Mach Tornado is the name of Meta Knight's Standard Special Move. When activated, Meta Knight spins at high speed, which slightly pulls nearby opponents towards him, then slashes them multiple times, as well as traps them, making escape via Directional Influence difficult. When the Tornado is finished, the last hit dealt causes slightly more than moderate knockback, but can be very deadly if used near the top of the screen. Mach Tornado can be controlled, by pressing left or right to move in that direction, and going upwards is done by pressing B rapidly, which also extends the amount of time Meta Knight spins. As a recovery move, this is Meta Knights best horizontal recovery move due to its high movement speed, but should only be used if above the stage. If Meta Knight hits a ledge while using this move he will bounce off and move away from the ledge, making recovery difficult. Mach Tornado also has another use, of which is being able to destroy most projectiles it hits, save for a few of the larger projectiles and the Ice Climbers' Blizzard.
Control-wise, this move is like Kirby's "Tornado" ability that appears in many of the Kirby games. Rapidly pressing B will make him gain height. Meta Knight first used it in Kirby Super Star, where he transformed into a yellow tornado to attack.