The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo’s most well-known franchises for a reason. There have been 21 main series installments since The Legend of Zelda first released back in 1986. On top of that, we’ve had spin-offs and modern remakes to expand the lore of Hyrule. And who can forget Link’s recurring role as part of the main roster in Super Smash Bros? Yet for all the popularity of The Legend of Zelda, the series features one game that very few people ever got the chance to play.
The game in question was a spin-off title featuring a side character from the main series games. Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland released in 2006 for the Nintendo DS. As its title suggests, the game centers on Tingle, a recurring character who first appeared in the N64 title, Majora’s Mask. Yet despite being associated with a massively popular global franchise, Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland was only ever released in Japan and Europe. That means that even 20 years later, many Legend of Zelda fans might be totally unaware that this game even exists.
If you’ve never heard of this Legend of Zelda spinoff, you’re not alone. Given the title’s exclusivity to Japan and Europe, gamers in other regions never got the chance to pick it up for the Nintendo DS. So, what is this oddly named spinoff about? I’m so glad you asked.
Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland stars Tingle, a map salesman with a dream of becoming a fairy. Since his initial appearance in Majora’s Mask, Tingle has made several more appearances in the franchise. He wears a green costume and helps Link navigate his surroundings by selling various maps. People in Japan loved this quirky character so much that he eventually got his own origin story game, Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland.
In the game, we see how Tingle became the man he is in The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask and beyond. A man called Uncle Rupee tasks Tingle with obtaining Rupees by any means necessary, spawning the game’s primary mechanic of collecting Rupees to build up a massive tower near Tingle’s house.
There are plenty of dungeon adventures and puzzles that will feel familiar to Legend of Zelda fans, along with a bartering system that fits the game’s Rupee theme. Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland even features multiple endings, depending on how you fare in your journey. In all, it sounds like a pretty fun spinoff that keeps some core elements while offering a backstory for a different character. And yet, few fans have had the chance to play it even after all this time.
Tingle’s Nintendo DS spinoff game actually performed pretty well in Japan. The game had solid sales numbers and received decent reviews. In particular, fans enjoyed the game’s unique premise and sense of humor, but felt the dungeons and battle systems failed to live up to the main series. It did eventually get a European release, but never made it to the United States or any regions outside of Japan and Europe. There are a few reasons why the game never made it to a worldwide release.
First, the game’s lack of a U.S. release comes from two main causes. The character of Tingle hasn’t been particularly well-received in the West, both because of his tendency to dole out fetch quests and his over-the-top, somewhat creepy personality. It makes sense that the game did well in Japan, where Tingle is actually very well loved. But given how much fans in the West disliked him in the main series games, it’s likely Nintendo feared no one here would buy the game.
In fact, Nintendo polled fans in the U.S. to see whether they would be interested in Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland. A poll appeared in Nintendo Power asking fans to weigh in, and the influx of “No” votes dissuaded Nintendo of America from picking up the game. So, to this day, it has never been released outside of Japan and Europe, making it one of the rarer titles in the wider Legend of Zelda universe.
These days, you can import a copy of Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland if you want to experience it for yourself. However, it isn’t cheap, with many copies on eBay listed for between $150-200. While some fans who’ve gone to the trouble have enjoyed the game, most agree it’s probably not worth the hassle and expense of getting a retro game from abroad. Even so, some die-hard Legend of Zelda fans consider it an essential part of the journey for its charm and the additional Tingle origin lore.
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