The History of the A Button Challenge - Part 5: Mario Enters Parallel Universes

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
01:23 - Goomba cluster and Goomba oasis
03:55 - Mario Wings to the Sky 0xA
05:08 - No Translation Loading
07:27 - Pole-Jumping for Red Coins 0.5xA
08:34 - Goomba chase extension
09:45 - Watch for Rolling Rocks 1xA
12:50 - A-maze-ing Emergency Exit 0.5xA
13:58 - Scuttlebug transportation
15:36 - Enter Secret Aquarium 0xA
18:32 - Parallel Universes
24:56 - N64 vs. Wii VC
26:43 - TTC Upwarp Bounty
28:49 - Pedro Spot
31:05 - Scuttlebug raising
32:28 - Watch for Rolling Rocks 0.5xA
35:13 - Pannenkoek's struggle
39:25 - Scuttlebug raising applied in HMC
40:14 - Scuttlebug raising applied in BBH
43:26 - Beginning of the Modern Era

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[Bismuth]

I'm noticing a lot of people are expressing concern for Pannenkoek's well-being. I just want to remind everyone that this happened over 6 years ago. He fully recovered and has been doing well ever since.

[TJ-Henry-Yoshi]

6 years later, the culmination of that one video is just as incredible and mindbreaking. Thank you for your amazing documentation and story-telling, Bismuth!

[typhoonthunder]

- "Parallel Universes" title card appears
- piano rendition of the file select theme starts playing
- instant chills

[Kosmicd]

17:26 this scene is sick. As well as the rest of the video of course! You always know how to end the video on a chill inducing cliff hanger

[DatHypnoboi]

"This problem can be solved with the right amount of planning, which, as it turns out, is a shit ton of planning"

[sarysa]

When I was a small child, making the mustache man run and jump and fall into pits, I never thought I would ever hear the term 'Goomba engineering'.

[denpadolt]

Hearing about Pannen's despair over making the Watch for Rolling Rocks star is very moving for me. 3 years ago, I tried to take everything I had learned about drawing to make a comic that I'd make into my magnum opus for the time. I strained myself ever harder to try and get it done by a certain point, but by the time that deadline came, my finished project was so rushed that I felt like I should go back and iron out its many flaws. I burnt myself out on it that I didn't draw for the better part of a year after that. Learning that Pannen fell into the same trap and how he managed to escape it is an inspiring tale that I'm glad I've heard.

[prismaticc_abyss]

"Mom can I watch a Youtube video?"
"what is it about?"
"cosmic rays, parallel universes, integer overflows, and quadratic growth"
"oh, so like a science video?"
"no, a mario video"

[ericpeterson]

22:46 "There are two problems with this plan. First, Mario has to navigate parallel universes while storing speeds several times in excess of the speed of sound lest he be forever trapped in an invisible and empty simulacrum of his world with no hope for escape. But the second and by far more concerning problem, is stairs"

[joethebrospeedruns]

Pannenkoek: *gets down to 0 a presses*
Peach: “We present you a new quest. Click A to select a world.”

[meikamo]

"Complex Goomba structure" is now my favorite phrase

[Patashu]

Your handling of the Pannenkoek 'mental health winter' was excellently well done. I can relate a lot to that kind of thing - a monolithic project that's either entirely done or not done and full of tedious, painstaking, unfun steps is a perfect way to destroy your motivation.

[MAMAJUGO]

From goomba engineering to cosmic rays and parallel universes, this challenge has it all!

[AzureLazuline]

It doesn't matter how difficult it is, how much research it took, or how many hours you needed to build up speed... after it works, every runner ALWAYS pushes Z+B to celebrate 🤣
Thank you for this series and thank you to everyone involved in the challenge itself, you're all wonderful!

[katacutie]

Always sad to hear what happened to Pannen. You just can't help but respect the abc crew, so much creativity and clever thinking

[randomperson]

On the quest to get 0 A presses in a Mario game, the world's smartest people like pannenkoek breaks the spacetime and reality to get 1 less A press.

[dimitreze]

12:30 no way Mario would still have his cap after that

[drgonia]

Watch for rolling rocks in 0.5 A presses is one of my favorite youtube videos. To a casual viewer it looks absolutly bonkers but if you actually look deeper into it it's even more bonkers how much dedication and research are required for even a piece of a puzzle piece that have a chance of saving an A press.

[casedistorted]

When Bismuth says something takes a "sh*t ton" of planning, I believe him because Bismuth never seems to swear.

[samuelthecamel]

I'm glad you finally brought clarity to what happened to pannen. I always had a feeling that the common explanation wasn't the full story.