mod note: Accepting onto the leaderboards with 'Verified: No' flag due to the run being performed on a damaged cartridge which has a malfunctioned ability to save progress. This only has 2 effects, which I will describe in detail:

1 - It causes the game to go through the reset process quicker than it should. Since we always use the SM64 logo at 1.33s timing as stated in rules, this effect is irrelevant to how the run is timed (no advantage). However, there is also abnormal behavior present as technically the audio is still playing/the reset bars with the gameplay still visible is on screen from the previous run at the start of the run timing.

2 - If you select 'Save and Continue' after a star, or 'Yes' after 100 coins/bowser reds etc., the game will be unable to actually save, which negates the normal amount of lag that would happen since no saving is being done to the cartridge. This is an actual advantage since you can reduce amount of inputs, as it is equal to selecting 'Continue Without Saving / No' on saves but without having to scroll over before timing the button press. However, this run has been validated to have never selected save at any point, and thus is not gaining any advantage from save lag that should be present.

We have decided that since this is likely to continue to happen to people in the future, and it will happen sometimes only on a few boots for people randomly using legitimate hardware, it would be unfair to reject this run. We also have to draw a line due to the aforementioned advantage in point 2, otherwise people will start removing the save functionality from their cartridges on purpose. We have decided the fairest compromise is accepting onto the leaderboards with this flag, but any run that selects 'save' and has 'no save' lag at any point in the run will be outright rejected.