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Tingle

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Tingle



 
 
Tingle, known as in Japan, is a fictional video game character of The Legend of Zelda series, first appearing in Majora's Mask
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on April 27, 2000; in North America on October 26, 2000; and in Europe on November 17, 2000....
 in 2000. Since then, he has appeared in each installment of the series up through The Minish Cap
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

is the twelfth game in The Legend of Zelda of video games, developed by Flagship , with Nintendo overseeing the development process. It was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2004 in video gaming in Japan and Europe and 2005 in video gaming in North America....
, except for Oracle of Seasons and Four Swords
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

, is an action-adventure game video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console, and the third installment in The Legend of Zelda ....
. Since then, he has not made in-person appearances in the main The Legend of Zelda series, due primarily to the evident unpopularity of the character among Zelda fans in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
.






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Tingle, known as in Japan, is a fictional video game character of The Legend of Zelda series, first appearing in Majora's Mask
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on April 27, 2000; in North America on October 26, 2000; and in Europe on November 17, 2000....
 in 2000. Since then, he has appeared in each installment of the series up through The Minish Cap
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

is the twelfth game in The Legend of Zelda of video games, developed by Flagship , with Nintendo overseeing the development process. It was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2004 in video gaming in Japan and Europe and 2005 in video gaming in North America....
, except for Oracle of Seasons and Four Swords
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

, is an action-adventure game video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console, and the third installment in The Legend of Zelda ....
. Since then, he has not made in-person appearances in the main The Legend of Zelda series, due primarily to the evident unpopularity of the character among Zelda fans in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
. Instead, he has gone on to star in his own video games for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS

The is a dual-screen handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in 2004 in video gaming in Canada, the United States, and Japan....
: Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, currently released in Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
 and Europe
Europe

Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
, and Tingle's Balloon Fight DS
Tingle's Balloon Fight DS

is a Nintendo DS Arcade game-style platform game published and developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console, solely available to Platinum Club Nintendo members....
, exclusive to Japan.

Creation and conception


Characteristics

Tingle is a short, paunchy 35-year-old man who is completely obsessed with "forest fairies" and dresses up in a green costume, slightly resembling that of the main character, Link. In Majora's Mask, he wears tight red shorts and a necklace with a clock that is permanently stuck at four o'clock. Tingle is normally seen floating around on his red balloon, drawing and selling maps for his father, who sees him as "a fool". He is also known for his catchphrase: "Tingle, Tingle, Kooloo-Limpah!" . Tingle appears to have a fixation for Rupees and other similar collectibles, such as Force Gems in Four Swords Adventures
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, known in Japan as , is a video game in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda . It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on March 18, 2004; in North America on June 7, 2004; in Europe on January 7, 2005; and in Australia on April 7, 2005....
 and Kinstones in The Minish Cap
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

is the twelfth game in The Legend of Zelda of video games, developed by Flagship , with Nintendo overseeing the development process. It was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2004 in video gaming in Japan and Europe and 2005 in video gaming in North America....
. In Majora's Mask, Tingle can be found around Termina selling maps, and in The Wind Waker, he translates Triforce Maps for a high price, among other things. Tingle's fixation for Rupees is explained in the Nintendo DS game Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, where it is stated that Tingle needs Rupees to live, as a result of a curse placed on him by Uncle Rupee.

Tingle's siblings

Ankle is Tingle's younger brother and Knuckle's twin. In The Wind Waker, he is found turning the grinding wheel at Tingle Tower with David Jr.. The reason he does so much work is to support his brother, Knuckle. He also has a love of gardening. He also appears in Four Swords Adventures and later in The Minish Cap, where he fuses Kinstones behind Lon Lon Ranch. His outfit is faded purple.

Knuckle is Ankle's twin and the one who built Tingle Tower. In The Wind Waker, he is largely a side-quest character, requiring use of the Tingle Tuner to find. By doing so, Link can gain the Hand-Me-Down Tuner which provides additional options. He also appears in Four Swords Adventures and later in The Minish Cap, where he fuses Kinstones in Trilby Highlands. His outfit is light blue.

David Jr., although similar in appearance to Tingle and his brothers, is from Windfall Island and is unrelated to Tingle. After getting shipwrecked on Tingle Island, he was forced by Tingle to work turning the wheel. Unenthusiastic about his role, he does it anyway, although he is prone to complaining. He also appears in Four Swords Adventures and The Minish Cap, the latter in which he fuses Kinstones in Lake Hylia. When reading his inscription in the Nintendo Gallery, it implies that his father was the one who made the ghost ship chart, but died immediately after doing so. His outfit is white.

Appearances


Majora's Mask

Tingle made his debut in the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64

The , often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendo's third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released on June 23, 1996 in Japan, September 29, 1996 in North America, March 1, 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1, 1997 in France and December 10, 1997 in Brazil....
 title Majora's Mask. Throughout Link's adventure, Tingle helps Link navigate the land of Termina by selling him maps of various areas (although, Link has to shoot down Tingle's balloon with the bow and arrow or the bubble technique used in Deku form). His maps come cheaper if bought in their respective areas. Tingle appears in several areas, including Clock Town, Romani Ranch, Snowhead and Ikana Canyon. His father operates the pictograph contest at the Woodfall Swamp, and is ashamed by his son's antics, although he admits that perhaps he spoiled him too much.

Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages

Tingle appears in the land of Labrynna in Oracle of Ages, and gives Link a chart that he needs to cross the sea. Tingle will also give Link an upgrade to the Seed Satchel in a linked game, which can hold 99 of every seed.

Tingle doesn't appear in Oracle of Seasons, but he is mentioned by a fairy who thinks he should grow up. However, the fairy is too busy and asks Link to tell Tingle her message in the form of a secret.

The Wind Waker

Tingle's first appearance in The Wind Waker is in a small, dingy prison cell on Windfall Island. He was imprisoned for being mistaken for a troublemaker. When freed, Tingle gives Link the Tingle Tuner, a device that can be used if the player connects a Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance

The is a 32-bit Handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo; resembling Sega's 8-bit Game Gear. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color....
 to the GameCube
Nintendo GameCube

The , is Nintendo's fourth home video game console and is part of the History of video game consoles . It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 and predecessor to Nintendo's Wii....
 via the Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance Cable. This allows a second player to control Tingle and assist Link by selling him potions, providing him with a shield, allowing him to float and dropping bombs. Tingle also gives the player a crudely drawn map to Tingle Island, and can be found for the rest of the game on this island, near the top of Tingle Tower. According to the Tingle Tuner, Tingle is merely a native of a different island with a Tingle-centric legend, in parallel to the Link-centric legend of Outset Island. He deciphers the charts needed to haul the Triforce Shards from the ocean floor. He is also known for his extortionate prices; he demands 398 Rupees per chart, plus 201 Rupees for the IN-credible Chart that shows the location of the Triforce Charts and Triforce Shards from the charts that have been deciphered. This game also introduced his brothers, Ankle and Knuckle, who are twins, and David Jr., who is not related but was (supposedly) saved by Tingle after his ship was sucked into a cyclone.

Four Swords Adventures

Tingle takes on the role of a friendly antagonist in the GameCube game Four Swords Adventures. If a player leaves a good deal of Force Gems laying around for too long, Tingle will eventually float towards them on his balloon in an attempt to steal them. The players must grab them before he does (although while playing multiplayer, players are given the option of turning this off). There is also a trap in this game that causes Tingle to lead an army of lookalikes and steal the gems directly from the Links.

The Minish Cap

Tingle, Ankle, Knuckle, and David Jr. are able to fuse Kinstones with Link in the Game Boy Advance game The Minish Cap. Fusing Kinstones is an action that Link can do with many people, animals, and seemingly inanimate objects throughout the game, which influences the game world, often only in some minor way, to give Link access to an item or new area. When all four have fused Kinstones with Link, a passage will open on the Castle Grounds that gives him the Magic Boomerang. Tingle, his brothers, and David Jr. can also tell Link how many Kinstone fusions remain. Once Link has done every Kinstone fusion, Tingle will award Link with the Tingle statue.

Twilight Princess

Tingle himself does not make an appearance in Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the Wii and Nintendo GameCube video game consoles....
. In an interview with Electronic Gaming Monthly, director Eiji Aonuma
Eiji Aonuma

is a Japanese Game designer#Video game designer and video game director. He currently works for Nintendo, and has overseen several installments in The Legend of Zelda of video games....
 stated that he had "found out some American people didn't like him very much" and ultimately decided not to include him in the game. In a later interview with Nintendo Dream, he stated that the character Purlo is his reference to Tingle in Twilight Princess. According to Aonuma, Purlo's appearance "is the result of wondering what a realistic Tingle would look like".

Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland

Tingle's first starring role was in the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS

The is a dual-screen handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in 2004 in video gaming in Canada, the United States, and Japan....
 game Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland. It tells the story of Tingle when he was a regular person, how he came to become Tingle, and why he is so obsessed with Rupees. The game was released in Japan in 2006 and Europe on 14 September, 2007. The official Nintendo website had a poll asking if it should be brought to America.

Tingle's Balloon Fight DS

is a Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS

The is a dual-screen handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in 2004 in video gaming in Canada, the United States, and Japan....
 arcade style
Arcade game

An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, typically installed in businesses such as restaurants, public houses, video arcades, and Family Entertainment Centers....
 platformer
Platform game

Platform game, or platformer, is a computer and video game genres characterized by jumping puzzle or over obstacles. It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps....
 published and developed by Nintendo
Nintendo

is a global company located in Kyoto, Japan founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
 for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS

The is a dual-screen handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in 2004 in video gaming in Canada, the United States, and Japan....
 handheld video game console
Video game console

A video game console is an game development that produces a video signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game. The term "video game console" is used to distinguish a machine designed for consumers to buy and use solely for playing video games from a personal computer, which has many other functions, or arcade machi...
, which is solely available to Platinum Club Nintendo
Club Nintendo

Club Nintendo is the name of several publications and a customer loyalty program by Nintendo....
 members. Tingle's Balloon Fight is one of the two Tingle-centric games for DS, the other being Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland. The game itself is based not only on The Legend of Zelda, but on Balloon Fight
Balloon Fight

is a video game developed by Nintendo. The arcade version was released in 1984 and the Nintendo Entertainment System version was released in . The gameplay is similar to the arcade game Joust by Williams Electronics....
 as well, making this the third entry in the latter franchise (following the first title and Balloon Kid
Balloon Kid

Balloon Kid is a flying platform game developed by Pax Softnica and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy on October, 1990 in North America and on January 31 1991 in Europe....
).

Tingle's Balloon Fight uses the same game design as Balloon Fight
Balloon Fight

is a video game developed by Nintendo. The arcade version was released in 1984 and the Nintendo Entertainment System version was released in . The gameplay is similar to the arcade game Joust by Williams Electronics....
. The game has three modes: Balloon Fight (single player), local wireless Balloon Fighting Spirit (2–4 players), and Balloon Trip (single player). Performing various accomplishments throughout the game (winning multiplayer matches, achievements in scoring, and other as yet unknown methods) unlocks artwork in a gallery of Tingle portraits, available on the Options screen of the game. According to the offer, the story is that 35 year old Tingle challenges the "Balloon Fighting Spirit" of the bosom oak. The game was released exclusively to members of Club Nintendo in Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
.

Other roles

Tingle also appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee

, often abbreviated as SSBM or simply as Melee, is a Fictional crossover fighting game released for the Nintendo GameCube shortly after its launch in ....
 as part of the Termina Bay stage, as well as an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl

, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of gaming crossover fighting games, developed by Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console....
. He also appears as a trophy in both games, the former based on Majora's Mask
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on April 27, 2000; in North America on October 26, 2000; and in Europe on November 17, 2000....
 and the latter based on The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game and the tenth installment in The Legend of Zelda . It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 13, 2002, in North America on March 24, 2003, in Europe on May 3, 2003, and in Australia on May 7, 2003....
.

Impact and reception

The editors at IGN
IGN

IGN is a multimedia news and reviews website that focuses heavily on video games. Its corporate parent is IGN Entertainment, which owns and controls separate sites such as GameSpy, GameStats, Rotten Tomatoes and AskMen....
 did not like Tingle, in part because his role in The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game and the tenth installment in The Legend of Zelda . It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 13, 2002, in North America on March 24, 2003, in Europe on May 3, 2003, and in Australia on May 7, 2003....
 was an integral part of "tedious fetch quests". When development for what would later be called Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the Wii and Nintendo GameCube video game consoles....
 began, IGN
IGN

IGN is a multimedia news and reviews website that focuses heavily on video games. Its corporate parent is IGN Entertainment, which owns and controls separate sites such as GameSpy, GameStats, Rotten Tomatoes and AskMen....
 hoped that game directors Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto

is a Japanese people video game designer. He created the Mario , Donkey Kong , The Legend of Zelda , F-Zero , Pikmin and Nintendogs franchises for Nintendo game consoles, and mostly works on games as a Game producer....
 and Eiji Aonuma
Eiji Aonuma

is a Japanese Game designer#Video game designer and video game director. He currently works for Nintendo, and has overseen several installments in The Legend of Zelda of video games....
 would not include the character, saying "we're not going to stand for him in another Zelda game".

External links