I’m still not over it. 2026, and here I am, freshly replaying Tears of the Kingdom, still poking every corner of Hyrule, and yet… a tiny ache keeps tugging at my gamer heart. The Legend of Zelda series has given us SO many iconic side characters over the decades—some quirky, some mysterious, some downright legendary—but honestly? So many of them have just… vanished. Like, poof, into a fairy fountain and never returned. 💨

The good news? The next mainline Zelda game is already confirmed to be heading in a brand new direction after Tears of the Kingdom. New world, new mechanics, new everything. And honestly, this is the perfect chance to dust off some old faces and let them shine again! Because, let’s be real, we’re not just here for Link and Zelda—sometimes, the side characters make the adventure unforgettable.

So I’m literally manifesting this into existence: here are the forgotten Zelda characters I desperately need to see in the next game. If Nintendo is listening… please, bring my strange little friends home.

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🧚‍♂️ Tingle – My Sparkly Fairy Nightmare / Bestie

Okay, hear me out. Tingle is WEIRD. He’s a grown man in a green fairy suit, floating around with a balloon, going “Tingle, Tingle, Kooloo-Limpah!” and selling overpriced maps. When I first met him in Majora’s Mask, I literally went 👁️👄👁️. But here’s the thing—he’s grown on me like a fungus you can’t scrub off. The guy even got his OWN spin-off games! That’s how iconic he is.

But guess what? The last time Tingle showed up in a mainline Zelda game was Wind Waker HD, which was like… a decade ago. Even his last truly original appearance in The Minish Cap was nearly two decades ago. That’s a crime. This boy needs a new adventure. Imagine Tingle in an open-world Zelda, popping up in the most random spots, selling you… I don’t know, glitter bombs and cryptic hints. I need that chaotic energy back. Please, Nintendo. Give me my sparkly disaster merchant. ✨

🪦 Dampe – The Graveyard Keeper Who Deserves More

Dampe is the OG spooky boi. First showed up in Ocarina of Time as the gravedigger in Kakariko Village, and he was just this hunched little guy who’d dig up heart-shaped treasures if you played his creepy follow-the-leader game. I have such a soft spot for him. He’s appeared in a bunch of titles—Majora’s Mask, Four Swords Adventures, The Minish Cap, A Link Between Worlds—but recently? They put him in the Link’s Awakening remake, which was cute, but it was a remake. He hasn’t gotten a brand-new, original role in ages.

In the next game, I want Dampe to run a whole underground network of catacombs. Or maybe he’s a wandering ghost-storyteller who gives you side quests about lost souls. Something that really digs (pun intended) into his personality! He’s too good to be stuck in remakes forever. Come on, let him haunt me again. 👻

🎭 Happy Mask Salesman – The Coolest Creep You’ll Ever Meet

If you played Majora’s Mask, you KNOW. That man’s smile still haunts my dreams. The Happy Mask Salesman is one of those characters that only REALLY matters in one game, but he makes such a deep impression. He sells masks, sure, but there’s so much… unsettling depth to him. He pops up in Ocarina of Time briefly, and in Oracle of Ages, but nothing compares to his Majora’s Mask presence.

Why haven’t we seen him again? Imagine him in a new game as a mysterious traveler—like Beedle, but with a trunk full of enchanted masks, each with its own tragic backstory. He could appear at midnight in random locations, always smiling, always hinting at things far beyond the main quest. I am OBSESSED with the idea of the Happy Mask Salesman becoming a recurring enigma. Give me the uneasy vibes, I’m ready. 😬🎭

Dark Link is literally the OG rival. He first appeared as the final boss in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and he’s popped up here and there—Water Temple mid-boss in Ocarina of Time, a bonus fight in A Link to the Past, and even as an armor set in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. But dressing up as Dark Link isn’t the same as facing him.

The man deserves a full story arc again. Not just a cool reference, but a real, story-driven confrontation. What if Dark Link isn’t just an enemy this time, but a tragic mirror that Link has to understand? A shadow that follows you through the whole game, learning your moves, making you question every victory. Ugh, the DRAMA. I need it. Let this shadow boy step out of the armor closet and onto the main stage. 🖤🗡️

✨ Fi – The Master Sword’s Spirit Needs to Speak Again

And finally… Fi. Oh, Fi. If you played Skyward Sword, you know what an emotional roller coaster that was. She’s the spirit of the Master Sword, guiding Link with her calm, robotic voice, calculating probabilities, and then… saying goodbye forever. 😭 She only had ONE true appearance. After that, she gets a couple of tiny references in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, like when the sword glows and you hear that distant chime. But I want MORE.

This new Zelda game has the perfect opportunity to dive deep into the lore of the Master Sword itself. What has Fi been doing all these thousands of years? What if she’s been waiting, feeling every battle, every hero who fell? Give me a storyline where Link has to reconnect with Fi. Let her be a companion again, but this time with all the wisdom and sorrow of eons. I would absolutely sob. Nintendo, please. Let the sword speak. ⚔️💙

So yeah, that’s my heartfelt list. I know the Zelda team loves to surprise us, and I’m sure whatever they’re cooking for 2026 and beyond will be magical. But seeing these characters again—truly back, with new purpose—would make the next adventure feel like coming home. Who would YOU bring back? I’ll be over here, clutching my Master Sword replica, hoping to hear a familiar “Kooloo-Limpah” in the distance. 💚