Streaming Star Spends 37 Straight Attempting to Conquer <em>The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom</em> With Only a One Stick

One could think that after two years since Tears of the Kingdom debuted, fans would have run out of novel challenge runs that apply unique rules on a gameplay session. Yet, while numerous gamers have attempted to complete the game with only a stick, content creator the streamer stands out as the player who aimed to clear the adventure with a one branch—specifically, the very same stick from start to finish.

The streamer is renowned for these kinds of challenge runs, like the instance he went through the game using only bombs or the attempt where he tried to beat the story with zero energy. A single stick run, though, seems impossible at first glance. There's the opening sequence, which forces the hero to use the legendary blade. Then, there's the entire durability mechanic, which is particularly relevant when dealing with the weakest tool in the whole game. Yet if the stick shatters, that's it. It's over.

The Method Behind the Madness

So, how? The straightforward explanation is glitches. The full story, believe it or not, is alternate dimensions. Apparently, you can tweak the game's save file system to have distinct game sessions that affect one another. So PointCrow creates a “preparation” file where he advances normally, and the actual save, where he's limited. The setup save has him completing the prologue and first starting area, and this Link acquires maximum endurance and hearts. From here, he starts a cinematic and halts partway through to tell the software to open an automatic save from the branch-only file. The system gets mixed up and creates a new game file that combines the conditions of the first two files.

That creates fresh 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 fixes easily, but executing it means relying on an buggy build of the title that fails to load some locations. Like everything else, he has a clever solution for it: He starts Tears of the Kingdom on its pre-release version 1.0, and then patches the game partway through to ensure it begins working properly.

Overcoming Durability and Additional Hurdles

Interestingly, the prologue form of Link is programmed so that he is unable to break any tools he uses, likely to prevent a situation where the user gets stuck at the start of the game. But that's also how the streamer gets around the wear problem, as the Link he transfers across universes is the version from the beginning of the game. It's a clever trick, but not a method that eradicates all potential friction. The stick is nonetheless a weak weapon that makes encounters onerous. But at that stage, it's all a question of determination and perseverance. It further aids that there's a copying exploit that gives him an plentiful supply of consumables to improve his strength, or accumulate on healing spirits. He additionally employs a glitch that enables Link to clip through the world. Some would consider these means grounds to discredit the validity of the run, but to my view, he's a inventive player who is willing to do anything necessary to engage his audience. He also implements a safeguard of kinds stipulating that, for each spirit he uses, he'll remove one fan from his live stream, establishing an incentive to avoid depend too much on them.

Major Battles and the Last Showdown

PointCrow manages to defeat many of Tears of the Kingdom's bosses, but the fights look grueling. The video version of his journey spares the viewer sit through the entire fights, which is a good thing when a few of them take several long hours. A particular enemy encounter, Queen Gibdo, takes an astonishing twenty-three straight. The final villain battle, which erases Link's health as it unfolds, is a memorable nail-biter. The indestructible stick is after all just a piece of wood. He can't necessarily duplicate objects during the fight.

So, is it possible? Technically, PointCrow manages to defeat the beast form of Ganon. But the game compels the player to wield the Master Sword as the final attack, so technically, it's not completely a stick-only run. But where's the challenge in that?

In the end, the streamer removed more than a thousand users in his live stream. Rest in peace.