A dedicated Zelda fan named Eric, known online as PointCrow, has accomplished an extraordinary feat by completing “Tears of the Kingdom” while blindfolded. His remarkable playthrough took just over two hours and fifteen minutes, a duration that highlights his incredible skill, as it barely surpasses the time many take to leave the game’s initial area with full vision.
This achievement, showcased on YouTube, demonstrates Eric’s expertise as he navigates Hyrule, defeats the Demon Dragon on his first attempt, and rescues the princess. His blindfolded speedrun is notably close to the current record of one hour and forty-nine minutes according to Speedrun.com.
To help others understand his process, Eric shared a detailed step-by-step guide on Twitter. This isn’t his first foray into unconventional Zelda challenges; he previously completed a “run only run” of “Breath of the Wild” four years ago and has undertaken numerous other inventive challenges since then.
However, his blindfolded run in “Tears of the Kingdom” stands out as his most impressive accomplishment to date. Eric attributes his success to a unique neurological condition that aids in his gameplay.
Eric’s condition, synesthesia, allows him to experience sensory overlap, enhancing his memorization and navigation skills in the game. Specifically, he has color-graphene synesthesia, where letters and numbers are linked to colors, and spatial synesthesia, which alters his perception of space and movement.
This combination enables Eric to remember routes through the game by associating specific actions with particular sensory experiences. For example, he describes how he can “feel” the path he needs to take and visualize it as splashes of color.
Using this synesthetic perception, Eric meticulously memorizes game routes. He explains that his understanding of movements and actions in the game is tied to these sensory experiences, making the route feel intuitive.
He demonstrates this by recalling precise actions like climbing a wall and performing shield bashes, all guided by the vivid sensory memories he forms. This method allows him to execute complex maneuvers even while blindfolded.
Eric acknowledges that his way of thinking can be challenging to explain to others, comparing it to describing mental imagery to someone with aphantasia, who cannot form mental images. For those interested in replicating his success, Eric’s detailed written notes provide a valuable resource. His unique approach to gameplay not only showcases his exceptional abilities but also offers inspiration to the gaming community.
