and takes a big bite. ''[=SR3=]'' claims it is a sewer shark. ''[=LoL=]'' does not explain anything.
* ''VideoGame/SandsOfDestruction'' has sand''whales''. They look like large, green worms with flippers and vaguely-whale-like heads. They're also supposed to be gentle, but the impending end of the world has turned them violent.
* In the ''VideoGame/{{Scribblenauts}}'' games, you can conjure these up. Said monsters [[PowerUpMount can be rideable,]] too. They instantly die when [[KillItWithWater exposed to water.]]
* ''VideoGame/SeriousSam3BFE'' has gigantic creatures called Sand Whales living in the Egyptian desert. Contrary to the usual example, these (unkillable game-wise) bad boys eat mineral matter without a damn to give about mostly everything. Sand Whales are ''extremely'' territorial though, which makes them a perfectly diegetic example of BorderPatrol in the more open-ended levels. They even play a very important role in the game's final level, as one of them keeps attacking and distracting the FinalBoss, allowing the player to go on the offensive.
* ''VideoGame/ShadowOfTheColossus'': Dirge, the tenth Colossus, is a giant sand worm. Except it hits you. At high speeds. [[ThatOneBoss And it's hard]].
* ''VideoGame/Shantae2002'' has these in the desert area near Oasis Town. They're long, durable, and look menacing with their mandibles and single eye, but they're mostly harmless since they just sit there in their hole in the sand.
* ''VideoGame/ShiningWisdom'' has a Sand Worm as the boss of the Sand Labyrinth.
%%* ''VideoGame/ShonenIdleZ'': Desert Mouth resembles a sand worm.%%How?
* The ''Franchise/SilentHill'' series has the Twinfeeler, a giant burrowing caterpillar fought in a sand pit, in [[VideoGame/SilentHill1 the first game]]; and the Split Worm, a WhackAMonster worm with [[XenomorphXerox Xenomorph-like]] [[NestedMouths jaws]], in the third game.
* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' series has some robotic ones in ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles'' located in Sandopolis zone. Giant stone sandworms appear in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure''. Alien worms appeared in ''VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog''. More organic and fiery ones can be found in ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'' although the latter two seem to prefer any surface, not just sand.
* ''VideoGame/SpaceQuestI'' used one of these to [[BorderPatrol prevent the player from venturing into the open desert]].
* A variation in ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' is the Maws, a mutant salmon which travels through ''ink'' in the same physics-defying way as the inklings, only to emerge and devour an unsuspecting player, sand worm style. If the player is quick, they can get out of the way [[FeedItABomb and leave behind a grenade instead]].
* ''Franchise/StarCraft'':
** Nydus Worms in ''VideoGame/StarCraftII'' are an improvement on the first game's Nydus Canals: Load a bunch of units into a Nydus Network building, and have it grow a giant underground worm in another area. The creature bursts out of the ground and begins disgorging tons of units all at once.
** One mission in ''VideoGame/StarCraftIIHeartOfTheSwarm'' features an "ash worm" that pops out of the ground to spit acid at your units before burrowing again and popping up somewhere else. It apparently killed a [[HiveQueen Brood Mother]] that way. When slain the Zerg use its DNA to enable Swarm Hosts to move while burrowed.
* In ''VideoGame/StarFoxZero'' the boss of Titania is the Scrapworm, a giant mechanical worm that lives in the vast sandy desert of the planet.
* The first ''VideoGame/{{Star Ocean|1}}'' game features Sandworms in the deserts of planet Roak, and also their cousins, called "Fellworms," in the mountains.
* ''VideoGame/{{Starsand}}'' is set in an alien desert planet, where spiky giant sand-worms are a recurring threat. One even shows up on the game cover.
* ''VideoGame/SteelHarbinger'' have giant worm enemies in the last few stages, spawned by fully-hatched alien pods, depicted as a gigantic worm-like head attached to the ground and comes at you with a biting attack.
* ''VideoGame/StarTrekOnline'' has aehallh worms, first seen on the desert planet Nimbus. They are sessile predators that sprout from the ground and let their prey come to them. The name refers back to the ''[[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries TOS]]'' novel ''Literature/TheRomulanWay'', where it is the Romulan word for "ghost" or "monster".
* ''VideoGame/{{Stellaris}}'' has a possible archaeology site called "The Echoes Inside" that has a chance to occur on Barren Planets. Completing the event reveals that a giant burrowing worm is the reason that the planet is now devoid of other life. The ominous final lines of the event reveal that the [[AbusivePrecursors unnamed ancient alien empire]] apparently already "seeded" every habitable planet in the galaxy with a larval form of this biological doomsday weapon.
* In ''VideoGame/StreetFighter2010'', sandworms appear as enemies on the desert planet. The mid-level boss can summon them, and the end-of-level boss appears to ride in on one.
* ''VideoGame/{{Subnautica}}: Below Zero'' has the Ice Worm, which is more or less an {{expy}} of Dune's own sandworms brought to arctic ice (complete with thumpers drawing their attention away from you). Anything they hear on the surface of any ice floes they stalk is likely going to get eaten.
* ''VideoGame/{{Sundered}}'' has Wurms, burrowing robots that are found only in the Valkyrie Encampment. They attack by bursting out of the ground beneath Eshe’s feet, leaping high into the air, and then releasing an electrical discharge when they land. They can only spawn on rocky surfaces, and will not spawn on metal floors or scaffolding.
* ''VideoGame/StarlinkBattleForAtlas'' has sandworms on the first planet Kirite, a [[SingleBiomePlanet desert world]]. Their scales are very valuable and a sandworm would blindly chase one down, beliving it to be another of its species.
* ''VideoGame/SuperCyborg'' have a deformed sandworm-like monster called an Evevva Parasite, which chases you down a narrow corridor as an AdvancingBossOfDoom
* ''VideoGame/SuperMegaWorm'' is yet ''another'' unique game that casts you as the titular worm, a gigantic monster that feeds on humans. It turns out you're the product of GaiasVengeance - because of pollution and rapid development by humans, you're spawned by ''Mother Nature'' to reclaim the surface world and wipe out humans.
* In ''VideoGame/SuperStarWars'', the Saarlac Pit Monster is depicted this way despite it barely being seen in the original trilogy.
* ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'':
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' has Sand Worms ''and'' Snow Worms. Which are a white/blue PaletteSwap.
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphoniaDawnOfTheNewWorld'' has them, as well, where they're among the largest monsters you can have on your team. They're also a bit unusual in that they have arms.
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'' has them as well.
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfHearts'' has a Sandworm boss, several miniature versions of itself populating its dungeon, and a later PaletteSwap in the final dungeon.
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfXillia'' has them, though never in the sand, instead appearing in caves and canyons.
* ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'' has quite a few: Giant worms, devourers (corrupted versions of the former), tomb crawlers, dune splicers (the hardmode version of tomb crawlers) the Eater of Worlds, diggers, world feeders (stronger versions of the first two) and the Destroyer (a robotic version of the Eater of Worlds).
* ''VideoGame/TimeSplittersFuturePerfect'' has twenty-foot-long vicious dirt-worms in the backyard of the haunted mansion. The player gets to rescue a scientist who had taken refuge in a tree by defeating the worms with a flamethrower. The scientist also references ''Film/{{Tremors}}'' by name, in keeping with the game being filled with movie {{Shout Out}}s.
* ''VideoGame/{{Toukiden}}'' has the serpentine minor oni Earth Fang that burrows underground and may pop up beneath a character. There is also a rare variant known as a Frost Fang that gains some ice powers.
* The Subterranean in ''VideoGame/{{Turok}}: Dinosaur Hunter'', and the Swamp/Cave Worms in the sequel.
* ''VideoGame/VivaPinata'' doesn't technically have a sandworm, but the Whirlms can dive into the ground without making a mark and pop out again without any dirt on them, so they could easily burrow through ground like a sandworm if they wanted.
* One of ''VideoGame/WarioWorld's'' bosses is named one of these, but in reality it's more like an antlion with scythe-hands. It still tunnels through the sandpit it's found in at high speed.
* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' has a few, the first being Ouro, a then-unique model boss in the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj. The Burning Crusade expansion introduced acid-spitting worms capable of tunneling through solid rock in Hellfire Peninsula and the Bone Wastes in the middle of Terokkar Forest. In homage to Frank Herbert, one quest chain ends with summoning a giant undeground worm named "Hai'shulud" with a "fumper", and gives "Dib'Muad's Crysknife" as a quest reward. Jormungar of Northrend are quite a bit smaller, but adhere to the same principles (and spit acid too). With the release of the Cataclysm expansion, ''World Of Warcraft'' got sandworms that are made of stone Franchise/{{Stargate|Verse}}s and magma wurms.
* ''VideoGame/{{Writhe}}'' have you fighting oversized sago worms in Bangkok, with the largest of them emerging from the ground and are as large as common depiction of sandworms.
* The entirely desert-set FPS, ''VideoGame/WroughtFlesh'', have one of these called a "Terraworm" as it's first boss. Who attacks you by pouncing in and out the sands trying to chomp on you, and you'll need to shoot it's head and underbelly when it's above you.
* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'': Sabulas, which can be found in certain sandy terrains (though, oddly enough, ''not'' the actual desert region). They're about thirty to fifty feet long, but are mostly docile, only attacking if attacked first. However, there are certain individual Sabulas that are ''gigantic'' (on the order of a mile or more in length) that serve as optional post-game bosses... two of which are named [[Literature/{{Dune}} "Atreides" and "Gesserit"]].
* ''VideoGame/ZombiesAteMyNeighbors'' the excellent but NintendoHard Lucas Arts game for the SNES is filled with homage monsters for the two teens to battle, and of course, has a gigantic people-eating worm. It lashes its tongue in and out at people.
* The {{Superboss}} of ''[[Website/GaiaOnline zOMG!]]'' shares its name with this trope's alternate title/humorous variation: Landshark. It is, quite literally, a shark that swims through (and appears to be made of) sand. Other than its anatomy, it acts almost exactly like a sandworm, burrowing underground and eating unsuspecting Gaians. (It can kill a [[PowerLevels CL 10.0]] Player with multiple armor buffs and a health boost in 3 hits, and unbuffed players in [[OneHitKill less than that]]. It took three 6-Person Crews of CL 10 players to take it down. Plus the area it spawns in is usually filled with CL ''5'' players).
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