Wind vortex



The wind vortex is an attack used by the Diggernaut in Metroid: Samus Returns. It begins using the attack during the second phase of its boss battle.

The wind vortex is a vacuum from the robot's inner core. It leans into the foreground and sweeps the powerful air current twice, from left to right. During this time, Samus can either jump out of its way to avoid it, or enter Morph Ball mode and roll across the ground, laying as many Bombs as she can on the ground in the vortex's path to damage the Diggernaut's face plate. She must use the Spider Ball to avoid being sucked up by the Diggernaut if she does this. If Samus is sucked up by the Diggernaut, its internal "teeth" will "bite" down on her repeatedly and cause damage before spitting her back out. During the third phase of the battle, once the Diggernaut has suffered enough damage from inhaling Bombs with the wind vortex, it will initiate its final attack.

Prior to the battle with the Diggernaut, Samus encounters it using the wind vortex on a Chozo Statue holding the Power Bomb power-up. This destroys the statue, and the Diggernaut ends up absorbing the Power Bomb (which Samus is able to recover following the battle).

A similar attack is used by the Amorbis in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.

Metroid: Samus Returns Official Guide
"The attack to be extremely careful with is the Diggernaut's wind vortex. Ripples swelling around the Diggernaut’s chest signal this attack. Shortly after, a giant tornado pours from the Diggernaut’s chest and into the foreground, where it sweeps back and forth across the room. Getting caught in this vortex is devastating to your health bar."