To quote a certain iconic Sith Lord from his youth, "Sand is coarse, rough, irritating, and gets everywhere". That can be useful, though. While it may be a burden in real life, it can be a potent weapon in games. Developers have seen that potential and included it as an ability.
The gaming realm has seen many iconic characters who control sand. Such a power mainly goes toward combat--forming it into various weapons. Other times, it serves other purposes, such as puzzles or platforming. These uses go to show the malleable nature of the stuff. Instead of just castles, sand can mold whatever the imagination conjures up.
7 Various Pokémon (Pokémon)
Depending on their type and dwelling, Pokémon use all sorts of elements in their attacks. Caves, volcanoes, and deserts are home to Ground and Rock types. So many of them exist that it's impossible to fit them on one list, but prominent examples include Sandshrew, Diglet, Geodude, and their evolved forms. What these all have in common are the abilities they can learn.
These include sand moves. Sand Attack and Sandstorm are the most notable. The former flings sand in opponents' faces, decreasing their accuracy. The latter summons a storm to damage any Pokémon of opposing types. These aren't as directly damaging as Rock-based moves, but they're effective nonetheless.
6 The Prince (Prince Of Persia)
This one should be obvious. Half the Prince of Persia games have "sand" in the titles, so it stands to reason that the stuff plays some role in the tale. This time, though, the sand itself is magical.
Enter the Sands of Time. This mythical substance has the power to corrupt and transform living beings into horrific monstrosities. Luckily, that's not how Prince of Persia players use it. Instead, the eponymous Prince utilizes the Sands (and artifacts connected to them) to fiddle with time. He can freeze enemies in place, rewind the clock, and experience various futures through vague visions. These gifts are unconventional as far as sand powers go, but they still get the job done.
5 Kirby (Kirby: Return To Dream Land Deluxe)
The pink icon's powers are flexible. In that, they depend entirely on what (or whom) he inhales. Kirby may gain a sword and armor, or he might spit fireballs. It figures that wielding sand would eventually be in the cards.
That time comes in Return to Dream Land, specifically the Deluxe remake. Here, Kirby absorbs the reptilian Sandran enemies. He can then form fists and wield waves of sand. He can even build sandcastles. The only downside is having to swallow it. Having sand in one's mouth is never a good time.
4 Link (The Legend Of Zelda)
Like Kirby, the iconic The Legend of Zelda hero gains different abilities depending on the tools he finds. Among these is the Sand Rod. Link picks this up in The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. The mystical tool lets him summon sand pillars from the ground and push objects around. Rather than attacking, these powers primarily go toward solving puzzles and platforming.
A Link Between Worlds expands on those concepts. In this game, the adventurer can merge with the walls, flattening out for a novel form of mobility. Among the surfaces he can fuse with are the sand columns he summons. In essence, he alters his mass to become the salty substance itself. This takes sand powers to a new extreme.
3 Serpci (Luigi's Mansion 3)
Haunting players in Luigi's Mansion 3, this villainess has a clear Egyptian influence. Possessing sand powers is a given, and Serpci has a gift for sculpting the stuff. She can mold it into a shield or project a supersized visage of her face a la The Mummy. It doesn't stop with her, though.
Serpci can also imbue her minions with these abilities. He soon forms a swarm of sand snakes. No, not the ones from Game of Thrones; these are infinitely more effective. Taking notes from spitting cobras, these serpents can fire supernatural sand at Luigi. Needless to say, he's going to need a bigger vacuum.
2 Kukri (King Of Fighters)
The King of Fighters series has a plethora of combatants from all walks of life, but Kukri drew the short straw in this respect. He grew up on the mean streets of a desert country. His sand powers are too volatile to control, and they eventually cause the death of his mentor, Dolores. Anger and regret push him to master these abilities.
That resolve makes Kukri a deadly foe in King of Fighters. He creates sandy springboards to propel himself into the air, triggering several aerial attacks. He can also bring a gigantic mound of sand tumbling down on an enemy. Most impressive of all, though, he can conjure clones to distract opponents with sandy offensives. Such prowess makes up for his past failure and then some.
1 Kan-Ra (Killer Instinct)
Kan-Ra follows the same pattern as Kukri, which is not surprising given how both of them originate from the fighting genre. The Killer Instinct character suffered a curse from a Babylonian king, who decreed that he should linger on forever as a walking corpse. Babylon has a similarly sandy reputation as Egypt, so the zombie has a slew of tricks utilizing the element.
These gifts help Kan-Ra stand out as a fighter in Killer Instinct's roster. He sets sand traps all over the arena, some of which house scorpions and spikes. He can also conjure earthy waves to strike the surrounding area. If that doesn't work, he can always self-destruct, turning himself into sand and damaging anyone in his vicinity. Many people think of sand as flimsy and flexible, but Kan-Ra makes it deadly to the touch.