Tornado
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Tornado is a Copy Ability which allows Kirby to spin rapidly until he turns into a small nigh-invulnerable vortex, capable of ripping through enemies and traveling large distances quickly. The primary disadvantage to this form is that it can be somewhat difficult to control. The ability is usually only available by swallowing a Twister, though other less common providers include Caller and the Mid-Boss Fleurina. In most games, the Tornado ability is accompanied by a hat similar to those of the Fire and Ice abilities. This hat, however, is topped with a small vortex, and a green crystal marking the center of the hat.
Tornado first appeared in Kirby's Adventure, making it among the oldest Copy Abilities in the Kirby series. Since then, it has made several other appearances, though often with large gaps between showings in the main series. Its most consistent string of appearances was between Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land and Kirby: Squeak Squad, as it never missed an appearance in that game-span.
Overview[edit]
Tornado is one of Kirby's most powerful and potent Copy Abilities, giving him several seconds of sustained invulnerability while he moves rapidly, defeating or passing through nearly any enemy and obstacle along the way. In most of his appearances, however, Tornado Kirby is forced to move while using his attack, and he will rapidly bound off of surfaces, making controlling him tricky. Starting up and finishing the attack requires some time as well, making Tornado's attack tricky to use against bosses without getting hit during those periods of vulnerability. In most of Tornado's appearances, holding down the jump button will make Kirby rise slowly while using the attack, allowing him to take to the sky as needed.
While Tornado tends to consistently be one of Kirby's simplest abilities in terms of move-set, its specific properties and powers can change in-between appearances. In Kirby Air Ride, Tornado can be seen as little more than an upgrade to the already-existing Quick Spin technique. In Kirby's Return to Dream Land, Tornado Kirby has access to a couple other moves in the form of quick burst attacks and projectiles. In Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Tornado Kirby can catch enemies in his vortex and then toss them at other foes, similar to Needle. In Kirby's Dream Buffet, Tornado can grab strawberries at a distance on the course and draw them towards Kirby.
Game appearances[edit]
Kirby's Adventure / Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land[edit]
The Tornado ability debuted in Kirby's Adventure, along with all of the other first Copy Abilities, and also appears in Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land (where it first got its hat in the games). It allows Kirby to travel quickly through the air in a whirlwind, being effectively invulnerable while the attack is executing. Controlling Kirby's trajectory while this move is being used can be tricky, however.
Tornado is provided solely by Twister or a Mix in these games. Due to Twister's relative rarity, however, Tornado can be hard to come across.
Kirby's Dream Course[edit]
In Kirby's Dream Course, the Tornado Copy Ability can be acquired by colliding with Twister. Using this ability allows Kirby to move rapidly across the board and cover a lot of ground, though the tornado can be tricky to control. The distance this move can cover depends on the terrain, as trying to spin uphill will cause Kirby to slow down and stop spinning, while traveling downhill will speed him up. Deft movement on varied terrain can allow Tornado Kirby to cover a lot more ground than he otherwise would have been able to.
Kirby Air Ride[edit]
| “ | This ability intensifies your Quick Spin and can be used in mid-air! If you fully charge up, you will automatically do a Quick Spin offensive attack. | ” | — Kirby Air Ride North American instruction booklet, page 39 |
Tornado appears in Kirby Air Ride, provided by the obscure enemy Caller. When active, Kirby will perform a powerful spin attack after a boost or when performing a Quick Spin. Enemies caught in this attack will be sent flying and spinning. Like with other abilities in Kirby Air Ride, the ability only lasts for a short time.
Kirby & The Amazing Mirror[edit]
Tornado returns in Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, and is provided by Twister as usual. It looks and functions identically to the way it did in Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land.
Kirby: Canvas Curse[edit]
In Kirby: Canvas Curse, Kirby can gain the Tornado ability by defeating Twister. Using this ability, Kirby can rapidly rise into the air without the aid of a Rainbow Line when the player taps him repeatedly using the Nintendo DS stylus. While spinning, Tornado Kirby can also defeat enemies.
Since Twister only appears in two stages in the main Story Mode, Tornado is one of the rarest abilities in this game.
Kirby: Squeak Squad[edit]
Tornado returns in Kirby: Squeak Squad. Kirby can cause his vortex to take on an elemental attribute such as fire, ice, or lightning by touching the appropriate element. However, this can only be done once the Ability Scroll for Tornado is found. Also, when the elemental attribute is gained, the vortex nearly doubles in size. Tornado Kirby can hit more rapidly in this game than in previous ones, making the ability very handing for defeating bosses.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land / Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe[edit]
The Tornado ability appears again in Kirby's Return to Dream Land and its remake, Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, obtained by swallowing a Twister. In addition to its usual powers, it has also gained new attacks.
| Tornado moveset for Kirby's Return to Dream Land | |||
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| Skill | Button Execution | Skill | Button Execution |
| Tornado Attack | 1
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Rising Gust | ↑ + 1
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| Tornado Dash | Dash + 1 in midair
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Hyper Tornado | Shake or ↑ during Tornado Attack
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| Falling Gust | ↓ + 1 in midair
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Kirby Battle Royale[edit]
| “ | Try the Tornado ability if you want to play cool tricks on your rivals. All that wind will feel mighty nice to you, but not your opponents. | ” | — Knuckle Joe's comment in Kirby Battle Royale |
Tornado is one of the abilities on offer in Kirby Battle Royale. Tornado allows for long-lasting attacks, but leaves Kirby vulnerable at the end of it. When using the Big Tornado, Kirby can draw items such as Apples closer to him and hit nearby opponents, even when they are airborne.
In addition, Tornado comes with three alternate costumes in this game. Those are the Twister Hat, the Pinwheel, and the Kracko Hat.
| Tornado Moveset in Kirby Battle Royale | |||
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| Skill | Button Execution | Skill | Button Execution |
| Tornado Attack | B
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Big Tornado | Hold B
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| Hyper Tornado | BB
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Tornado Dash | Y
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The Twister Helmet, as seen in Kirby Battle Royale
The Pinwheel
The Kracko Hat
Kirby and the Forgotten Land[edit]
After a 10 year absence from mainline titles, Tornado Kirby returns in Kirby and the Forgotten Land. In this game, Kirby has more control over his vortex, traveling primarily on a horizontal plane. In addition to its usual provider, Twister, Tornado can now be obtained from Fleurina, a swan-like Mid-Boss. One of the Evolved Copy Ability forms for Tornado, Fleur Tornado, resembles Fleurina, and using this version of the ability gives Kirby a bigger and more powerful whirlwind that grows over time. The other evolved form, Storm Tornado, resembles storm clouds, and using this version of the ability gives Kirby an even more powerful whirlwind than the previous one, along with allowing him to strike nearby enemies with lightning.
Tornado Kirby's moveset has once again been simplified for this game, though one notable distinction is the addition of the Hyper Tornado finisher, which allows Kirby to end his spin early with a larger gust hitting all enemies around him.
Moveset[edit]
All attack names are conjectural.
| Tornado moveset in Kirby and the Forgotten Land | ||
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| Move | Button execution | Description |
| Tornado Attack | B or press and hold B | Kirby spins around and creates a vortex, allowing him to move more quickly and float in the air. Enemies and objects caught along the way are carried through the vortex until the move ends. |
| Hyper Tornado | B during Tornado Attack or hold B (to execute Tornado Attack) and release or rotate the Left Stick during Tornado Attack | Kirby ends his vortex and causes a whirlwind that blows away any enemies hit by it, also flinging away any enemies or objects caught in the vortex previously. |
Kirby's Dream Buffet[edit]
Tornado returns as an ability in Kirby's Dream Buffet, and has been redesigned to fit the Copy Food motif like the other abilities in this title. Here, Kirby takes on the appearance of a cup of frosting when he picks up the Tornado Frosting item from a Food Box. Using this ability, Kirby can create a vortex that throws other racers around and can draw strawberries towards himself. Pressing and holding the R button will increase the vortex's radius, but reduces Kirby's movement. This ability can be used in all of the game modes, but it travels fastest when used in the race mode. Kirby will not roll off edges while using this ability. When Tornado Kirby hits a rival racer while using this ability, that racer will be stunned for a moment, meaning they will be unable to recover if thrown off an edge.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
Tornado Kirby appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
In Kirby: Right Back at Ya![edit]
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In the anime series Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, Tornado makes a few appearances, and is notable for being one of the most powerful abilities in Kirby's arsenal. Using the Tornado Ability, Kirby can conjure massive gusts of wind and affect the weather on a large scale. In its most basic usage, Kirby can conjure a tornado from his hat which can be used to blow his opponents away or keep them caught aloft spinning through the air. Kirby also often uses this ability in conjunction with bodies of water to solve problems. In Mabel Turns the Tables, Tornado Kirby uses his power to part the ocean for Mabel in a scene that mirrors the parting of the Red Sea in the Book of Exodus. In Tornado Kirby's final episode, Trick or Trek, he uses the ability to conjure a storm to put out a massive forest fire and save everybody inside.
Tornado Kirby destroying King Dedede's submarine to stop him bulldozing the Rainbow Coral Reef
Tornado Kirby (right) clashing with Tornadon (left)
Hardy being blown away by Tornado Kirby
Tornado Kirby parting the water for Mabel
Tornado Kirby creating a torrential storm to put out a forest fire
Profiles[edit]
Flavor text[edit]
| Image | Game | Flavor text |
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Kirby's Adventure | Kirby can now spin and bump away his foes! Hold the B Button to spin into the air! |
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Kirby's Dream Course | As a tornado, you can change directions by pressing right/left on the Control Pad. |
  
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Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land & Kirby & The Amazing Mirror & Kirby: Squeak Squad | Spin spin spin spin spin Spinspinspinspin Spinspinspin AAAAAUGGHH! |
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Kirby: Canvas Curse | Touch to fly! Keep soaring! |
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Kirby's Return to Dream Land | Round and round you go! Spin with unique controls! Shake the Wii Remote, charge up power, and send a whirlwind flying! |
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Kirby Battle Royale | Scatter your rivals with a whirlwind. It takes practice to get the hang of it. |
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Kirby and the Forgotten Land | Figure description: Pull enemies, blocks, and stars into your cyclone, then release them to deal damage! This ability's controls might make you dizzy, so whirl, swirl, and twirl...but try not to hurl. |
Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophy[edit]
| Image | Description | Found in |
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"Kirby when he inhales enemies that fly around like twisters through the sky. When in tornado form, Kirby can spin freely through the air for short amounts of time, clearing out groups of enemies. Tornado Kirby will continue spinning and bouncing violently off of obstacles until he comes to a stop. One drawback of Tornado Kirby is the control difficulty." | Kirby's Adventure Kirby Air Ride |
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U trophy[edit]
| Image | Description | Found in |
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"Who needs hats when you can have an actual tornado coming out of your head? That's our Kirby - always the trendsetter. And with the Tornado ability, he can go one step further, turning his whole body into a cyclone to go on a wild rampage. His rapid spinning isn't exactly easy to control, but that's all part of the fun!" | Kirby's Adventure Kirby's Return to Dream Land |
Kirby's Dream Course manual[edit]
- "This lets you turn Kirby into a tornado. Press ← or → on the +Control Pad to change his direction as he moves."
Trivia[edit]
- The Tornado Attack has the longest period of invulnerability of any single move.
- In games like Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land and Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, the Tornado ability cannot destroy star blocks.
Gallery[edit]
Artwork[edit]
Kirby's Adventure
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
Smaller but transparent version of the previous artwork
Kirby Air Ride
Kirby: Canvas Curse
Kirby: Canvas Curse
Kirby: Squeak Squad
Kirby Battle Royale
Kirby and the Forgotten Land (figure)
Treasure Road artwork from Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Kirby's Dream Buffet
Artwork from the KIRBY's COMIC PANIC merchandise line
Sprites[edit]
Kirby's Dream Course
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, and Kirby: Squeak Squad
Kirby: Canvas Curse
Icons[edit]
Kirby's Adventure
Kirby's Dream Course
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land and Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
Kirby Air Ride
Kirby: Canvas Curse
Kirby: Squeak Squad
Kirby's Return to Dream Land
Kirby Battle Royale
Screenshots[edit]
Kirby Battle Royale
Kirby's Dream Buffet
Videos[edit]
Official Kirby Portal video showcasing Tornado
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Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
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| Japanese | トルネイド Toruneido |
Tornado |
| Traditional Chinese | 龍捲風 Lóngjuǎnfēng |
Tornado |
| Simplified Chinese | 龙卷风 Lóngjuǎnfēng | |
| French | Tornade | Tornado |
| German | Tornado | - |
| Italian | Tornado | - |
| Korean | 토네이도 Toneido |
Tornado |
| Portuguese | Tornado | - |
| Spanish | Tornado | - |
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- Copy Abilities in Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
- Copy Abilities in Kirby's Adventure and Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
- Copy Abilities in Kirby's Dream Course
- Copy Abilities in Kirby Air Ride
- Copy Abilities in Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
- Copy Abilities in Kirby: Canvas Curse
- Copy Abilities in Kirby: Squeak Squad
- Copy Abilities in Kirby's Return to Dream Land
- Copy Abilities in Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
- Copy Abilities in Kirby Battle Royale
- Copy Abilities in Kirby and the Forgotten Land
- Copy Abilities in Kirby's Dream Buffet
