There are 30 bodyguards in total: 27 regular bodyguards and 3 special ones called "drifter bodyguards". You don't need bodyguards for big parts of the game, but eventually you will need some help. Tingle is too weak to fight the stronger enemies on his own. Also, there are a couple of Rupee Goods hidden in each dungeon (except Hero's Shrine) and only with the aid of the bodyguards can you get them.
The regular bodyguards have to be hired in one of the Bodyguard Salons that can be found on every island except Hometown Prairie. Each continent has its own set of nine bodyguards, who have the same sprites (but different colours) as their counterparts on the other continents. Since each of the nine bodyguards has a certain behavior-skill combination, you can easily recognize your preferred bodyguard-type on each continent.
| Behaviour | Description |
|---|---|
| Aggressive | Aggressive bodyguards will attack any enemy they see without you commanding them to, regardless of their health. |
| Assertive | Assertive bodyguards will not attack unless you either command them to or get in a battle yourself, in which case they will help you. |
| Passive | Passive bodyguards will not attack unless you get in a fight yourself and move it to them. |
| Type | Description | Dungeon Skill |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Small bodyguards are cheap and have relative low health, attack and defence. | They can enter small holes. |
| Medium | Medium bodyguards are have an average price and have relative medium health, attack and defence. | They can unlock doors. |
| Large | Large bodyguards are expensive and have relative high health, attack and defence. | They can remove big boulders. |
To hire the salon bodyguards, you have to talk to the one you want. If you can't find one you like, ring the bell to change the current line-up. You'll be asked to pay commission to be allowed to make an offer to a bodyguard, which is 10 rupees on the first continent, 50 on the second and 100 on the third. If it is not accepted, all your money except for the commission will be returned to you.
A salon bodyguard will automatically appear on the island Tingle is on (except of Hometown Prairie), as long as that island is part of the continent the bodyguard is connected to. If you travel to a different continent, you'll be without a bodyguard. Hiring a new bodyguard on a different continent will cause the contract with the bodyguard on the other continent to end. Other ways to end a contract are entering Hero's Shrine or letting the bodyguard collapse. In the latter case, you can choose to make a new contract with the bodyguard, which means paying them again. They will then be revived. To prevent having to make a new contract, you have to keep the bodyguards health up by cooking and feeding them health potions.
Drifter bodyguards work a tad different. For one, you have to prove you're worthy of their assistance before you get a chance to negotiate with them. Secondly, after you've proven your worth, you still have to randomly find them somewhere in the world in order to be able to make them an offer and recruit them. As such, if you offer too low, you have to find them again. Thirdly, they do not take healing potions and when they collapse, they can not be hired again at that time. You'll have to find them again later. Additonally, trying to enter a Bodyguard Salon with a Drifter Bodyguard will cause them to leave. These disadvantages are compensated by their impressive stats, their "stronger moves" which they perform quite regularly and them being able to travel between continents.
There is also a third group of bodyguards. You have to team up with Junglo and the Guard at some point in the game to progress. They aren't registered as bodyguards and thus have no description or title. In fact, while they act as bodyguards, it's actually Tingle who is their bodyguard.
Two small notes:
- Bodyguards do not steal items or rupees. Everything they pick up goes to Tingle's inventory.
- Bodyguards are capable of doing two special moves once in awhile. This event is known as a "Tingle Chance" and happens randomly in battle. You get to see a slot machine and the first two reels will automatically stop at the same symbol. By touching the screen, you have to stop the third one. If you get the same symbol as the first two, a small movie starts. When it's finished, all enemies on the screen die (even those not in battle) and the reward is a lot better.
The Bodyguards[edit | edit source]
The Salon Bodyguards[edit | edit source]
| No. | Name | Title | Description | Type | Behaviour | HP | Strength | Def. | Continent | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | ZuZu | Can I Have A Tissue? | Represents the third generation of Snotty Martial Arts Masters... Some fear for the school's future... | Small | Passive | 4 | 3 | 3 | First | 35 |
| 02 | Titch | Nursery School Brat | His hobby is annoying grown-ups. He is a junior member of a certain secret society... | Small | Aggressive | 4 | 3 | 3 | First | 45 |
| 03 | Cano | Super Guard Dog | Specially-trained guard dog, Cano's bite is even worse than his bark! | Small | Assertive | 4 | 3 | 3 | First | 65 |
| 04 | Chuckles | Clowing Around | A forgetful clown who couldn't recall where his circus tent was... What will he forget today? | Medium | Passive | 5 | 4 | 5 | First | 105 |
| 05 | Zonma | Expert Swordswoman | Her personality is somewhat sharp and her sword is her best friend... | Medium | Aggressive | 5 | 4 | 5 | First | 125 |
| 06 | Mike | Head For Business | An ambitious businessman who heard there were rupees to be made being a Bodyguard. | Medium | Assertive | 5 | 4 | 5 | First | 135 |
| 07 | Generalissimo | Fighting Drummer | Likes nothing more than practicing his drumming, but is reliable in a battle. | Large | Passive | 7 | 6 | 8 | First | 200 |
| 08 | Bosco | Always Ready To Bat! | Enjoys playing baseball with passing monsters... ...using them as the ball! | Large | Aggressive | 7 | 6 | 8 | First | 220 |
| 09 | Mighty Muscles | Arms Of Steel | A man with impressive muscles and an array of bad jokes, bound to amuse children and irritate adults... | Large | Assertive | 7 | 6 | 8 | First | 230 |
| 10 | Tonpei | Older But Not Wiser | The founder of the Snotty School of Martial Arts. A veteran, though his footwork has slipped somewhat... | Small | Passive | 10 | 9 | 8 | Second | 385 |
| 11 | Chiro | Kid Gangster | Elite Member of a secret society made up of nursery school students... Much better than that yellow kid... | Small | Aggressive | 10 | 9 | 8 | Second | 400 |
| 12 | Gnash | Don't Pat Him | Another graduate of an elite guard dog training program. Very loyal. Has very sharp fangs. | Small | Assertive | 10 | 9 | 8 | Second | 425 |
| 13 | Scarper | Playing The Fool | Looks like he's deep in thought, but he really isn't thinking anything. A really cheerful guy... | Medium | Passive | 12 | 12 | 10 | Second | 620 |
| 14 | Victoria | Newly-Wed Warrior | Newly-wed, she became a Bodyguard to escape the dull life of a housewife. A real thrill-seeker... | Medium | Aggressive | 12 | 12 | 10 | Second | 640 |
| 15 | Johnny | Ruthless Operator | He's got a cold heart and a mind as sharp as a razor. He'll do anything for rupees... | Medium | Assertive | 12 | 12 | 10 | Second | 660 |
| 16 | Ernesto | Marching Warrior | Likes to use his enemies' heads for drumming practice. Gets a good sound out of them... | Large | Passive | 14 | 13 | 13 | Second | 1180 |
| 17 | Cargo | Battling Batsman | This one is none too bright, but he really knows how to swing that bat... | Large | Aggressive | 14 | 13 | 13 | Second | 1300 |
| 18 | Steroido | Exceedingly Vain | A man who is in love with himself. Good in a battle, unless he spots his own reflection... | Large | Assertive | 14 | 13 | 13 | Second | 1500 |
| 19 | Domingo | Daydreamer | An instructor at the Snotty School of Martial Arts. Has a worrying tendency to daydream during battles... | Small | Passive | 16 | 15 | 13 | Third | 1920 |
| 20 | Dante | Kid Leader | Youthful leader of a secret society made up of nursery school students. He's an aggressive little fellow... | Small | Aggressive | 16 | 15 | 13 | Third | 2000 |
| 21 | Gixx | Jaws Like A Vice | The smartest of the three dog Bodyguards, he has taught himself to speak at night school... | Small | Assertive | 16 | 15 | 13 | Third | 2200 |
| 22 | Tumble | Having A Laugh | Everything he does goes wrong, which in a sense makes him a genius among his fellow clowns... | Medium | Passive | 17 | 17 | 15 | Third | 3420 |
| 23 | Reddy-Steddy | Start The Battle Diet! | An ex-model keen to keep herself in shape, she developed the populair "Battle Diet". | Medium | Aggressive | 17 | 17 | 15 | Third | 3600 |
| 24 | Smith | Business Leader | An elite Bodyguard who can be relied on to solve any problem...with his sword | Medium | Assertive | 17 | 17 | 15 | Third | 3700 |
| 25 | Roland | Drum Machine | Years of fierce drumming have made him second to none in punching power. | Large | Passive | 19 | 19 | 18 | Third | 6400 |
| 26 | Arizona | Legendary Big Hitter | Whether the enemy is big or small he'll deal with them just the same. He'll hit them for a homerun... | Large | Aggressive | 19 | 19 | 18 | Third | 6800 |
| 27 | Mr. Energy | Full Of Energy | A man who has worked out so much that his brain has been mostly replaced by muscle... | Large | Assertive | 19 | 19 | 18 | Third | 7000 |
The Drifter Bodyguards[edit | edit source]
| No. | Name | Title | Description | Type | Behaviour | Health | Strength | Defence | Requirement | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | Teddy Todo | Mysterious Green Giant | Large green treasure hunter. Seems kind, but there is something suspicious about him... | Large | Aggressive | 8 | 6 | 3 | Hire him in Hero's Shrine. | 20 |
| 28 | Teddy Todo | Hip Drop-tastic! | Following in the footstep of Ronny, he went solo and is now finally as powerful as he always dreamed... | Large | Aggressive | 20 | 20 | 19 | Finish the Insect Cavern. | 9,500 (5,000 1st time) |
| 29 | Yamori | Hidden Blade | Quite literally, a cut above the rest. This Drifter Bodyguard doesn't suffer fools gladly... | ? | Assertive | 19 | 20 | 20 | Find him five times on any island. He'll let you hire him after finding him five times. | 9,000 |
| 30 | Ronny | Power Of Meditation | An old friend of Yamori, this Drifter Bodyguard is the best of the best... | ? | Assertive | 20 | 20 | 20 | When the small boat at the docks on Gooey Swamp is available, use it to leave the map and find Ronny. Give him a lot of Rupees (he'll return them). | 9,200 |
Finding Drifter Bodyguards[edit | edit source]
Teddy Todo:
- Sunshine Seashore: B2, heading towards the breakable rock
- Cape Treasure: Landing area, east section by the purple worms
- Cape Treasure: Outside the Pirate door area, right side heading toward the Bone Statue
- Lon Lon Meadow: North-Central part of the map, southern border before you move the the part with the Mystery Circle
Yamori:
- Sunshine Seashore: South of the Salon, right of the tree and on a wall you can only click on.
- Cape Treasure: 3-level wall left of the bridge in the landing area, he's on the grassy part just off the ground.
- Pirate's Hideaway: Just after the Pay Gate, next to the stairs
- Gooey Swamp: Wall just Up and Left of the Shower Flower
Ronny:
- Deku Forest: B1, Northwest of the Oinker fortress, by a mushroom and visible from the top entrance
The Quest Bodyguards[edit | edit source]
| Name | Behaviour | Health | When You Get Them |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junglo | Passive | 1 | At the Deku Swamp after being asked to escort him back to his home, as he is afraid of insects (Some jungle hero!) |
| Guard | Aggressive | 20 | When he finds out that a ghost in the Icy Plain is possessing his wife. |