The Star Climb
| The Star Climb | |
|---|---|
| Location | Apopka Lights |
| Winners | None recorded |
The Star Climb is a challenge run by the Star's Heights Casino in Apopka Lights.
Structure
The Star Climb is essentially a back-to-back attempt at each of the games the Star's Heights Casino offers. Participants, known as Climbers, begin at the very bottom of the skyscraper, and play each game once, moving their way up the floors if they win. The game follows knockout format, where a win is classified as a victory in every single game, while a Climber loses if they lose any game during the climb. The challenge is notable in that you do not have to pay for each game if you opt for a Climbing Pass, which is a single purchase and allows you to move between games and stake your Pass rather than paying at each table.
Introduction and Controversy
The challenge was introduced by Benjamin Dover-Cao in 2075, as a way for visitors to truly experience the varieties and extent that the casino has to offer. The establishment also confirmed, as an incentive, that any victors will be given the option to take over the casino entirely. Over the years, games have been moved around floors and switched out as a response to feedback from Climbers, and the process has been streamlined for Climbers if they identify their intent at the main desk, granting them a Climbing Pass that allows them to swiftly move between games. A leaderboard has been maintained since the game's introduction.
The challenge is rife with controversy, particularly as, in the six years since its introduction, nobody has succeeded at the Climb yet. The furthest anyone has ever made it into the climb is reaching Dover-Cao's floor, the second-to-last in the tower, which has led to allegations that he has been cheating in his matches, along with more general accusations that the entire game is rigged. These claims have been disputed by the Caos, who have claimed the competition is entirely in good faith, and any allegations of rigged games have never been proven.
Popularity
The challenge has become popular for many reasons, most notably for contenders who intend to take over the Star's Heights Casino. Rival syndicates to The World's Deck have utilised the challenge as an attempt to take over the casino, as it has been alleged that the challenge also allows for challengers to take over The World's Deck, though this has never been performed successfully.
The Star Climb has also found its place in the city's authentic gambling culture, with many describing it as a 'table crawl' and utilising it as a fun challenge to take on during nights out on the town. The challenge has also become popular amongst gambling streamers as a test of skill and variety, due to its quick succession of various different games.