Quicksand

"Stay out of the quicksand!"

— Sign

Quicksand, sometimes known as Sinksand, is a recurring obstacle in the Legend of Zelda series. Unable to support significant weight, Quicksand will generally suck Link in if he crosses over it. Sometimes this will lead to his demise, while other times, it transports him to an underground area that he must navigate his way out of. In some instances, enemies can be defeated if knocked into quicksand.

Appearances

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Devalants appear in pits of Quicksand. However, if the Devalant is defeated, the Quicksand surrounding it will disappear. Devalants are found exclusively in the Desert Palace.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

Quicksand appears in Yarna Desert; notably, a huge quicksand pit serves as the battleground in the battle against a Lanmola. After its defeat, it drops the Angler Key, which proceeds to sink into the pit of Quicksand. Link may take the Angler Key before it disappears into the underground cave below it, but he will fall into the cave regardless.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

The first trial of the Haunted Wasteland, which is the River of Sand, is a river of flowing Quicksand. Link must use the Hover Boots or the Longshot to cross the river. Quicksand also appears in the Gerudo's Training Ground.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons

Quicksand appears in various areas throughout Labrynna and Holodrum, most notably during the Big Bang mini-game and in Samasa Desert. The Quicksand Ring allows Link to walk on Quicksand as though it were normal ground.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

During the boss battle at the Wind Temple, Molgera uses the sandy arena as a Quicksand pit, which drags Link towards its maw in order to inflict damage.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

Quicksand is found in the Desert of Doubt.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Quicksand appears only in the Arbiter's Grounds. It slowly causes Link to sink. Poison Mites can latch onto Link at this time, making it more difficult for him to successfully cross the sand. Link can use the Spinner to avoid the effects of Quicksand. In contrast, the Iron Boots cause him to sink immediately. Prior to obtaining the Spinner, it is somewhat easier to cross the sand in Link's wolf form thanks to his ability to dash for a short time; however, because he walks on all fours, he will take less time to sink if he is not dashing.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

Quicksand appears exclusively in the Goron Temple.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Quicksand is found in the Sand Temple and the Tower of Spirits. It can be controlled with the Sand Wand, which shapes quicksand into pathways that Link can traverse without sinking. However, as with normal sand, Princess Zelda while possessing a Phantom will sink instantly due to the Phantom's weight.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Quicksand in Skyward Sword, known as sinksand, is found in the Lanayru Desert. If Link steps into it, he will slowly begin to sink; if he does not reach solid ground in time, he will return to the last piece of solid ground he was on, without sustaining any damage. Link can dash through the sinksand to reach solid ground, but can only go short distances, as his stamina will deplete at twice the speed when running in sinksand. Oddly, if Link uses the Fatal Blow on an enemy that is lying on sinksand, Link will sink, then backflip out safely. Around the entrance to the Lanayru Mining Facility, there are narrow pathways buried beneath the sinksand where Link can walk on normally without sinking.

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes

Quicksand is present in every level of The Dunes, and the corresponding Desert Zone in the Coliseum. Link can walk on quicksand without sinking, but if he stops for about two seconds, he will sink, suffering one heart of damage. This also applies to any Doppels he is holding in Totem, who will sink as well, causing additional damage. If Link is wearing the Dunewalker Duds, a green energy circle will appear under his feet when he is standing on top of quicksand, and he will not sink even if he stops (though if he drops the Doppels onto the sand, they will sink). In the Drablands Challenge of Gibdo Mausoleum, Link must not sink into quicksand or he will instantly fail the challenge.