Tornadoes are objects often found in desert areas. If Mario or another character gets caught in a tornado, they spin around in it, usually a number of times before being launched out the top of the tornado.
Here, they are named whirlwinds, and have the appearance of small bits of dust twirling around in circles. Whirlwinds only appear in World 2-, where they can trap Mario or Luigi in an air pocket and throw him backward if he gets too close. Mario or Luigi can only bypass a whirlwind if their Power Meter is filled and they jump into the air before colliding with the whirlwind.
Tornadoes only appear in Shifting Sand Land, where they emerge from the quicksand pits. If Mario (or Yoshi, Luigi, or Wario in the remake) touches a tornado, he gets thrown upward before slowly twirling back down.
Tornadoes exclusively appear in World 6-A. They act similarly as in Super Mario 64, because if Mario comes in contact with a tornado, he is thrown upward before twirling back down. However, tornadoes do not move around in this game.
Tornadoes appear in the the Dusty Dune Galaxy, both in wide and slim variations, as well as in the form of Tweesters. Slim tornadoes also appear in Bowser's Galaxy Reactor, although as unreachable background elements, so they can only be interacted with in the Dusty Dune Galaxy.
A tornado can propel Mario or Luigi high into the air, causing them to make a propeller-like motion as they soar. Even as they descend, Mario or Luigi still continue to move like a propeller. The player can launch Mario or Luigi upward from any tornado by shaking the Wii Remote.
Tornadoes function identically as in Super Mario Galaxy. However, they only appear in a lava-themed galaxy, Melty Monster Galaxy, not any desert-themed locations.
The game introduces a new course element, Twisters, which lift the player's character, certain enemies and objects upward, giving them a similar function to tornadoes.
A tornado only appears in the course Dry Dry Desert, where whoever drives into one is flung into the air. The tornado is not retained in the track's classic course appearances.
Mario Kart Arcade GP sub-series[]
Tornado is an offensive item in Mario Kart Arcade GP, Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, and Mario Kart Arcade GP DX. When used, it is fired at a linear line like the Green Shell and other straight-shot items. The tornado disappears when it hits the wall. It consumes the player's kart's time by being lifted up from the ground for a second before the kart falling.
The Tornado is an item, and using it creates a tornado around the golf ball that allows it to both travel farther and draw in any nearby coins, Star Coins, and Moon Coins along the way. Unlike the Bullet Bill, the tornado follows the path of the shot, such as curving along with the ball for a fade or draw. A Tornado can be used in certain Challenges to collect both Star Coins and Moon Coins, and in some cases it is the only way to obtain them them.
Tornadoes appear as an obstacle in Spiky Palms. If playing here in Speed Golf, the characters use tornadoes to cross a river. Unlike other appearances of tornadoes, a character does not descend from a tornado after standing on it for a certain period of time. Riding a tornado unlocks the adventure diary entry "Ride The Winds".
World 6-1 • World 6-2 • World 6-3 • World 6- • World 6-4 • World 6-5 • World 6-6 • World 6-7 • World 6- • World 6-8 • World 6-9 • World 6-10 • World 6- • World 6-
World 7-1 • World 7-2 • World 7-3 • World 7-4 • World 7-5 • World 7- • World 7- • World 7-6 • World 7-7 • World 7-8 • World 7-9 • World 7- • World 7- • World 7-
Slip Slidin' Away • Lil' Penguin Lost • Big Penguin Race • Frosty Slide for 8 Red Coins • Snowman's Lost His Head • Wall Kicks Will Work (N64)/Mario's Super Wall Kick (DS) • Switch Star of Cool, Cool Mountain (DS)
Big Boo's Haunt
Go on a Ghost Hunt • Ride Big Boo's Merry Go Round • Secret of the Haunted Books • Seek the 8 Red Coins • Big Boo's Balcony • Eye to Eye in the Secret Room • Switch Star of the Basement
Hazy Maze Cave
Swimming Beast in the Cavern • Elevate for 8 Red Coins • Metal-Head Mario Can Move! (N64)/Metal-Head Wario Can Move (DS) • Navigating the Toxic Maze • A-Maze-Ing Emergency Exit • Watch for Rolling Rocks • Underground Switch Star
In the Talons of the Big Bird • Shining Atop the Pyramid • Inside the Ancient Pyramid • Stand Tall On the Four Pillars • Free Flying For 8 Red Coins (5th Star, N64) (7th Star, DS) • Tox Box Switch Star (DS) • Pyramid Puzzle
Snowman's Big Head • Chill with the Bully • In the Deep Freeze (N64) • Yoshi's Ice Sculpture (DS) • Whirl from the Freezing Pond • Shell Shreddin' for Red Coins (N64) • Snowman's Silver Star (DS) • Into the Igloo • Red Coins in the House (DS)
Wet-Dry World
Shocking Arrow Lifts! • Top o' the Town • Secrets in the Shallows and Sky (N64)/5 Secrets in the Shallows and Sky (DS) • Express Elevator--Hurry Up! • Go to Town for Red Coins (N64)/Go to Town for the Red Coins (DS) • Quick Race Through Downtown! • Soaked Silver Stars (DS)
Tall, Tall Mountain
Scale the Mountain • Mystery of the Monkey Cage • Scary 'Shrooms, Red Coins • Mysterious Mountainside • Breathtaking View from Bridge (Star 5, N64)/Breathtaking View from the Bridge (Star 7, DS) • Blast to the Lonely Mushroom (Star 6, N64) (Star 5, DS) • 5 Secrets of the Mountain
Roll into the Cage (N64) • Luigi in the Cage (DS) • The Pit and the Pendulums (N64) • The Pendulum Switch Star (DS) • Get a Hand • Stomp on the Thwomp •Timed Jumps on Moving Bars • Stop Time for Red Coins • Tick Tock Silver Stars
Rainbow Ride
Cruiser Crossing the Rainbow • The Big House in the Sky • Coins Amassed in a Maze • Swingin' in the Breeze • Tricky Triangles! • Somewhere over the Rainbow • Switch Star of the Manor
Bob-omb Sudden Death • Bob-omb Trampoline • Jumping Sudden Death • Jumping Brothers • Lakitu Launch • Vs. Mario's Slides • Vs. Pair-a-Gone • Vs. Trampoline Time
Dino Piranha • A Snack of Cosmic Proportions • King Kaliente's Battle Fleet • Dino Piranha Speed Run* • Purple Coin Omelet* • Luigi on the Roof
Honeyhive Galaxy
Bee Mario/Luigi Takes Flight • Trouble on the Tower • Big Bad Bugaboom • Honeyhive Cosmic Mario/Luigi Race* • The Honeyhive's Purple Coins* • Luigi in the Honeyhive Kingdom
Loopdeeloop Galaxy
Surfing 101
Flipswitch Galaxy
Painting the Planet Yellow
Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor
Megaleg's Moon
Sweet Sweet Galaxy
Rocky Road
Space Junk Galaxy
Pull Star Path • Kamella's Airship Attack • Tarantox's Tangled Web • Pull Star Path Speed Run* • Purple Coin Spacewalk* • Yoshi's Unexpected Appearance
Rolling Green Galaxy
Rolling in the Clouds
Battlerock Galaxy
Battlerock Barrage • Breaking into the Battlerock • Topmaniac and the Topman Tribe • Topmaniac's Daredevil Run* • Purple Coins on the Battlerock* • Battlerock's Garbage Dump • Luigi under the Saucer
Hurry-Scurry Galaxy
Shrinking Satellite
Bowser's Star Reactor
The Fiery Stronghold
Sling Pod Galaxy
A Very Sticky Situation
Beach Bowl Galaxy
Sunken Treasure • Passing the Swim Test • The Secret Undersea Cavern • Fast Foes on the Cyclone Stone* • Beachcombing for Purple Coins* • Wall Jumping up Waterfalls
Bubble Breeze Galaxy
Through the Poison Swamp
Ghostly Galaxy
Luigi and the Haunted Mansion • A Very Spooky Sprint • Beware of Bouldergeist • Bouldergeist's Daredevil Run* • Purple Coins in the Bone Pen* • Matter Splatter Mansion
Bunnies in the Wind • The Dirty Tricks of Major Burrows • Gusty Garden's Gravity Scramble • Major Burrows's Daredevil Run* • Purple Coins on the Puzzle Cube* • The Golden Chomp
Freezeflame Galaxy
The Frozen Peak of Baron Brrr • Freezeflame's Blistering Core • Hot and Cold Collide • Frosty Cosmic Mario/Luigi Race* •Purple Coins on the Summit* • Conquering the Summit
Dusty Dune Galaxy
Soaring on the Desert Winds • Blasting through the Sand • Sunbaked Sand Castle • Sandblast Speed Run* • Purple Coins in the Desert* • Bullet Bill on Your Back • Treasure of the Pyramid
Honeyclimb Galaxy
Scaling the Sticky Wall
Bowser's Dark Matter Plant
Darkness on the Horizon
Bigmouth Galaxy
Bigmouth's Gold Bait
Gold Leaf Galaxy
Star Bunnies on the Hunt • Cataquack to the Skies • When It Rains, It Pours • Cosmic Mario/Luigi Forest Race* • Purple Coins in the Woods* • The Bell on the Big Tree
Sea Slide Galaxy
Going after Guppy • Faster Than a Speeding Penguin • The Silver Stars of Sea Slide • Underwater Cosmic Mario/Luigi Race* • Purple Coins by the Seaside* • Hurry, He's Hungry
Toy Time Galaxy
Heavy Metal Mecha-Bowser • Mario/Luigi Meets Mario • Bouncing Down Cake Lane • Fast Foes of Toy Time* • Luigi's Purple Coins* • The Flipswitch Chain
Bonefin Galaxy
Kingfin's Fearsome Waters
Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor
King Kaliente's Spicy Return
Sand Spiral Galaxy
Choosing a Favorite Snack
Deep Dark Galaxy
The Underground Ghost Ship • Bubble Blastoff • Guppy and the Underground Lake • Ghost Ship Daredevil Run* • Plunder the Purple Coins* • Boo in a Box
Dreadnought Galaxy
Infiltrating the Dreadnought • Dreadnought's Colossal Cannons • Revenge of the Topman Tribe • Topman Tribe Speed Run* • Battlestation's Purple Coins* • Dreadnought's Garbage Dump
Matter Splatter Galaxy
Watch Your Step
Melty Molten Galaxy
The Sinking Lava Spire • Through the Meteor Storm • Fiery Dino Piranha • Lava Spire Daredevil Run* • Red-Hot Purple Coins* • Burning Tide
Missions marked with an asterisk (*) are exclusively available while a Prankster Comet is in orbit. Missions marked with two asterisks (**) are only available when receiving a letter from Mailtoad.