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Game Introduction

Breaking the Bank is a short, interactive, choice-based animated game. It is the very first installment in the popular Henry Stickmin series. The game presents a simple scenario: the protagonist, a stick figure named Henry Stickmin, stands before a bank in the middle of a desert, contemplating how to break in and rob it.

Unlike traditional games, there is no direct control over movement or actions. Instead, the gameplay consists of a single decision point. The player is presented with a selection of six different methods or tools to break into the bank. The core appeal of the game lies not in finding the correct answer, but in exploring the hilarious and unique “FAIL” animations that result from each incorrect choice. The goal is to find the one and only correct option that allows Henry to succeed.

Gameplay Walkthrough

The gameplay in Breaking the Bank is entirely based on trial and error. There is only one choice to make in the entire game.

You are presented with six options displayed at the bottom of the screen:

1. Explosives: Try to blow a hole in the wall.
2. Laser Drill: Use a high-tech laser to cut through the wall.
3. Shovel: Dig a tunnel underneath the bank.
4. Wrecking Ball: Call in a wrecking ball to smash the wall.
5. Disguise: Try to sneak in using a disguise.
6. Teleporter: Use a futuristic device to teleport inside.

The Solution:

There is only one correct path to win the game. The correct option to choose is the Shovel. This will trigger an animation of Henry successfully digging a tunnel into the bank’s vault. Any other choice will result in a humorous FAIL screen. The fun of the game is clicking on all the other options first to see the funny outcomes.

Controls Guide

The game is controlled entirely with the mouse.

• Mouse Cursor: Move the cursor to hover over an option.
• Left-Click: Click on your desired option to see what happens.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is there more than one way to win the game?

No, there is only one specific choice (the Shovel) that leads to success. All other choices are designed to be humorous failures.

2. Why is the game so short?

Breaking the Bank was the very first game in the series and served as a simple proof-of-concept for the choice-based “choose your own adventure” style of gameplay. Its successors are much longer and more complex.

3. Is this game part of a series?

Yes, this is the first game in the iconic Henry Stickmin series. The chronological order of the games is:

1. Breaking the Bank
2. Escaping the Prison
3. Stealing the Diamond
4. Infiltrating the Airship
5. Fleeing the Complex These games were later remastered and bundled together with a final, grand-finale chapter called “Completing the Mission” in The Henry Stickmin Collection.

4. Where is the gameplay? I only get one choice.

The “gameplay” is the experience of seeing all the different outcomes. The main point is not to win immediately, but to click on every option to enjoy the comedy and animation of the various fails before finding the correct solution.