So, I finally analyzed and timed all the Top 10 runs on the leaderboard and this is what I got.

To keep the leaderboard skill-based, fair and the competition alive I think it's time to make some changes to the Categories.

The more precise thing to do would be to re-time runs without time loads (or at least without the main ones: Area Loads and Warps), but that would take a lot of extra work for each new submit.

The smartest thing to do imho is to split the leaderboard in two and have a PS2/PSP/PSTV Category and PS1 one. You can also split it into three and having the JAP version separated from the USA one (but I think emulator runners will always prefer the fastest one).

Obsolete runs from players who switched to a more "enhanced" version of the game should be re-integrated into the new Leaderboards.

I think that having more than one Category is more fun, and would allow player to chase a PB in every single one them.

Let me know what you think. I hope this can be helpful to the community!

I like the idea of splitting by console. I've wanted to run the game for a bit but didn't really understand what the optimal console setup was, so i appreciate you taking the time to analyze it as it is usually really tedious work. I definitely advise against manual load removal at all costs for that reason actually, it is the worst thing to have to do lol

Glad it was helpful to you Glitched! I really appreciate it! Hope you will join the grinding on this gem of a game! It should definitely be: PSP/PSTV + PS2 since the difference is minimal, then have two other Categories respectively USA and JAP emulation. Also, it would be fun to have some kind of "meme categories" like "Reach the complete the Turbo Trolley Quest as fast as possibile" or "All Minigames". The game has so much content that there's room to a lot of fun categories! But it's up to the mods I guess.