Sky Sands
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Sky Sands, also known as Sandoola in Japan, is one of the many race courses in Kirby Air Ride. It is a mundane and scarce course, with very few obstacles and alternate routes. The track's basic appearance is that of a calm, windy desert, possibly located in Dream Land. However, unlike most deserts, on Rock Star, or Ice Cream Island and Nature Notch, Sky Sands doesn't seem to be particularly arid or hot. Instead, the course maintains a rather cool tempature from its many breezy winds. It sports a large oasis, and many assorted sand, or rock, formations. Players here must cross through many windblown dunes, and a certain large, sandy temple. Near the end of the track are pillars of rock, that occasionally loosen, drop down, and injure the player.
Course Layout
The beginning of the course has a slope running down the road. After the slope, the unknown reader can notice the slightly bumpy road. Then, the course curves to the right. Soon, the course narrows, creating two steep edges with water on each side, potentially slowing the players. The course winds to the left, creating a U-turn, where it leads to a cave with falling sand.
Inside the cave, the falling sand creates small hills. The falling sand also covers a passage to the right, which is a shortcut. Both the shortcut and the main route leads outside, where there are two paths to take. the unknown reader can take the upper path by using the pink crab-like creature as a ramp. Otherwise, the players take the bottom half. After the paths merge shortly, the path splits again to left and right. Either way, these paths eventually merge shortly. There is a straight road with rotating objects on the sides. The vehicles can pass over the edges of the rotating objects to get caught in the rotation. Soon, the road turns sharply left and then sharply right. During this time, the sand moves along the vehicle, so the vehicle moves faster during these turns.
After the two sharp turns, there is another U-turn. Then, there is a switch that the unknown reader can activate by touching it to access a secret path. The switch opens a trapdoor that has a boost panel that essentially makes the path a shortcut. The main path leads above the passage meanwhile. Soon, there is a turn to the right to a bumpy, wide area. On the left, there is another dash panel.
There are two objects on the cliff that helps the unknown reader rise to the next step. the unknown reader can skip these objects if the gliding capabilities of the machine is adequate. At the top of the cliff, there are a few breakable trees and two gray hilly lines that separate the path. While the path is curving to the right, a boost panel can be found on the left. Then, the path curves to the left. At the end of the course, there are pillars that may fall and hurt the unknown reader, opponents, and generic enemies. These fallen pillars may be used as ramps as the unknown reader completes the course. The pillars can be avoided if the unknown reader steers to the far sides of this path.
Course Pictures
- SkySands NarrowPath.jpg
The narrow path after the first few turns.
- SkySands CurveCave.jpg
The path where there is a U-turn to the cave.
- SkySands Cave.jpg
This is the cave. Note that the farthest falling sand to the right is covering a path.
- SkySands UpDown.jpg
The path splits up and down. The pink crab creature is a ramp.
- SkySands Split.jpg
Here, the path splits into two.
- SkySands SpinningThings.jpg
This road contains the spinning objects on the sides.
- SkySands Uturn.jpg
This is the U-turn after the two sharp turns.
- SkySands TrapdoorBoost.jpg
There is a boost panel inside the trapdoor.
- SkySands BumpyArea.jpg
This is the slightly bumpy area with the steep cliff.
- SkySands Flying.jpg
The spinning objects lift the vehicle.
- SkySands Trees.jpg
There are breakable trees here.
- SkySands End.jpg
Falling pillars hurt racers and enemies at the end of this course.
Trivia
- The music featured in this course reappears in some desert levels of Kirby Mass Attack.
