History of the A Button Challenge: Difference between revisions

 

In the early 2000s, players began trying to beat [[Super Mario 64]] with as few A presses as possible. Thus, the [[A Button Challenge]] (ABC) was born. At first, the challenge required clever movement around the levels, but it eventually required advanced techniques and glitches to whittle down A presses. As of 2021, the challenge is still active, with only 19 A presses remaining.

 

 

== Part II: Pannenkoek2012's Initial Run-Through ==  

Initially, A presses were saved by using precise manoeuvres and glitches such as [[Cloning]]. In March of 2014, it was discovered that Mario could use [[Swooper]]s in [[Hazy Maze Cave]] to gain height, leading to 3 A press saves.<ref>[http://youtu.be/l802xZp4TBY "SM64 - A-Maze-ing Emergency Exit - 1x A Presses <nowiki>[OUTDATED]</nowiki>" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> Not long later, Pannenkoek found out a way to get past the back and forth bridges in [[Bowser in the Sky]] using a goomba bounce, saving 1 A press.<ref>[https://youtu.be/l802xZp4TBY "SM64 - A-Maze-ing Emergency Exit - 1x A Presses <nowiki>[OUTDATED]</nowiki>" by pannenkoek2012]</ref>

In mid 2014, Pannenkoek figured out a way of entering [[Bowser in the Sky]] in only 1 A press by bouncing from [[Wing Mario Over the Rainbow]].<ref>[https://youtu.be/0NA_Nq7oZZU "SM64 - Red Coins on the Ship Afloat - Without the Ship" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> Pannenkoek found a way to exploit the bowser levels’ elevators’ broken hitboxes, saving an A press in Bowser in the Sky.<ref>[https://youtu.be/ixgacnmzrnE "SM64 - Bowser in the Sky (without Red Coins) - 3x A Presses <nowiki>[OUTDATED]</nowiki>" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> Now the A press count for Bowser in the Sky with red coins had halved, from 10 to 5. A month later, 4 A presses were saved on [[Tick Tock Clock]] by using a [[Bob-omb|bloated bob omb]] to get past the cage.<ref>[https://youtu.be/q9HFvjwMtFg "SM64 - The Pit and the Pendulums - 3x A Presses <nowiki>[OUTDATED]</nowiki>" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> Plush discovered a way of building speed called [[Hyperspeed Water Sliding]], which was used to save 1 A press in [[Hazy Maze Cave]].<ref>[https://youtu.be/69NMgKGFKC0 "SM64 - Metal-Head Mario Can Move! - 0x A Presses" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> Furthermore, many new strategies were discovered which got rid of reliance on something that requires an A press such as getting [[Through the Jet Stream]] in [[Dire, Dire Docks]] without the [[Metal Cap]].<ref>[https://youtu.be/VWpRHZ8EvdA "SM64 - Through the Jet Stream (No Metal Cap) - 0.5x A Presses <nowiki>[OUTDATED]</nowiki>" by pannenkoek]</ref>

In late 2014, Tyler Kehne discovered a very useful trick called a [[Star Dance Clip]] (SDC), which allows Mario to go up higher on a dive recover. This was first used to enter Hazy Maze Cave 0x using the star from [[MIPS]].<ref>[https://youtu.be/Kd9BWWrPWvg "SM64 - The Big House in the Sky - 1x A Presses <nowiki>[OUTDATED]</nowiki>" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> Another also very useful glitch was discovered called [[Vertical Speed Conservation]] of VSC for short. This allowed for Mario to store vertical speed. This initially saved 6.5 A presses. The following month, 2 glitches were discovered: The [[Glitchy Ledge Grab]] and the [[207 DR|207 dive recover]]. This allowed for mario to enter [[Bowser in the Sky]] in 0 A presses.<ref>[https://youtu.be/VkfRQ0_vu40 "SM64 - Go to Bowser in the Sky - 0x A Presses" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> This also allowed for mario to climb the cork boxes in [[Dire, Dire Docks|DDD]],<ref>[https://youtu.be/4JEoBwuXkzQ "SM64 - Board Bowser's Sub - 0x A Presses" by pennenkoek2012]</ref> saving 4 0.5 A presses. The 207 DR, combined with a precise dive recover on a crystal, allows for Bowser in the Dark World to be completed in 0 A presses.<ref>[https://youtu.be/UCmPvInKa9E "SM64 - Bowser in the Dark World (with Red Coins) - 0x A Presses" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> Other improvements, mainly from Plush, saved an extra 5+3x0.5 A presses.

A major milestone occurred in early 2015, when a method to traverse the starting platforms was discovered. This method used the [[207 DR]] combined with [[Chuckya]]’s grab meant that Bowser in the Sky could be completed in 0 A presses.<ref>[https://youtu.be/bxr7eVEN0sY "SM64 - Bowser in the Sky (with Red Coins) - 0x A Presses <nowiki>[OUTDATED]</nowiki>" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> This was a massive improvement compared to one year ago when it required 10. Also, Plush and Tyler Kehne found a way to use lava boosts to get to the top of the volcano in [[Lethal Lava Land]], saving 2 A presses.<ref>[https://youtu.be/Po3yFHGTieE "SM64 - Hot-Foot-It into the Volcano - 0x A Presses" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> In late January, Pannenkoek discovered a way to activate the [[Vanish Cap]] switch 0x,<ref>[https://youtu.be/XBhDWqI4S7c "SM64 - Vanish Cap Under the Moat (and Cap Switch Pressed) - 0x A Presses" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> meaning that the vanish cap could be used for free in an abc run. In March of 2015, Pannenkoek found a way to get onto the pole platform in [[Tick Tock Clock]] 0x by combining [[Vertical Speed Conservation|VSC]], a ground pound and a [[Star Dance Clip|SDC]], saving a total of 3 A presses.<ref>[https://youtu.be/5W6_55IDpbU "SM64 - Stomp on the Thwomp - 7x A Presses <nowiki>[OUTDATED]</nowiki>" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> Pannenkoek and Tyler Kehne found a way of getting onto the pirhana plant platform in [[Tiny-Huge Island]] from the small painting 0x by using goomba bounces.<ref>[https://youtu.be/SPoL0sJz3HM "SM64 - Tiny-Huge Island 100 Coins - 0x A Presses" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> This saves 7 A presses as it requires an A press to enter from the big painting.

In mid 2015, a method of re-entering [[Tick Tock Clock|TTC]] using [[Spawning Displacement|spawning displacement]] was discovered.<ref>[https://youtu.be/5pmjLkuhwY0 "SM64 - Stop Time for Red Coins & Reenter TTC - 0x A Presses" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> The [[Instant Release]] glitch was also discovered. In total, 2 A presses were saved on TTC. Pannenkoek found a method of getting [[Mario Wings to the Sky]] in 0 A presses by using [[Transport Cloning]] to craft a goomba staircase.<ref>[https://youtu.be/YpcMlj8BwWE "SM64 - Mario Wings to the Sky - 0x A Presses" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> Around June, Kyman noticed some unusual behaviour while releasing a whirlpool clone at a loading point. This lead to the discovery of a glitch called no transition loading. After lots of hard work, an A press was saved on Pole Jumping for Red Coins.<ref>[https://youtu.be/gvQMNQlgu3s "SM64 - Pole-Jumping for Red Coins - 0.5x A Presses" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> On Pannenkoek’s video showing this star, a user by the name of TJ Henry Yoshi wrote a notorious comment saying “an a press is an a press, you can't say it’s only a half”. This would later become a huge meme. In Jolly Roger Bay, Tyler Kehne found a way of ground pounding the blue coin block 0x by exploiting goombas, saving an A press.<ref>[https://youtu.be/e0rB9q4Y_U0 "SM64 - Jolly Roger Bay 100 Coins & Red Coins on the Ship Afloat - 1x A Presses <nowiki>[OUTDATED]</nowiki>" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> In July, Tyler Kehne, Plush and Sonicpacker found ways to utilise hyperspeed in HMC, saving 1+2x0.5 A presses.<ref>[https://youtu.be/NXVJKPQu7rI "SM64 - Elevate for 8 Red Coins - 0.5x A Presses <nowiki>[OUTDATED]</nowiki>" by pannenkoek2012]</ref>

In late 2015, a method to enter the secret aquarium on Virtual Console was found. This strategy involved hyperspeed walking in HMC, then using [[Parallel Universe|PU]] movement to reach the entrance.<ref>[https://youtu.be/ujLjEbCykOQ "SM64 - Go to The Secret Aquarium - 0x A Presses (VC Only) <nowiki>[OUTDATED]</nowiki>" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> a PU route was devised in HMC which saved a half A press. Tyler Kehne found a pedro spot in TTC which could be accessed with a [[Bob-omb|bob-omb]].<ref>[https://youtu.be/5t-ZbJsFEwg "SM64 - Stomp on the Thwomp - 6x A Presses <nowiki>[OUTDATED]</nowiki>" by pannenkoek2012]</ref> This saved 1 A press.  

== Part IV: 2016-Present ==

Throughout 2017, most improvements came in the form of alternative strategies which were either faster and/or saves an a press outside the level by removing the need for a set [[HOLP]]. A new method of fly guy manipulation was discovered, which saved time on 2 [[Rainbow Ride]] levels.<ref>[https://youtu.be/61kko9pCq9g "RR Tricky Triangles! 0x Faster Strat" by UncommentatedPannen]</ref> A method was found to use a preset HOLP in Bowser in the Sky without costing an additional A press.<ref>[https://youtu.be/Zuc528e6AuY "BitS Faster Strat for 120 Star ABC Run" by UncommentatedPannen]</ref> A massive time save was found for 3 stars in TTC,<ref>[https://youtu.be/zL8Jneu2KWM "TTC Timed Jumps on Moving Bars 3x Faster Strat using PBH" by UncommentatedPannen]</ref> which involved using a forgotten strategy to get past the pole,<ref>[https://youtu.be/5v63cWxFw18 "TTC Bob-omb to Pole using Pause Buffered Hitstun" by UncommentatedPannen]</ref> saving over an hour on each star. Near the end of the year, Iwer Sonsch found a way to jump directly from the pedro spot in TTC to the thwomp platform,<ref>[https://youtu.be/6O--UXq_TpA "I found an A press save in SM64." by Iwer Sonsch]</ref> saving an A press in [[Stomp on the Thwomp]].<ref>[https://youtu.be/7S5CF1vsDPQ "TTC Stomp on the Thwomp 5x A Presses <nowiki>[OUTDATED]</nowiki>" by UncommentatedPannen]</ref> By the end of 2017, the A press count was lowered to 28.

In mid 2019, an A press was saved by finding a way to re-enter [[Tick Tock Clock|TTC]] from the [[Get a Hand]] Star using 0.5 A presses.<ref>[https://youtu.be/1kfkiH51AA8 "TTC Get a Hand & Re-Enter 0.5x A Presses" by UncommentatedPannen]</ref> Other improvements in TTC included removing the need for a preset HOLP in TTC for 3 stars,<ref>[https://youtu.be/6KX1VKCvYkI "TTC Timed Jumps on Moving Bars 1x A Presses (without Preset HOLP)" by UncommentatedPannen]</ref> which is significant as it requires an A press to enter TTC. Currently, the A press count stands at 19.