Sand Kingdom

The Sand Kingdom is the third kingdom visited in Super Mario Odyssey. It is the greater location of Tostarena, which is a desert village featuring a small town and a large ruins area. This kingdom's main landmark is the Inverted Pyramid, which is an upside-down pyramid located in the north-east section of the area. When Mario first visits here, the kingdom is covered with large pillars of ice and Bowser is found atop the Inverted Pyramid. The player's first objective in this kingdom is to reach the "highest tower". From there, the player must find Moon Shards in the Moe-Eye habitat. After that, they reach the top of the Inverted Pyramid and fight Hariet, one of the Broodals, which will grant the player a Multi Moon. When collected, the player is teleported back to the Odyssey, and the kingdom cycles to a night-time version, where the Inverted Pyramid floats into the air, revealing a large hole underneath. The kingdom is also overrun by Chinchos during the night-time, which Mario must avoid as he heads to the large hole under the Inverted Pyramid. Once the player enters, he must traverse through an icy Underground Temple and then fight Knucklotec at the end of the Temple. Defeating this boss rewards Mario with another Multi Moon, which (when collected) reverts the kingdom back to daytime and causes almost all the ice on the surface of the kingdom to melt, allowing access to more Power Moons. Once Mario has collected enough Power Moons, he can head off to the next kingdom - either the Lake Kingdom or the Wooded Kingdom may be chosen, but not both at this point.

The Sand Kingdom was the first location shown in the game, dating back to the first Nintendo Switch reveal trailer. It is located east of the Cascade Kingdom, southwest of the Lake Kingdom, and northwest of the Wooded Kingdom. These three kingdoms are all located on a large landmass resembling Pangaea. The location is primarily based off of, particularly. However, other aspects allude to different countries, with Moe-Eyes inspired by the from  and the Jaxis presumably inspired by the  from Japan. The name "Tostarena" is likely from the Spanish words "tostado" (toasted) and "arena" (sand).

Concept and creation


Tostarena was based on because the director of Super Mario Odyssey, Kenta Motokura, liked the country and his trip there had left a strong impression on him. Initially, it was considered whether Tostarena should be visited during the sunset. The sketch of the early design showed that the poncho and sombrero were already considered as the location's typical outfits, even though the motif of the sombrero was different and the poncho was supposed to be worn over Mario's usual suit and to be paired with boots. The concept art already included Tostarena Town, Tostarena Ruins and the Inverted Pyramid, as well as the ice pillars covering parts of the desert. The main visible differences are the town having just two rows of buildings forming one street while featuring a wooden gate at the entrance and the Inverted Pyramid being actually a floating pyramid resembling that of. Some elements featured in Tostarena were reportedly influenced by Super Mario Land, another game that features desert sphinxes and moai-like beings.

Tostarena Town in particular was designed to create a contrast between the curved lines of the dunes and the more linear design of the buildings. Furthermore, the color of the building was chosen to reflect the cheerful nature of the Tostarenans. The concept art also shows that initially the town was supposed to have a bridge built over a road.

On the other hand, the gate to Tostarena Ruins was designed to resemble an inverted triangle as a recall to the Inverted Pyramid. The concept artwork showed how the Power Moons of Tostarena were initially intended to be red instead of the final green color.

Tostarenan Town
''A small town that serves as the hub for tourists planning to visit the Inverted Pyramid. The colorful buildings and cheerful people provide a warm welcome for visitors. They're happy to provide direction, so don't hesitate to say hello.''



Mysterious Ancient Ruins
''Head north from town and you'll be greeted by ancient ruins that dot the expansive desert. Though many have become conflict regions patrolled by Bullet Bills, their status as important heritage sites is undeniable.''

''Your eye will be drawn to the large stone tower at the heart of the ruins. Due to extensive hollowing underground, quicksand has become prevalent in this area, so watch out.''



Inverted Pyramid
''The true "can't miss" of this region, the Inverted Pyramid may look unstable, but rest assured it never topples and has thrilled tourists for years. It is said that a legendary artifact called the Binding Band lies within, and the upside-down pyramid symbolizes how those joined by it will never part even if the world turns upside down.''



Jaxi
Let's have a look at the curious local transport method known as the Jaxi.

Just hop on the back of one, and as you might guess from their appearance, you'll be in for a wild but completely reliable ride.

Make good use of them and you'll be exploring this unforgiving desert in comfort and style.



Living Heart of the Desert
''Here's a spot to moisten your dried and withered heart, with greenery and water to make you forget you're in the desert. The fish and birds are plentiful and well worth a visit.''



The Moe-Eyes love their shades.
''They'll run if chased, but they're a proud people who have long inhabited these ruins. Please be polite.''



Three Keys to the Kingdom

 * 1) Enjoy the small but lively desert village and its charming inhabitants.
 * 2) Wonder at the Inverted Pyramid and its upside-down magic.
 * 3) Watch for the gem iconography carved in relief on the ruins.

Odyssey


The Odyssey lands at the southern end of the map and can be warped back to at any time.

Tostarena Town


Tostarena Town is a small civilization found just north of the Odyssey's landing site. It is home to a Crazy Cap and a Slots minigame. Talkatoo and Luigi can be found here. A Tostarenan eventually sets up power lines that Mario can use as a shortcut to the top of the Inverted Pyramid. The Checkpoint Flag is at the town's southern entrance next to a Jaxi station.

Tostarena Ruins Entrance
The entrance to Tostarena Ruins is located north of Tostarena Town and is marked by a large stone gate. Behind the Checkpoint Flag are a few Mini Goombas (later replaced with ordinary Goombas wearing sombreros), with a few more up ahead, as well as the start of the first platforming section of the ruins. Mario may reach the top of the arch via Bullet Bill or spark pylon to find a Power Moon on top of it. In front of the ruins entrance is a Jaxi station.

Tostarena Ruins Sand Pillar
This Checkpoint Flag is found on the platform shortly after the Tostarena Ruins Entrance, starting off the second level of the ruins. Aside from the Checkpoint Flag, there are a few signs directing toward the sand geysers up ahead, a bump in the ground that Mario may Ground Pound to unearth a circle of coins, and a small group of coins circling a chunk of ice. Later on, Goombette appears on this platform, overlooking the area just below. Mario must bring a Goomba Tower of reasonable size over to her to receive a Power Moon. Aside from this, there are not many other Power Moons next to the sand pillar, though there are quite a few surrounding it. The area below this platform has a Bullet Bill cannon, which serves as helpful for finding and collecting some of these Power Moons.

Tostarena Ruins Round Tower
This tower is the highest point of Tostarena Ruins. It is crucial to the Sand Kingdom's first story mission, Atop the Highest Tower, as reaching the top of it is the goal. When Mario makes it to the end of the ruins, he must enter an 8-Bit Pipe leading to an 8-bit section around the side of the tower. Mario must make his way up the tower while avoiding Bullet Bills. A small group of regional coins can be found in a secret alcove down below, with a Power Moon in another hidden alcove left of the lifts near the top of the tower. Once Mario does make it out of the 8-bit section and on top of the tower, he finds a Checkpoint Flag and a Power Moon he must collect to complete this mission. From here, Mario must head to the Moe-Eye Habitat for the next objective.

Later on, Glydon appears on the ledge at the top of the tower. Mario must capture him and glide toward a Power Moon above a column in the distance to collect it.

Moe-Eye Habitat


The Moe-Eye Habitat is an isolated area west of Tostarena Ruins with a pool of poison in the middle. Several pillars are sticking out of the ground. The story mission Moon Shards in the Sand takes place here. Mario can capture one of the Moe-Eyes found here and use them to see the invisible platforms found throughout the area.

Jaxi Ruins
This Checkpoint Flag is on the roof of Jaxi Ruins, which sits in the middle of a poison pond east of Tostarena Ruins. Mario can reach it by going through the Ice Cave or from the top of the Tostarena Ruins Round Tower using Glydon. There is a Jaxi station and two treasure chests here, one of which contains a Power Moon.

Tostarena Northwest Reaches
The Checkpoint Flag for this region is, as its name suggests, placed in the far northwestern portion of the map, in front of a building containing a maze with poison and Bullet Bills, the end of which leads to the roof via a Warp Pipe. In front of the building, Mario may also find a Jaxi station (with two New Donkers sitting on its bench after the story is completed) and the leader of the Roving Racers. Behind the building is a small alcove with three regional coins.

Atop the building is a spark pylon, as well as a scarecrow Mario may throw Cappy onto to initiate this kingdom's first timer challenge. After this kingdom's Moon Rock has been opened up, two more Power Moons become available here. One is obtained as a reward from a Tostarenan for clearing away the many posters advertising Bowser's wedding that have appeared on the back of the building, while the other requires bringing a Goomba to the area from the ruins via capturing to find Goombette. The building's roof is also where the Sand Kingdom's Koopa Freerunning race starts.

Desert Oasis


This oasis lies on the southeast end of the map and is frozen over upon first arriving in the kingdom. After Knucklotec's defeat, the oasis thaws. Mario can capture a Lakitu and fish for Cheep Cheeps here; reeling in a Big Cheep Cheep yields a Power Moon.

Southwestern Floating Island
The Southwestern Floating Island is accessed by using a painting found in either the Lake Kingdom or the Wooded Kingdom, depending on which kingdom the player chooses to go to first; the one that is visited first will contain the painting leading here. The Secret Path to Tostarena! Power Moon is found here. A ring of coins is found circling around the platform. A pixelated Luigi is located in the sand directly beneath the platform, which was hinted at in the first additional piece of Hint Art that was posted on social media.

Enemies and obstacles
Enemies marked with an asterisk (*) are only found in bonus areas.

Objectives

 * 1) Atop the Highest Tower: The goal is to reach the top of the tower in the Tostarena Ruins.
 * 2) Moon Shards in the Sand: The goal is to collect the Moon Shards on the west side of the kingdom.
 * 3) Showdown on the Inverted Pyramid: The goal is to reach the top of the Inverted Pyramid and defeat Hariet.
 * 4) The Hole in the Desert: This objective takes place at night. The goal is to enter the hole beneath the Inverted Pyramid and defeat Knucklotec.

Paintings
There are two paintings in this kingdom. One can be found near the east side of the Tostarena Ruins, in a tilted pillar next to a Jaxi calling post. The painting leads to the Isolated Rooftop at the Metro Kingdom. It can only be accessed after completing the "Showdown on the Inverted Pyramid" mission.

The other painting is located at the Southwestern Floating Island, which can be accessed from the Wooded Kingdom or the Lake Kingdom.

Power Moons


There are a total of 93 Power Moons (87 regular Power Moons and 2 Multi Moons) in the Sand Kingdom, the second-highest amount in the game after the Mushroom Kingdom. During the player's first visit to this kingdom, they can collect 59 of the Power Moons and the 2 Multi Moons. The player can also collect a Power Moon if they travel to this kingdom using a painting found in a future kingdom (either the Lake or Wooded Kingdom). One additional Power Moon can also be found when the player encounters the Desert Wanderer in the kingdom (after meeting him in all of the other locations he appears in). After the player defeats Bowser in the Moon Kingdom, 6 more Power Moons become available to collect. The Moon Rock will also be available to destroy, causing 20 additional Power Moons to be accessible.

In order to progress to the next kingdom, the player must collect at least 16 Power Moons.

Regional coins


The Sand Kingdom contains 100 regional coins, which take the form of triangles with designs of the Inverted Pyramid engraved on them.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
A new level inspired by the Sand Kingdom appears in the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Switch versions of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, which features miniature versions of the Tostarena Ruins, Inverted Pyramid and ice cave. Bullet Bills and Goombas appear as enemies in the level. A Pull Switch can be found on top of the Inverted Pyramid which causes it to rise from the ground and turn the level to nighttime.

The Sand Kingdom also appears after the credits, where Captain Toad and Toadette arrive in a minecart. The Odyssey flies over, and Captain Toad chases after it.

The kingdom is accidentally referred to as the Desert Kingdom in the Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker overview trailer, posted by Nintendo on their North American YouTube channel.

Trivia

 * In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Toad's backpack has three pins on it that have the designs of stickers from Super Mario Odyssey, with one of them being based on the Tostarena sticker.