Tingle is often seen as a strange character because of his abnormal tendencies. No sane person of age 35 would be out looking for fairies, let alone out and wearing a green body suit and red overalls. As a result, most people find him weird, creepy, scary, etc. However, at the same time, he has three of his very own games, his own DSiware pack, and a possible future in the European/Japanese gaming market. What makes him so appealing to so many people while so many others find him to be “weird” or “creepy?”

What the heck is Tingle, anyway?

Tingle is undoubtedly an archetype of the child who can’t seem to grow up. He holds childhood dreams and hopes while ignoring the pressing matter of reality. When we are first introduced to Tingle, he seems to pay no mind to the large moon coming closer to Termina. All he cares about is finding fairies, right up to the end. While Tingle is outwardly an adult, he is certainly a child on the inside.

How does this affect the gamers?

Everyone wants to be a child a little bit longer, but is forced to come to terms with the fact that their childhood is ripped from them at age 18. This creates a sense of longing for the simplicity and innocence once held. This contributes largely to Tingle’s popularity. People see how he hangs on to his childhood and are enticed by that. It is a need to “play” and “have fun.”

What does this say about Tingle’s market?

This tells us that Tingle’s market is basically the perfect consumer base. The longing for childhood will never leave people, no matter how long we wait or how many years go by. His market, therefore, will never die out. This is partly thanks to the ways of today’s world. It’s ruthless in its ways of taking children’s innocence from them, and it reaches younger and younger children each day. This creates a void because the children have no chance to enjoy innocence and ignorance. These children grow up to become Tingle fans every day.

Is Tingle here to stay?

Certainly. Tingle has established himself as a solid character in a market which holds no quarter. Nintendo will definitely explore future options for Tingle because of his success. It may even lead to Tingle games being released in the United States one day.
Even though Tingle is strange and alien to many, he is a close personal friend to many more. They name this friend “Childhood,” and he helps them to enjoy the innocence and bliss of “being a kid.”