A Button Challenge

Revision as of 22:28, 1 July 2018 by Pannenkoek2012 (talk | contribs) (Added multiplicity to table of unique A presses.)

The A Button Challenge, ABC for short, is a challenge in which the number of presses of the A button is minimized, whether on a per-mission or a per-file basis. Because the A button makes Mario jump, great creativity and precision are required to progress in the game without using this "vital" function. The ABC is often connected to the discoveries of new glitches and techniques that can be used more generally throughout the game. Much of the material on the pannenkoek2012 and UncommentatedPannen channels is related to the A Button Challenge, with only 24 remaining A presses (18 unique A presses) left to optimize.

A Button Challenge
Abbreviation ABC
Individual stars collectible 112 (Wii VC), 111 (Other versions)
Overall stars collectible 98 (Wii VC), 67 (Other versions)
Is beatable Yes (Wii VC), No (Other versions)
Presses required for Any% 0 (Wii VC), 1 (Other versions)
Presses required for 120-Star 13 (JP 1.0), 15 (Wii VC), 16 (Other versions)
Star Details
BoB

Challenge infobox star 1.png Challenge infobox star 1.png Challenge infobox star 1.png Challenge infobox star 1.png Challenge infobox star 1.png Challenge infobox star 1.png Challenge infobox star 1.png

WF

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JRB

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CCM

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BBH

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HMC

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LLL

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SSL

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DDD

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SL

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WDW

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TTM

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THI

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TTC

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RR

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Secret

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Castle

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Bowser

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A Presses Left

A unique A press refers to a single circumstance under which the A button must be pressed during a run. This circumstance may occur multiple times, leading to multiple A presses; if a workaround is found for the unique A press, all of those individual A presses may be saved.

For example, if entering a course requires an A press, the case of entering the course is a unique A press, even if said course must be visited multiple times over the course of a run.

Below is a table of unique A presses in the A Button Challenge.

A Press # Multiplicity Stage Purpose
#1 1 JRB To collect the chest star
#2 1 LLL To get to the Elevator Tour star platform
#3 2 SSL To get out of the pyramid elevator
#4, #5 1 THI To collect red coins
#6 3 TTC To get out of the treadmill grinding spot
#7 1 TTC To get to the moving bars star (possibly saved)
#8, #9, #10 1 TTC To get from the rotating boxes to the top of the clock
#11 1 TTC To get past the thwomp
#12 1 PSS

To collect the star

#13, #14 1 WMotR

To collect red coins

#15 1 BitFS To get past the pole (saved on Wii VC)
#16 4 Castle To enter TTC
#17 1 Castle To go to RR
#18 1 Castle To go to WMotR

Additionally, some levels require the A button to be held for the level, but not started on that specific star necessarily. These presses can be tied to earlier presses to lower counts in longer runs.

Below is a table of all levels that require half an A-Press.

A Press # Multiplicity Stage Purpose
#1 1 HMC To do kicks on the elevator
#2 1 DDD To clone the whirlpool and poles
#3 1 DDD To clone coin spawners for 100 coins

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHU1BdDCClE