The category rules have been updated to include that Save Stating is now banned. Even if you're just doing it for "convenience" to restart runs faster. When you restart a run with save stating you get the same Bowser Jr. Map rig which leads to unfair manipulation advantage for those playing on emulator. There is also some speculation that save stating can manipulate mission flag rng, but that has not been confirmed.

Here are my proposed rules for Any%, All Characters, Superstar%, and Bowser%

This is what I think the rules should be:

Any% All runs must start on a fresh save file where a previous challenge mode run has not been completed. Timer starts at the selection of a captain, and timer ends on the final out of the final game. Glitches are allowed. (The Captain glitch to play as a specific captain utilizing another captain's team)

Superstar% All runs must start on a fresh save file where a previous challenge mode run has not been completed. Timer starts at the selection of a captain, and timer ends on the final out of the final game. Glitches are allowed. (The Captain glitch to play as a specific captain utilizing another captain's team) All star missions must be completed for that specific team.

All Characters% All runs must start on a fresh save file where a previous challenge mode run has not been completed. Timer starts at the selection of a captain, and timer ends on the final out of the final game. Glitches are allowed. (The Captain glitch to play as a specific captain utilizing another captain's team) All characters (excluding Bowser team characters) must be recruited upon completion of the final game.

Bowser% All runs must start on a fresh save file where a previous challenge mode run has not been completed. Timer starts at the selection of a captain, and timer ends on the final out of the final game. Glitches are allowed. (The Captain glitch to play as a specific captain utilizing another captain's team) Must use Bowser as captain

Bowser% All Characters All runs must start on a fresh save file where a previous challenge mode run has not been completed. Timer starts at the selection of a captain, and timer ends on the final out of the final game. Glitches are allowed. (The Captain glitch to play as a specific captain utilizing another captain's team) All characters (excluding the Captain characters) must be recruited.

Thank you for creating this thread/discussion Hong-Zhi

First point: Star characters should be completely banned at the start of a run. The fact that there is no official ruling on this is a complete oversight. Because star characters completely change the usefulness of a character. IMO there could be a category like Hong-Zhi already said, where all star characters can be unlocked on a challenge mode save file, and this could be called "Star Characters Any%".

Second point: This glitch should 100% be allowed. A lot of other games allow glitches in their speed runs, I don't see why this game would be any different. This glitch would not only make runs more unique, but it would also evolve the game, and optimize times even faster. Since it's a glitch that can be done in the game, on any version of the game, and doesn't need the use of outside elements to perform the glitch. Then this glitch should 100% be allowed.

Third point: I think All Characters should still be it's own category. At this point After three or so years of this game's active speedrunning community I have finally optimized that 1 Inning Mercy is the fastest strat for Any%. But there are times where a runner on a more casual level could still be on pace for a new PB, and they may want to do a safe strat of doing a regular 1 run 3 inning game. Same thing goes for someone going for a new PB specifically on All characters, maybe they can't get 1 inning mercy every time and they have to use more innings.