Twitch streamer PointCrow has completed a difficult and unique run of the Switch and Wii U game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The player completed the game using only shields to get by, meaning he used no weapons and no bombs to play through the game and defeat Calamity Ganon.
Breath of the Wild and its open-world nature allows for a lot more experimentation and variety in challenge runs, unlike some previous titles in The Legend of Zelda series. PointCrow's shield only run is not his first challenge run of the title, but he is the first to complete it using only shields and no other weapon whatsoever. Challenge runs are common for The Legend of Zelda titles, with Ocarina of Time speedruns being extremely popular, but players are still feeling out the intricacies of Breath of the Wild.
After completing a Breath of the Wild challenge run with only bombs and shields, PointCrow was inspired by some YouTube comments to try something even harder:
Starting out, the entire idea of this playthrough was incepted by the fact 1/3 of all the comments on my last Breath of the Wild challenge were "oh but aren't bombs weapons?". (...) SO, in order to prove everyone who said that wrong, I redid the run but this time WITHOUT using the bomb rune a single time.
He has now completed the game using only shields, meaning he wasn't allowed to use any weapons, no bow, and no bombs whatsoever. This run was originally thought impossible, but after another player fulfilled a bounty of finding a strategy of beating a boss using only the shield, PointCrow was able to attempt the run.
This shield only run is only possible thanks to an infinite jumping glitch found within Breath of the Wild. Interestingly enough, the glitch can be carried throughout save files, allowing PointCrow to prepare the run by activating the glitch, then starting a new game. This allows players to get past obstacles for challenge runs they normally couldn't get past, making no weapon runs possible in the first place. The infinite jumping glitch is the only glitch PointCrow uses throughout the challenge run.
Breath of the Wild is the most popular Zelda title in the U.S., and it's easy to see why. Even years after its release, fans are finding new secrets and ways to play the game. Even with a Breath of the Wild sequel on the way, players seem far from done with the original game. This Zelda title, like many others, has caught the attention of streamers and speed-runners, and they seem unlikely to abandon special runs for years to come.
Will the recent remake of the critically acclaimed Link's Awakening also garner the same level of challenge runs? Only time will tell.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is available now on the Switch and Wii U.