Summary
TheLegend of Zeldafranchise ishome to some of the most iconic characters in the video game industry. Everybody is aware of the usual suspects, like Link, Princess Zelda, or Ganondorf, but there’s also a fair share of truly bizarre characters that have become infamous among fans of the series, withTinglebeing undoubtedly the biggest standout.
Ever since his initial appearance inMajora’s Mask, Tingle has become an unexpected icon forThe Legend of Zeldafranchise, to the displeasure of some fans. He’s truly one of the most peculiar and fascinating characters, and there’s a lot of interesting information about this fairy enthusiast that some people may not know about.
This is most likely common knowledge among seasonedLegend of Zeldafans, but this may also be completely new information for those who haven’t delved into the older releases of this franchise. And the truth is that, despite his whimsical appearance, Tingle is not a magical creature at all.
That’s right. InMajora’s Mask, it’s confirmed that he is actually a 35-year-old man who dresses up like a fairy because he believes he’s the reincarnation of one. The idea of Tingle being a grown man who is cosplaying as a magical being has been reutilizedin subsequent releases, including in his spin-off games.
Tingle is such a weird and unique character that most fans of the series believe that there can’t be anybody else like him. But some may have already forgotten that he’s not alone,sinceThe Wind Wakerrevealed he has two younger brothers. All of them together form the group called The Tingle Siblings.
Aside from Tingle, there’s the worrisomeAnkleand the grumpyKnuckle. Not to mention that there’s alsoDavid Jr., who is not related to the brothers, despite their close resemblance. All four of them share the same design and outfit, with their colors being the only significant difference.
3The Meaning Of His Eccentric Catchphrase
What Does “Kooloo-Limpah!” Actually Mean?
Throughout his many appearances, Tingle almost always proudly exclaims “Kooloo-Limpah!”, which has quickly become his signature catchphrase. There’s no doubt that this particular line is quirky and distinctive, but not many fans are aware of what it means.
While an official explanation has never been released, most people believe that Kooloo-Limpah is a Romanization of the Japanese expression “kururinpa.” This is what Japanese people usually say when they try to imply somebody has gone crazy, similar to the “Cuckoo sign” that is often done in the West. This means that Tingle is so undeniably crazy that he subtly admits it via his catchphrase.
Because of the disconnected nature ofThe Legend of Zelda’s timeline, most characters are relegated to appearing just once in their original game and not much more. The only exceptions to this rule are Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf,who are bound to always reincarnate because of the Triforce.
There are not many characters that have appeared in more than one game, and Tingle is one of these exceptions. Counting both mainline titles and spin-offs, he has been featured in ten differentLegend of Zeldagames. The only other secondary character who has appeared this much isImpa, so this means that Tingle is one of the most iconic recurring characters in this franchise.
Despite his initial popularity, some fans are shocked by the fact thatTingle hasn’t been featured in aLegend of Zeldavideo game in a very long time. His last physical appearance in a mainline title was inThe Minish Cap, which was released in 2005. He also appeared in 2015’sMajora’s Mask 3D.
Tingle has had a bit more luck when it comes to spin-offs, seeing as he is a playable character inHyrule Warriors, although he was added in a DLC Pack. However, this was also in 2015, which means that he hasn’t been seen in almost ten years, which is a surprising amount of time for a seemingly iconic recurring character like Tingle.
Despite his sudden disappearance from the public eye, it’s quite evident that Tingle hasn’t been forgotten, especially by the developers of subsequentLegend of Zeldatitles. For example, in games likePhantom Hourglass,Spirit Tracks, andSkyward Sword,Tingle is referenced in the form of cameos in background elements, like figurines or posters.
Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomtook this to another level since Link can find and wearTingle’s Setin both games, which is based on the fairy enthusiast’s classic attire. With this many references and nods, it’s most likely that Tingle will return someday in a future installment.
Twilight Princessis infamous for having a darker and more grounded atmosphere, so it wouldn’t make sense for a goofy and whimsical character like Tingle to appear in it. However, he still lives on in the form ofPurlo, the scam artist who hosts the STAR Game in Castle Town.
Although it may not be immediately evident, Purlo’s design was directly inspired by Tingle’s.Twilight Princess’director,Eiji Aonuma, stated that Purlo is basically what Tingle would look like if he were a more realistic character. This was a reasonable choice since he fits this game’s atmosphere more appropriately than Tingle ever could.
8His Outfit Hides A Dark Secret
The Reasoning Behind The Cobra On His Back
Most players may have missed this at first, but the back of Tingle’s iconic outfit features the image of a yellow Indian Cobra. This is not always part of his design, but it can be seen in some of his prominent appearances, like inThe Wind Wakeror his armor set fromBreath of the Wild.
This is an odd detail since the intimidating appearance of the cobra contrasts with Tingle’s lighthearted design. Nevertheless, theHyrule Historiabook has a fascinating explanation for this: Tingle wears this image of a cobra on his clothes to intimidate his enemies. Considering how weak he is usually portrayed as, this makes a lot of sense.
9He’s Extremely Divisive
The West Hates Him, But Japan Loves Him
To the shock of some newcomers to the franchise, Tingle is quite a controversial character amongLegend of Zeldafans. A large number of people despise him because of his strange appearance, annoying personality, and obtrusive implementation in a few games. This is especially true for the English-speaking side of the fan base.
On the other hand, a lot of other fans seem to like Tingle for the very same reasons, especially those on the Japanese side of the fan base. This is mainly due to cultural differencesbecause Tingle appeals more to Japan’s sense of humor. However, the burning hatred for Tingle has mostly died down in the past few years.
10Tingle Has A Video Game Series Of His Own
He’s So Popular That He Has Starred In Some Spin-Offs
The popularity of Tingle in his home country grew so much that he eventually starred in not only one but two different video games of his own:Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeelandis a bizarre RPG that is mostly centered on gathering large amounts of rupees, whileRipened Tingle’s Balloon Trip of Loveis more of a point & click adventure with aWizard of Oztheme that’s focused on Tingle’s romantic endeavors.
Both of these games are very strangesince they have a more surreal visual style, unconventional gameplay, and a more mature sense of humor that feels out of place inThe Legend of Zeldafranchise. So, it is not surprising that both of the Tingle spin-offs were never released outside of Japan, because they would’ve most likely been poorly received overseas.
