Streaming Star Dedicates 37 Straight Trying to Conquer <em>The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom</em> Using a Single Branch

One could think that two years post-launch since Tears of the Kingdom debuted, fans would have exhausted novel challenge runs that apply unique restrictions on a playthrough. Yet, while many players have tried to finish Tears of the Kingdom with just a wooden stick, streamer the streamer stands out as the player who endeavored to clear the game with a single stick—meaning, the very same stick from start to finish.

PointCrow is renowned for such challenge runs, such as the time he went through the title using only explosives or the attempt where he tried to defeat the game with no stamina. A single stick run, however, seems unfeasible at first glance. There's the game's introduction, which forces the hero to wield the legendary blade. Additionally, there's the whole durability system, which is especially important when dealing with the most fragile tool in the whole game. But if the stick breaks, that's it. It's over.

So, How?

So, how? The simple answer is exploits. The full answer, I kid you not, is parallel universes. Apparently, you can manipulate the game's saving mechanism to have distinct playthroughs that impact one another. So PointCrow creates a “setup” file where he advances standardly, and the real file, where he's restricted. The setup save has him going through the prologue and first tutorial island, and this character gains maximum stamina and hearts. From this point, he triggers a cinematic and halts midway through to instruct the software to open an automatic save from the stick file. The system gets confused and generates a third game file that combines the states of the first two files.

This causes fresh issues, though. The merged save file has a protagonist that did not acquired the capability to access shrines. Luckily, this is something that the save glitch fixes readily, but executing it means relying on an unstable version of the title that refuses to load some locations. Like other obstacles, he has a clever workaround for it: He begins the game on its early 1.0 build, and then patches the software midway through to ensure it starts working properly.

Overcoming Durability and Additional Hurdles

Interestingly, the introductory version of Link is coded so that he is unable to damage any tools he wields, likely to prevent a scenario where the user gets stuck at the start of the game. But that's also how PointCrow bypasses the wear problem, as the character he pulls across universes is the version from the beginning of the story. It's a clever technique, but not one that eradicates all possible difficulty. The stick is nonetheless a weak weapon that renders battles onerous. But at that stage, it's all a question of determination and dedication. It further aids that there's a copying exploit that gives him an abundant supply of items to improve his attack, or accumulate on healing spirits. He additionally employs a glitch that enables him to clip through the environment. A few would consider these means reason to discredit the legitimacy of the attempt, but in my mind, he's a inventive gamer who is ready to do whatever it takes to engage his audience. He also uses a penalty of kinds stating that, for every spirit he uses, he'll ban one fan from his live stream, creating an motivation to avoid overly rely on them.

Major Battles and the Final Encounter

PointCrow manages to defeat many of Tears of the Kingdom's bosses, but the battles look painful. The video version of his quest doesn't make the audience sit through the entire fights, which is a blessing when a few of them last multiple hours. A particular boss fight, Queen Gibdo, requires an incredible 23 straight. The final villain showdown, which erases the hero's hearts as it progresses, is a notable tense moment. The indestructible stick is after all just a piece of wood. He can't always duplicate items midway the battle.

So, is it possible? Technically, PointCrow manages to defeat the beast form of Ganon. But the software forces the user to use the Master Sword as the last strike, so strictly speaking, it's not quite fully a stick-only run. But where's the challenge in that?

When everything is said and done, PointCrow banned more than 1,000 people in his live stream. RIP.