Softline in 1983 called Knights of the Desert "a very fluid and exciting game ... not a simple nor a simplistic program". Computer Gaming World in 1983 complimented it for being both easy to play and offering realistic units and combat, and concluded that Knights of the Desert "is another solid step toward the ideal computer wargame".
Softline in 1983 described Knights of the Desert as "a very fluid and exciting game ... not a simple nor a simplistic program". Computer Gaming World praised it for being both accessible and realistic, concluding that it was another step towards the perfect computer wargame.