Is Tingle in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom?

By James On Apr 25, 2023

Tingle has always been a curious character, a fairytale card dealer who often dangles from a red balloon. It was first introduced in 2000, in The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, a character created by Nintendo game designer Takaya Imamura; he was always meant to be a goofball, a man in his mid-thirties who never wants to grow up, Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma said so.

Since then, he has played similar and smaller roles in a handful of games Majora’s mask: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of the Ages, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords AdventuresAnd The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. Sure, Tingle has since appeared in Easter eggs, as a wanted poster in The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass or a hug in it The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. But the man himself, Tingle, hasn’t played in a major Zelda game since 2004; Aonuma told gaming magazine EGM in 2005 that American players didn’t like Tingle much – perhaps an explanation for his absence The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. It’s been almost 20 years since Tingle last appeared in Zelda. Could be The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom be the next phase of Tingle?

Image: Nintendo

Nintendo has given no indication of Tingle’s whereabouts, but the environment surrounding Tingle as a character has changed a lot since then Majora’s mask. It’s Tingles time.

What, is Tingle controversial?

Tingle is now a beloved Zelda character and incredible meme fodder, but this wasn’t always the case. Early on, Tingle was targeted because he embodies various stereotypes of people read as gay, and the character got a lot of hate for that. People also found him downright annoying.

“You know and hate him,” IGN wrote in 2012. “That crazy clown freak who corrupts the land of Hyrule like a poison. That eerily happy, giggly annoyance that always pops up at the wrong time and floats away with a deceptive smile on its lying, insane face.”

It continued: “Tingle sadly returned to haunt the ocean-covered world The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker and his sexual orientation remained a great, dark mystery – one that not even Nintendo could solve.”

IGN even went so far as to make a clip of Tingle getting his head blown off with a gun. Cruel!

Despite IGN’s best efforts to kill him off, Tingle has since become a meme. Fans love him and many want to see him return Tears of the Kingdom. His reputation has changed from a creepy lunatic to a sympathetic one. It’s become a joke around Zelda releases – Where’s Tingle? Although he’s missing, Nintendo continues to refer to him – the poster and plush toy, as well as being a playable character in Hyrule warriors. a Breath of the Wild The DLC pack went one step further and added a Tingle outfit that makes everyone afraid of Link. Tingle is powerful, confirmed.

What is Tingle’s story?

Tingle first appeared in Majora’s mask, found flying over different areas attached to a red balloon. Actually, he is a mapmaker and he hangs in the air so that he has a good vantage point to draw his maps. Shoot Tingle out of the air and Link can buy cards and other items from him. As usual, he wears his all-green bodysuit with red underpants over it, and his face consists mainly of a nose. Of course, he is also obsessed with fairies.

His father is also there Majora’s mask, the manager of the Swamp Tourist Center. It seems that Tingle has a somewhat strained relationship with his father; Tingle’s dad doesn’t really understand him and his childish ways.

His appearance in Wind Waker is also quite remarkable: Tingle is sent to prison by the townspeople and Link must free him. As in Oracle of the Ages And Majora’s Mask, he has a lot of items for Link. His next appearance in Four Swords Adventures offers some more insight into Tingle and his love of fairies, like a story about the time he encountered one in the woods. Finally in The Minicapwe learn that Tingle has siblings: Ankle, Knuckle, and David Jr. (We don’t see them in any Zelda games, but Nintendo references them in Breath of the Wild in the naming of four islands.)

Tingle also has several of its own video games, which unfortunately didn’t take off like Zelda.

Tingle has its own video games?

Tintel in Majora's Mask DLC from Hyrule Warriors

Yes! Tingle has its own standalone video games, Freshly picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland (2006), Tingles Balloon Fight DS (2007), and Matured Tingle’s Balloon Trip of Love (2009). Balloon fight is pretty easy to understand – it’s a Tingle themed version of Balloon fightthe 1984 Nintendo Entertainment System arcade game. Freshly picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland is actually Tingle’s origin story, centered around Tingle and his love of rupees.

Matured Tingle’s Balloon Trip of Love is less about rupees and more about getting a girlfriend or two. I haven’t played any of these so can’t say anything about the quality or content apart from what I’ve seen on Let’s Plays on YouTube. But my understanding is that they have more of a…mature… tone than the Zelda games. I can’t say exactly whether these helped or hurt Tingle’s image!

Nintendo was also reportedly once in the making a Tingle horror game with Vanpool, the studio that made Freshly picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland And Matured Tingle’s Balloon Trip of Love.

Is Tingle in Tears of the Kingdom?

The word on Tingle in Tears of the Kingdom is still out. The game comes out on May 12th for the Nintendo Switch and you know we’re looking for it. Finally, Kensuke Tanabe from Nintendo mentioned in 2013 that he knows how much American players hated Tingle; he wants to flip Tingle’s image, he said. It’s been 10 years since that interview, and maybe 2023 will be Tingle’s year.

“I know how hated Tingle’s character is in the US,” Tanabe said. “I know people can’t stand Tingle. But for me that challenge is, could I take this character who is so maligned in the West and righteous [do] a complete turnaround and make him a beloved, fun character? The idea of that really gets me going.

He continued: “It’s like love. It’s like romance: you meet someone and you think, “Oh God, I can’t stand that person.” And then, three weeks later, you’re madly in love – it’s that twist, that quick whip that motivates [me] a little.”