Backwards Long Jump

The Backwards Long Jump, often abbreviated to BLJ, is an infamous glitch in Super Mario 64 that exploits the lack of backward speed limit while long jumping. It was popularised by speedrunning, as it is used extensively within 0-star and 16-star speedruns to bypass areas to beat the game with fewer stars than intended.

This glitch is considered an anomaly since not every copy has the glitch, and therefore it has a place on the iceberg. There is some truth to this claim, as the glitch was patched out of the Shindou version of the game and wasn't replicated in the DS version. Despite that, it reappears in the Nintendo 64DD version.

Execution
A player must first find a place where a Backwards Long Jump can be performed. The endless stairs and stairs that lead to the third floor are good examples of this, although it can be done in other areas where Mario is kept onto the ground while long jumping. For instance, an elevator from Bob-omb Battlefield or Hazy Maze Cave.

To Backwards Long Jump, the player must hold backwards while performing a sequence of long jumps. If Mario stays on the ground while long jumping, continue to hold backwards and mash the jump button to perform the technique. Mario should continue to increase in speed backwards.

In Speedrunning
In a speedrun, the trick is used four times on each floor of the castle.
 * 1) It's first used on the ground floor, after clipping into one of the pillars Mario is able to Backwards Long Jump against the wall and gain enough speed to clip through the 8-star door.
 * 2) It's used once again in the basement to bypass both the 30-star door and the portal into Dire Dire Docks. Here Mario has to Backwards Long Jump against the small set of stairs in the room.
 * 3) It's used for a third time on the second floor on the stairs that lead up to the third floor, allowing Mario to clip through the wall and into the third floor.
 * 4) It's last used on the Endless Stairs, where Mario is able to gain enough speed to bypass the warp that creates the illusion of the endless staircase.

Self-Patching Anomaly

 * Main article: The Self-Patching Anomaly

Backwards Long Jumping is one of the glitches that can be affected by the A.I.'s ability to self-patch the game. The game is supposedly trying to hide something by self-patching the glitch, although what is unknown, and it's highly advised to not go looking for what it is.

Theorising
Some people theorise that the Backwards Long Jump was an intentional feature by Nintendo's design. There is no proof of this however, and doesn't explain why the glitch was subsequently patched out of future versions of the game.