Tingle

Tingle is a recurring character in The Legend of Zelda series, who first appeared in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.

Characteristics
Tingle is a middle-aged man of 35 who is obsessed with "forest fairies". He desires more than anything to be one even though he appears to be Hylian. Tingle dresses up in green costumes resembling that of which the main character, Link, wears. He believes that this is what "forest fairies" wear. In Wind Waker (and possibly other games), after Link releases him from his cell, he believes Link is a fairy (This is due to Link's clothes and possibly his pointy ears, since only a few people in the game had pointy ears). He also wears red shorts and a necklace with a clock attatched to it. Tingle is normally seen floating around on his red balloon, drawing and selling maps. His father, the owner of the Southern Swamp's pictograph store, sees him as a fool. Tingle has appeared in some way in every new Zelda story (except for the GBA The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess ) since his debut in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, either as an ally or somewhat of an antagonist.

Majora's Mask
In Majora's Mask, Tingle serves to help Link navigate through the world of Termina by selling him maps if Link shoots down his red balloon and speaks to him. His maps come cheaper if bought in the area that they are maps of. Tingle appears in North Clock Town, Romani Ranch, and the entrances to Woodfall, Snowhead, Great Bay, and Ikana Canyon. His father is the man who operates the pictograph contest in the Southern Swamp, and bringing Tingle's picture to him earns Link a Heart Piece.

Oracle of Ages
Tingle appears in The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages to give Link a chart that he uses while crossing the sea. Tingle also will give Link an upgrade to the Seed Satchel.



Wind Waker
Tingle also pleased fans when he appeared in a dingy prison cell on Windfall Island in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. When freed, Tingle gives Link the Tingle Tuner, which can be used if the player connects a GBA to the GameCube via a link cable. This allows a second player to control Tingle to help the first. Tingle also gives the player a poorly drawn map to Tingle Island. Tingle also plays a vital role in the storyline: he is the only person who can decipher Triforce Charts to help Link find the eight pieces of the Triforce. In addition to translating the Triforce Charts, he helps Link further by supplying him with the IN-credible Chart. If Link visits him on his private island near Windfall Island and pays him 398 Rupees, Tingle will decipher the map with his special "magic words": "Tingle, Tingle, Kooloo-Limpah!" In The Wind Waker, Tingle appears with two other Tingle look-alikes in differently colored suits. The one dressed in pink is Tingle's younger brother Ankle. The white one is an "ordinary" human, David Jr., whom Tingle rescued from a shipwreck and made to work in the Tingle Tower. Ankle also has a twin brother named Knuckle dressed in blue, who can be located on Tingle Island after completing a Tingle Tuner side-quest on Outset Island.

Four Swords Adventures
In The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, Tingle takes on the role of a friendly antagonist. If a player leaves too many Force Gems lying around for too long without taking them, Tingle will eventually appear on his balloon and try to steal them. The players must try to grab them before he does. (When multiple players play Hyrulean Adventure, this function can be disabled.)

Minish Cap
In The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, Tingle, Ankle, Knuckle and David Jr. will fuse Kinstones with Link, an action he can do with many characters during the game, which influences the game world in some minor way to give the player 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 Magical Boomerang. Tingle and his brothers will also tell Link how many Kinstone Fusions remain. Once Link has done every kinstone fusion, Tingle will give him the Tingle statue.

Super Smash Brothers
Tingle is also spotted in  Super Smash Bros. Melee as part of the Great Bay stage. His balloon acts as an additional platform to players, but when a player strikes and pops his balloon, Tingle falls down and the platform is temporarily inaccessible. However, Tingle is so small and elevated that his balloon is not much of a factor.

Trivia

 * According to Nintendo, all the Zelda games take place generations apart, with The Wind Waker taking place many centuries after the events of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, yet Tingle has been in every game since his debut except for a Game Boy Advance remake of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Tingle could thus also be included as one of the "reincarnation" characters such as Link, Ganon and Zelda who are reborn centuries apart throughout history.


 * Tingle starred in his own Nintendo DS game, Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland.


 * Tingle bears a mild resemblance to Nintendo composer Koji Kondo.