Sand block

Sand blocks  (or sand-blocks), also called sand cubes or sandy blocks, are a type of block made of grains of sand.

Sand blocks first appear in Donkey Kong for the Game Boy. They dissolve as soon as Mario walks over them. They do not return afterwards. In one level in Rocky-Valley, walking over sand blocks will set a group of Chikuchiku, which are trapped under the sand blocks, free. Stage 9-7 in the Tower consists almost entirely of sand blocks.

In Super Mario Sunshine, sand blocks appear in many secret courses. If Mario walks over them, they collapse and disappear, then reappear after a certain amount of time. Their function is similar to that of the shrinking platforms that are later found in Super Mario Galaxy and the 3D version of the Donut Blocks as they appear in Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World.

In Mario vs. Donkey Kong, sand blocks first appear in Donkey Kong Jungle, where they act essentially the same as in Donkey Kong for the Game Boy, except they collapse slightly faster.