Twitch Personality Dedicates Thirty-Seven Straight Attempting to Beat <em>Tears of the Kingdom</em> Using a One Stick

One could think that two years post-launch since The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom arrived, enthusiasts would have run out of novel self-imposed challenges that apply unique restrictions on a playthrough. However, although numerous gamers have tried to complete Tears of the Kingdom using only a wooden stick, streamer PointCrow holds the record as the individual who endeavored to beat the adventure with a one stick—meaning, the very same stick throughout.

PointCrow is renowned for these kinds of challenge runs, such as the instance he played the game using only explosives or the attempt where he tried to beat the game with no stamina. A one-branch run, though, sounds unfeasible at face value. There's the game's introduction, which forces Link to use the Master Sword. Then, there's the whole durability system, which is particularly important when working with the most fragile tool in the entire game. Yet if the stick breaks, that's the end. Game over.

So, How?

How did he do it? The simple answer is glitches. The full story, believe it or not, is alternate dimensions. It turns out, you can manipulate Tears of the Kingdom's save file system to have separate game sessions that impact one another. So PointCrow creates a “setup” save where he advances standardly, and the real file, where he's restricted. The setup save has him completing the intro and initial starting area, and this character acquires maximum stamina and hearts. From here, he starts a cutscene and halts midway through to instruct the software to open an automatic save from the stick file. The system gets mixed up and creates a new save file that merges the states of the original two.

This creates new problems, however. The fused file has a protagonist that did not obtain the ability to access shrines. Luckily, this is something that the file exploit fixes easily, but executing it means depending on an unstable build of the game that fails to load some areas. Like other obstacles, he has a clever workaround for it: He starts the game on its early version 1.0, and then updates the game midway through to make sure it begins functioning correctly.

Bypassing Weapon Wear and Other Hurdles

Interestingly, the prologue version of Link is programmed so that he is unable to damage any tools he wields, presumably to prevent a scenario where the user gets stuck at the start of the adventure. But that's also how PointCrow gets around the durability problem, as the Link he transfers across dimensions is the one from the start of the story. It's a smart technique, but not a method that eliminates all possible friction. The stick is still a ineffective weapon that renders encounters onerous. But at that point, it's entirely a question of grit and dedication. It further helps that there's a duplication glitch that gives him an plentiful supply of consumables to boost his attack, or accumulate on healing spirits. He additionally employs a glitch that allows him to clip through the world. Some would find these means reason to question the validity of the run, but to my view, he's a resourceful gamer who is ready to do whatever it takes to entertain his audience. He further uses a penalty of sorts stating that, for every fairy he employs, he'll ban a viewer from his live stream, establishing an incentive to not overly rely on them.

Boss Fights and the Final Showdown

PointCrow succeeds to get through several of Tears of the Kingdom's bosses, but the battles appear painful. The YouTube version of his journey doesn't make the viewer sit through the whole fights, which is a good thing when a few of them last several hours. One enemy encounter, a powerful foe, takes an incredible 23 straight. The Ganondorf battle, which depletes the hero's health as it unfolds, is a notable tense moment. The unbreakable branch is still just a stick. He can't always duplicate objects midway the battle.

So, is it possible? In a matter of speaking, PointCrow manages to defeat the beast form of the antagonist. But the game forces the user to wield the legendary weapon as the last attack, so strictly speaking, it's not completely a stick-only run. But what fun is that?

When everything is said and done, PointCrow removed more than a thousand people in his live stream. Rest in peace.