Tornado

Tornadoes  are obstacles that are found in various games of the Super Mario franchise. They are usually found in desert levels.

Super Mario Bros. 3
Tornadoes, also referred to as whirlwinds, debut in Super Mario Bros. 3, only appearing in of Desert Land, where they can trap Mario in an air pocket and throw him backwards if he gets too close. The only way to get past one is to run until the Power Meter is fully charged, and then jump into the air before colliding with the Tornado. There is no way for Mario to defeat a tornado in this game, and thus they will always remain in the same location.

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS
In Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS, if Mario, Yoshi, Luigi, or Wario comes into contact with a tornado, he is thrown upwards and slowly floats downwards (similar to jumping off a Spindrift). Tornadoes are also situated next to quicksand, so the player must be careful not to fall in. In these games, they appear only in Shifting Sand Land.

Super Mario Sunshine
In Super Mario Sunshine, tornadoes are found in the mission Petey Piranha Strikes Back. If Mario gets too close to Petey Piranha, he creates tornadoes that blow Mario backwards.

New Super Mario Bros.
In New Super Mario Bros., tornadoes appear only in World 6-A. They are very large and immobile. If Mario comes in contact with one, he is thrown upwards and spins as he floats back down (similar to Super Mario 64).

Super Mario Galaxy
Regular and slim tornadoes appear in Super Mario Galaxy in the Dusty Dune Galaxy. They have the ability to propel Mario or Luigi high in the air, causing them to make a propeller-like motion while soaring. If the player does not land high up, Mario or Luigi will slowly start to descend, still moving like a propeller. Players can launch themselves upward from any tornado by shaking the Wii Remote. Slim ones also appear in Bowser's Galaxy Reactor, but as an unreachable background element on the desert planet. Additionally, an enemy called Tweester also makes an appearance in this galaxy.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
Slim tornadoes reappear in Super Mario Galaxy 2, with the same role as in Super Mario Galaxy. In this game, they do not appear in desert-themed galaxies, but rather in the Melty Monster Galaxy.

Super Mario Maker 2
In Super Mario Maker 2, new gizmos called Twisters consist of tornadoes that lift the player and certain enemies and objects upwards.

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 in the episode "Sneaking Lying Cheating Giant Ninja Koopas," giant Big Mouth creates a tornado by blowing Mario away. It also appears in the episode "Mind Your Mummy Mommy, Mario," where a Steam Cloud Balloon is caught in one.

Mario Kart Arcade GP series
In Mario Kart Arcade GP, Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, and Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, Tornadoes are used as an offensive item. When used, it is fired in a straight line, similar to the Green Shell and other straight-shot items, and stops when it touches a wall. Any karts caught in the path of the tornado are lifted off the ground for a second before falling, slowing them down temporarily.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
A tornado appears in the racetrack Dry Dry Desert in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, where it flings racers that drive into it into the air. This tornado does not return in the course's retro appearance in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Mario Hoops 3-on-3
A tornado appears in the Glare Desert court as an obstacle in Mario Hoops 3-on-3. It causes the player to get hurt or lose the ball.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Tornadoes appear in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and its Nintendo Switch port, where they appear in the level Frantic Fields. When one of the Kongs enters a tornado, they are hurled backwards or forwards, depending on the direction the obstacle faces. Tornadoes cannot be destroyed.

Mario Golf: World Tour
The Tornado is an item that appears in Mario Golf: World Tour. When used, it creates a tornado around the golf ball that gives it more distance and sucks up any close coins, Star Coins and Moon Coins. Unlike the Bullet Bill, it follows the path of the shot such as curving along with the ball for a fade or draw. It can be used in certain Challenges to collect both Star Coins and Moon Coins, sometimes being the only way of retrieving them. As well as collect coins, Tornadoes may also be used to generate more distance, allowing for better shots without the expense of changing clubs or sing a Power Shot.

Mario Golf: Super Rush
Tornadoes reappear in Mario Golf: Super Rush where they function akin to how they did in Super Mario Galaxy, except that the player staying atop a tornado for enough time does not result in their descent. Riding a tornado unlocks the adventure diary entry "Ride The Winds".

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Tornadoes reappear as obstacles in certain stages in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, primarily in Sherbet Desert. During the turn transition between the heroes and the enemies, the tornado will start moving in a straight line from a random position, deducting some HP from any characters in its path, as well as bouncing them to another position, something which is actually required in certain challenges such as Throw Caution to the Wind. After moving, the direction the tornado goes next is deduced by the direction pointed to by weathercocks scattered around the battlefield. There are two kinds of tornadoes: yellow sandy ones that do not do anything outside of Bouncing and damaging characters, and blue snowy ones that also cause the Freeze Super Effect.

Trivia

 * In Playing With Power: Nintendo NES Classics, the tornado from Super Mario Bros. 3 is misidentified as a Tweester.

Interwiki links

 * Tornado (Mario Kart Arcade GP), the Mario Castle article on the Tornado item from Mario Kart Arcade GP