X/A Button Challenge

The Minimum X/A Presses Challenge, X/A Button Challenge or X/ABC for short, is a challenge in which the number of presses of the jump button ( or ) is minimized. Only Any% X/ABC has been and still is being worked on but it could be applied to any defined goal.

Note that this route is partially outdated.

Initial route (115 presses)
This route can be done in all versions (but there's an extra press on non-NTSC-J versions). It doesn't bring Cortex into Ant Agony as it was done initially.

Coop route (98 presses)
In this route we bring Cortex to Ant Agony to do a big H skip and skip several other presses. This route can be done in all versions (but there are extra presses on non-NTSC-J versions) and can't be merged with the NTSC Xbox route since the reload of the savewarp would crash the game because Cortex isn't nearby. This table compares the presses count with the initial route. The differences are highlighted/in bold.

NTSC Xbox route (104 presses)
The only difference with the initial route is a savewarp at the start of Ant Agony. This trick saves 12 presses over the initial route. It's not possible to bring Cortex in this route as reloading the game is needed for the savewarp and it would crash the game. This table compares the presses count with the initial route. The differences are highlighted/in bold.

N.Sanity Island
Climbing on the Nut Skip rocks with only a single jump and bodyslam (-1). Sliding over the spikes using the airwalk that was stored during a slidejump Nut Skip (-2). Using the hay bales to go through the hole between the fence and the and the farm (-1). Being pushed by Cortex over the ledge before CavrnEnd (-1).

Dimension Skip
Spinthrowing Cortex instead of jumpthrowing for the clip (-1). Jumping over the cutscene trigger and the door frame with one slidejump (-1). Single jumping on the camera in Climb 2 (-1).

Twinsanity Isle
Using Cortex to get onto the spotlight instead of jumping (-1). Going on the first ledge with a single jump + bodyslam (-1). Video. Going on Cortex with a single jump + bodyslam as he teleports (-1). Video.

Core A
Clipping after a single jump (-1). Jumping once on the ball/Cortex while in midair and single jump+bodyslam onto the block (-1). Using the Jet Pack Ant to go on the ball platform (-1/-2).

Core B
Using the Fire Ant as a bridge between two platforms in the lava section (-1). Jumping once on Cortex while in midair and single jump+bodyslam onto the block (-1). Using a Lancer Ant to be pushed onto the ledge (-1). Killing Cortex instead of death abusing for H skip. Doing H skip to get to the final Core C checkpoint (~-3). Note that lowercase "yes" in the "Reachable" column means that it looks kinda possible but hasn't been done yet.

Core C
Doing the barrier puzzle remotely (-1). Video. Using Cortex to snipe the checkpoint after the fight (-1 to -3).

Ending
Using the explosive ball and the ant to get to the higher platform (-1).