Cartridge Tilting

Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems (ranging from the NES to the N64) to create otherwise impossible glitches. The act of cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather a method to produce glitches, and in minor cases, certain phenomena. Interestingly, it is possible to perform this technique on various emulators, thus requiring separation of universally usable glitches from A.I. created phenomena.

Description
In the middle of the game, slowly and surely wiggle the cartridge and move it from side to side. Doing it at a slow pace yields no outcome, whereas doing it too fast will sever the game connection. Eventually, the cartridge will enter a state where it’s not fully connected to the console but not completely disconnected. The cartridge blocks enough information to cause game glitches, but it doesn't make it freeze or crash.

Glitches
Main Article: The Flooring The Flooring is a glitch characterized by Mario’s model collapsing to the floor. Although the technique is not anomalous in theory, it is used to reach anomalous areas like the Impossible Bowser Painting or the glass panes in the aquarium leading to Jolly Roger Bay.

Phenomena
Main Article: Complete Data Wipe

Complete Data Wipe is a rare punishment in Super Mario 64 for tilting the cartridge too often. In very rare cases, it can be triggered by another anomaly as well. As the name suggests, it wipes all save data present in the game.

Main Article: Anti-Piracy Screen The Anti-Piracy Screen in Super Mario 64 was designed to be displayed for players using pirated copies of the game, however it is theorized that the A.I. will show this screen to players trying to cheat past certain requirements via cart tilting.

Main Article: Self-Patching Anomaly

Certain personalized versions of Super Mario 64 fixed or removed glitches and odd quirks. It is theorized to be caused by what is dubbed as “The Self-Patching Anomaly”. This anomaly can seemingly reduce the occurrence of glitches that players can execute.