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KPR Susie artwork This article is about the Copy Ability in Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe. For the Top Ride course in Kirby Air Ride, see Sand (Top Ride course).

Sand can be shifted into all kinds of shapes. Form a fist to smash and grab, then finish your foes by sculpting a sudden sandcastle!
— Flavor text • Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe

Sand is a Copy Ability in the Kirby series, debuting in Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe.

Games[]

Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe[]

Sand grants Kirby the ability to use psammokinesis. It is an incredibly versatile ability with a moveset capable of attacking in numerous ways, including building sandcastles, shooting sand waves and attacking with an arm made out of sand. Sand inherits properties from various other abilities, such as Leaf's fully invincible guard (which it can leap out of with a high-rising attack reminiscent of Hi-Jump), attacks that pound in stakes and destroy metal blocks, and a grab that can reach objects through walls like Whip.

Alongside its utility and puzzle-solving abilities, Sand has incredibly high-powered attacks in its arsenal, although many of them require charging time. However, Kirby can completely ignore the charge time needed for the ability's most powerful individual technique, Sand Hurricane, by inputting an up-attack out of Sand Geyser. This leads Sand to have by far the highest raw damage output against airborne bosses in the game.

Techniques[]

Move Controls Description Damage
Pro Controller, Type A Pro Controller, Type B Joy-Con, Type A Joy-Con, Type B
Sand Wave B Y Down Button Left Button Kirby throws out a wave of sand by pounding the ground. 12
Sand Burst B after Sand Wave Y after Sand Wave Down Button after Sand Wave Left Button after Sand Wave Kirby swings upwards to launch a shorter but higher sand wave, hitting a second time on any enemies caught by Sand Wave. 12
Sand Kick Left Stick Left + B after Sand Wave Left Stick Left + Y after Sand Wave Left Stick Left + Down Button after Sand Wave Left Stick Left + Left Button after Sand Wave Kirby throws a kick backwards, sending a slightly smaller wave of sand out behind him. 16
Sand Grab Press and hold B, then release Press and hold Y, then release Press and hold Down Button, then release Press and hold Left Button, then release Kirby charges up, then throws out a hand made of sand, grabbing a hit enemy and pulling them to him. This move can travel through walls and collect items, similarly to Whip. 36
Sand Toss Sand Grab + B Sand Grab + Y Sand Grab + Down Button Sand Grab + Left Button Kirby launches the caught enemy with a burst of sand. 36 (thrown enemy, contact)
Sand Smasher Left Stick Down + tap B Left Stick Down + tap Y Left Stick Down + tap Down Button Left Stick Down + tap Left Button Kirby forms a fist from sand and swings it down in an overhead arc. This move can pound stakes and break metal blocks. 22 (main hit, shockwave)
Golem Smasher Left Stick Down + press and hold B, then release Left Stick Down + press and hold Y, then release Left Stick Down + press and hold Down Button, then release Left Stick Down + press and hold Left Button, then release Kirby charges up the fist, making it larger before swinging it identically for more range and damage. The fist emits a fairly large shockwave towards the end of the move, which extends the move's hitbox and deals more damage. 48 (main hit), 60 (shockwave)
Sand Storm Left Stick Up + tap B Left Stick Up + tap Y Left Stick Up + tap Down Button Left Stick Up + tap Left Button Kirby summons a whirling vortex of sand around himself, trapping enemies for multiple hits. 7 per hit
Sand Hurricane Left Stick Up and hold B
Left Stick Up + B during Sand Geyser
Left Stick Up and hold Y
Left Stick Up + Y during Sand Geyser
Left Stick Up and hold Down Button
Left Stick Up + Down Button during Sand Geyser
Left Stick Up and hold Left Button
Left Stick Up + Left Button during Sand Geyser
After maintaining the Sand Storm for long enough, Kirby spins to create a wider whirl for the finishing hit. By pressing Left Stick Up and B/Y/Down Button/Left Button after a Sand Geyser, Kirby will immediately use this attack without needing to charge it. 12 (initial hits), 24 (final hit)
Sand Dash Dash + B Dash + Y Dash + Down Button Dash + Left Button Kirby performs a sliding kick, invincibly covering a good distance and kicking up a wave of sand in front of him. 12
Sand Ball Left Stick Down + B in midair Left Stick Down + Y in midair Left Stick Down + Down Button in midair Left Stick Down + Left Button in midair Kirby throws a ball of sand downwards that bursts on impact, creating a wider-ranged burst of sand. The shockwave emitted by this move deals more damage than the attack body itself. 16 (ball), 24 (shockwave)
Sand Hide L/R/ZL/ZR SL/SR Kirby hides in a pile of sand, only the gem on his hat visible. This is a completely intangible guard similar to Leaf's Leaf Hide, preventing him from being touched entirely. N/A
Reveal Release L/R/ZL/ZR while using Sand Hide Release SL/SR while using Sand Hide Kirby jumps out of the sand pile, creating a burst of sand around him that deals minor damage. 12
Sand Geyser B during Sand Hide Y during Sand Hide Down Button during Sand Hide Left Button during Sand Hide Kirby performs a Hi-Jump-esque leap out of the sand pile, creating a vortex of sand that travels along with him. His trajectory is controllable mid-jump with the Control Stick. 32
Sandcastle Left Stick Down, then Left Stick Up + B Left Stick Down, then Left Stick Up + Y Left Stick Down, then Left Stick Up + Down Button Left Stick Down, then Left Stick Up + Left Button Kirby summons a sandcastle that sits on the ground as a stationary construct, exploding in a burst of sand when an enemy touches it, he hits it himself with another attack, or several seconds pass. Sandcastles can be created in midair, falling down to the ground afterwards. 10 (initial hits), 24 (completed sandcastle)
Damage values[]

In Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, moves that are "combo'd" into quickly from another attack will deal 0.75x the listed damage, rounded down.

Move Damage[1]
Normal Defeated mid-boss
Sand Wave 12 8
Sand Burst 12 8
Sand Kick 16
Sand Grab 36
Sand Toss 36 (thrown enemy, contact)
Sand Smasher 22 (main hit, shockwave)
Golem Smasher 48 (main hit), 60 (shockwave)
Sand Storm 7
Max. 7 + 5*6 = 37
2
Sand Hurricane 12 (initial hits), 24 (final hit)
Max. 12 + 9*5 + 18 = 75 OR 9*6 + 18 = 72
2 (initial hits), 24 (final hit)
Sand Dash 12
Max. 12 + 9*4 = 48
4
Sand Ball 16 (ball), 24 (shockwave) 10 (ball), 12 (shockwave)
Reveal 12
Sand Geyser 32
Sandcastle 10 (initial hits), 24 (completed sandcastle)
Max. 10 + 7 + 18 = 35
1 (initial hits), 10 (completed sandcastle explosion)

Flavor texts[]

GameFlavor text
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
Sand can be shifted into all kinds of shapes. Form a fist to smash and grab, then finish your foes by sculpting a sudden sandcastle!

In Other Languages[]

Names, etymology and in other regions
Language Name Definition, etymology and notes
Japan サンド Officially romanized as Sand.
United States of America Sand
People's Republic of China
(Traditional)
沙子 Translates to Sand.
Republic of Korea 샌드 Translates to Sand.
Federal Republic of Germany Sand Same as English.
Netherlands Zand Translates to Sand.
French Republic
(General)
Sable Translates to Sand.
Italian Republic Sabbia Translates to Sand.
Kingdom of Spain
(General)
Arena Translates to Sand.
Portugese Republic
(General)
Areia Translates to Sand.

Trivia[]

  • Sand is one of the first Copy Abilities to be introduced in a remake, alongside Mecha.
    • New Copy Abilities were considered for Kirby Super Star Ultra, but ultimately the Copy Abilities were kept the same to maintain the game balance by allowing abilities to be usable in various game modes.[2]

Artwork[]

Gallery[]

References[]

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