Twitch Star Dedicates 37 Straight Attempting to Beat <em>The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom</em> With Only a One Stick

You might assume that after two years since Tears of the Kingdom arrived, fans would have run out of creative challenge runs that impose special restrictions on a gameplay session. However, although numerous players have tried to finish the game with just a stick, content creator the streamer stands out as the individual who aimed to clear the game with a one stick—specifically, the very same stick from start to finish.

The streamer is famous for such difficult playthroughs, like the time he went through the title using only explosives or the attempt where he tried to defeat the game with zero energy. A single stick run, however, seems impossible at face value. There's the opening sequence, which requires the hero to wield the legendary blade. Then, there's the entire weapon wear system, which is particularly relevant when working with the weakest tool in the whole game. But if the branch breaks, that's the end. Game over.

So, How?

So, how? The simple explanation is glitches. The full answer, I kid you not, is alternate dimensions. It turns out, you can manipulate the game's save file system to have distinct playthroughs that impact one another. So the creator creates a “setup” save where he progresses standardly, and the actual save, where he's limited. The setup save has him completing the intro and initial starting area, and this Link gains maximum stamina and health. From here, he triggers a cutscene and pauses midway through to instruct the software to open an auto-save from the branch-only file. The system gets mixed up and creates a third save file that merges the conditions of the original two.

This causes new issues, though. The fused save file has a Link that never acquired the ability to access shrines. Fortunately, this is something that the file exploit addresses easily, but pulling it off means relying on an buggy version of the game that fails to open certain areas. Like other obstacles, he has a technical workaround for it: He starts Tears of the Kingdom on its early version 1.0, and then updates the game partway through to make sure it starts working properly.

Overcoming Durability and Other Challenges

Curiously, the introductory version of Link is coded so that he cannot break any weapons he uses, presumably to prevent a scenario where the player gets stuck at the start of the adventure. But that's also how PointCrow gets around the wear issue, as the Link he transfers between universes is the one from the beginning of the story. It's a smart technique, but not a method that eliminates all potential friction. The stick is still a ineffective weapon that makes encounters tedious. But at that stage, it's all a question of determination and dedication. It also aids that there's a duplication glitch that gives him an plentiful number of consumables to boost his strength, or stock up on healing spirits. He additionally employs a glitch that allows him to clip through the environment. A few would consider these methods grounds to discredit the legitimacy of the attempt, but to my view, he's a inventive player who is willing to do whatever it takes to engage his audience. He further implements a safeguard of kinds stating that, for every spirit he employs, he'll ban one viewer from his Twitch chat, creating an motivation to avoid overly rely on them.

Major Battles and the Last Showdown

The streamer manages to get through many of Tears of the Kingdom's main enemies, but the battles appear grueling. The video edit of his quest doesn't make the audience endure the entire conflicts, which is a good thing when some of them last several hours. A particular boss fight, Queen Gibdo, takes an astonishing twenty-three hours. The final villain showdown, which depletes Link's health as it unfolds, is a memorable tense moment. The indestructible branch is after all only a piece of wood. He is unable to always clone items midway the battle.

So, is it possible? In a matter of speaking, PointCrow manages to defeat the dragon version of the antagonist. But the software compels the player to wield the Master Sword as the final attack, so technically, it's not fully a branch-exclusive run. But where's the challenge in that?

When everything is said and done, PointCrow removed over 1,000 people in his Twitch chat. RIP.