diff --git a/src/core/Checkpoint.lua b/src/core/Checkpoint.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b29caba8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/Checkpoint.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,243 @@
+-- Public runtime checkpoint implementation. Loader exposes bound forwarding
+-- methods; mods never receive controller or state-stack internals from here.
+
+local SaveSerializer = require("src.core.SaveSerializer")
+
+local Checkpoint = {}
+
+Checkpoint.FORMAT = 1
+
+local function refusal(kind, reason, message)
+  return {
+    canCapture = false,
+    canRestore = false,
+    kind = kind or "unknown",
+    reason = reason,
+    message = message,
+  }
+end
+
+local function running(runner)
+  return runner and runner.isRunning and runner:isRunning()
+end
+
+local function nonempty(value)
+  return type(value) == "table" and next(value) ~= nil
+end
+
+function Checkpoint.inspect(game)
+  local save = game and game.save
+  local identity = save and save.meta and save.meta.playthroughId
+  if type(save) ~= "table" or type(save.version) ~= "string"
+      or type(identity) ~= "string" or identity == "" then
+    return refusal("unknown", "not_in_playthrough",
+      "A checkpoint requires an identified active playthrough.")
+  end
+
+  local ow = game.overworld
+  if type(ow) ~= "table" or type(ow.map) ~= "table"
+      or type(ow.map.id) ~= "string" or type(ow.player) ~= "table" then
+    return refusal("unknown", "not_overworld",
+      "Only a settled overworld can be checkpointed.")
+  end
+  local top = game.stack and game.stack.top and game.stack:top()
+  if top ~= ow then
+    return refusal("overworld", "screen_busy",
+      "Close the active menu or screen before creating a checkpoint.")
+  end
+  if ow.transitioning then
+    return refusal("overworld", "transition_busy",
+      "Wait for the map transition to finish.")
+  end
+  if running(ow.runner) or nonempty(ow.parallelRunners)
+      or nonempty(ow.pendingScripts) or nonempty(ow.parallelQueue)
+      or nonempty(ow.scriptMoves) then
+    return refusal("overworld", "script_busy",
+      "Wait for the active or queued script to finish.")
+  end
+
+  local animationFields = {
+    "engaging", "emote", "teleportOut", "dustAnim", "cutAnim", "fishPose",
+    "pikaHop", "healAnim", "flyAnim", "flyArrive",
+  }
+  for _, field in ipairs(animationFields) do
+    if ow[field] then
+      return refusal("overworld", "animation_busy",
+        "Wait for the overworld animation to finish.")
+    end
+  end
+  if ow.player.moving or ow.player.targetX ~= nil or ow.player.targetY ~= nil then
+    return refusal("overworld", "movement_busy",
+      "Wait for movement to settle on a tile.")
+  end
+  return { canCapture = true, canRestore = true, kind = "overworld" }
+end
+
+local function dataCopy(value)
+  local ok, encoded = pcall(SaveSerializer.encode, value)
+  if not ok then return nil, tostring(encoded) end
+  local decoded, err = SaveSerializer.decode(encoded)
+  if not decoded then return nil, err end
+  return decoded
+end
+
+function Checkpoint.capture(game)
+  local capability = Checkpoint.inspect(game)
+  if not capability.canCapture then
+    return nil, capability.reason, capability.message
+  end
+
+  local progress = {}
+  for key, value in pairs(game.save) do
+    if key ~= "options" then progress[key] = value end
+  end
+  progress = dataCopy(progress)
+  if not progress then
+    return nil, "capture_failed", "Progress contains non-serializable runtime data."
+  end
+
+  local ok, err = pcall(game.overworld.captureSave, game.overworld, progress)
+  if not ok then
+    return nil, "capture_failed", "Could not synchronize overworld progress: "
+      .. tostring(err)
+  end
+  progress, err = dataCopy(progress)
+  if not progress then
+    return nil, "capture_failed", "Synchronized progress is not data-only: "
+      .. tostring(err)
+  end
+
+  local player = game.overworld.player
+  return {
+    format = Checkpoint.FORMAT,
+    kind = "overworld",
+    identity = {
+      gameVersion = game.save.version,
+      playthroughId = game.save.meta.playthroughId,
+    },
+    save = progress,
+    runtime = { overworld = {
+      map = game.overworld.map.id,
+      x = player.cellX,
+      y = player.cellY,
+      facing = player.facing,
+      surfing = player.surfing and true or false,
+    } },
+  }
+end
+
+local FACINGS = { up = true, down = true, left = true, right = true }
+
+local function validate(game, checkpoint)
+  if type(checkpoint) ~= "table" then
+    return nil, "invalid_checkpoint", "Checkpoint root must be a table."
+  end
+  if checkpoint.format ~= Checkpoint.FORMAT then
+    return nil, "unsupported_format", "This checkpoint format is not supported."
+  end
+  if checkpoint.kind ~= "overworld" then
+    return nil, "unsupported_runtime_kind", "Only overworld checkpoints are supported."
+  end
+
+  local copy, copyErr = dataCopy(checkpoint)
+  if not copy then
+    return nil, "invalid_checkpoint", "Checkpoint is not data-only: "
+      .. tostring(copyErr)
+  end
+  local identity = copy.identity
+  local current = game and game.save
+  local currentId = current and current.meta and current.meta.playthroughId
+  if type(identity) ~= "table" or type(identity.gameVersion) ~= "string"
+      or type(identity.playthroughId) ~= "string" then
+    return nil, "invalid_checkpoint", "Checkpoint identity is missing or corrupt."
+  end
+  if identity.gameVersion ~= current.version then
+    return nil, "wrong_game", "Checkpoint belongs to another game version."
+  end
+  if identity.playthroughId ~= currentId then
+    return nil, "wrong_playthrough", "Checkpoint belongs to another playthrough."
+  end
+
+  local save = copy.save
+  local runtime = copy.runtime and copy.runtime.overworld
+  if type(save) ~= "table" or type(save.player) ~= "table"
+      or type(runtime) ~= "table" then
+    return nil, "invalid_checkpoint", "Checkpoint progress or runtime data is missing."
+  end
+  if save.version ~= identity.gameVersion
+      or not save.meta or save.meta.playthroughId ~= identity.playthroughId then
+    return nil, "invalid_checkpoint", "Checkpoint progress identity is inconsistent."
+  end
+  if type(runtime.map) ~= "string" or type(runtime.x) ~= "number"
+      or type(runtime.y) ~= "number" or runtime.x % 1 ~= 0 or runtime.y % 1 ~= 0
+      or not FACINGS[runtime.facing] or type(runtime.surfing) ~= "boolean" then
+    return nil, "invalid_checkpoint", "Overworld position is missing or corrupt."
+  end
+  if save.player.map ~= runtime.map or save.player.x ~= runtime.x
+      or save.player.y ~= runtime.y or save.player.facing ~= runtime.facing
+      or (save.player.surfing and true or false) ~= runtime.surfing then
+    return nil, "invalid_checkpoint", "Progress and runtime position disagree."
+  end
+
+  local map = game.data and game.data.maps and game.data.maps[runtime.map]
+  if type(map) ~= "table" then
+    return nil, "invalid_map", "Checkpoint references a map that is unavailable."
+  end
+  local width, height = tonumber(map.width), tonumber(map.height)
+  if not width or not height or runtime.x < 0 or runtime.y < 0
+      or runtime.x >= width * 2 or runtime.y >= height * 2 then
+    return nil, "invalid_position", "Checkpoint position is outside the map."
+  end
+  return copy
+end
+
+local function apply(game, checkpoint, options)
+  local save, err = dataCopy(checkpoint.save)
+  if not save then error("checkpoint progress decode failed: " .. tostring(err), 0) end
+  local runtime = checkpoint.runtime.overworld
+  save.options = options
+  save.player.map = runtime.map
+  save.player.x = runtime.x
+  save.player.y = runtime.y
+  save.player.facing = runtime.facing
+  save.player.surfing = runtime.surfing
+  if type(game.restoreCheckpointSave) ~= "function" then
+    error("game has no checkpoint reconstruction path", 0)
+  end
+  game:restoreCheckpointSave(save)
+end
+
+local function equalData(a, b)
+  local okA, encodedA = pcall(SaveSerializer.encode, a)
+  local okB, encodedB = pcall(SaveSerializer.encode, b)
+  return okA and okB and encodedA == encodedB
+end
+
+function Checkpoint.restore(game, checkpoint)
+  local capability = Checkpoint.inspect(game)
+  if not capability.canRestore then
+    return false, capability.reason, capability.message
+  end
+  local validated, code, message = validate(game, checkpoint)
+  if not validated then return false, code, message end
+
+  local rollback, captureCode, captureMessage = Checkpoint.capture(game)
+  if not rollback then return false, captureCode, captureMessage end
+  local options = game.save.options
+
+  local ok, err = pcall(apply, game, validated, options)
+  if ok then
+    local restored, verifyCode = Checkpoint.capture(game)
+    if restored and equalData(restored, validated) then return true end
+    err = "restored state did not match checkpoint: " .. tostring(verifyCode)
+  end
+
+  local rolledBack, rollbackErr = pcall(apply, game, rollback, options)
+  if not rolledBack then
+    return false, "rollback_failed",
+      "Checkpoint restore and rollback both failed: " .. tostring(rollbackErr)
+  end
+  return false, "restore_failed", "Checkpoint restoration failed: " .. tostring(err)
+end
+
+return Checkpoint
diff --git a/src/core/Game.lua b/src/core/Game.lua
index b8b452d0..527f4fc5 100644
--- a/src/core/Game.lua
+++ b/src/core/Game.lua
@@ -1131,4 +1131,17 @@ function Game:restoreSave(loaded, recovered)
   end
 end
 
+-- Reconstruct a previously validated runtime checkpoint without replaying the
+-- ordinary CONTINUE lifecycle. In particular, map onEnter scripts and
+-- save.loading/save.loaded events must not run a second time. Validation,
+-- identity checks and transactional rollback live in Checkpoint.lua.
+function Game:restoreCheckpointSave(loaded)
+  self.save = loaded
+  self:adoptSave(loaded)
+  while self.stack:top() do self.stack:pop() end
+  self.stack:push(self.overworld, loaded.player.map,
+                  loaded.player.x, loaded.player.y, loaded.player.facing,
+                  { via = "checkpoint", checkpoint = true })
+end
+
 return Game
diff --git a/src/mods/Loader.lua b/src/mods/Loader.lua
index 0ce9c314..daca6548 100644
--- a/src/mods/Loader.lua
+++ b/src/mods/Loader.lua
@@ -571,6 +571,7 @@ function Loader:_api(mod)
   local modId = mod.manifest.id
   local Storage = engineRequire("src.mods.Storage")
   local storage = Storage and Storage.new(modId, loader.fs)
+  local Checkpoint = engineRequire("src.core.Checkpoint")
   local api = {
     id = modId,
     version = mod.manifest.version,
@@ -670,6 +671,15 @@ function Loader:_api(mod)
       list = function(_, game, prefix) return storage:list(game, prefix) end,
       delete = function(_, game, key) return storage:delete(game, key) end,
     },
+    -- Runtime safety and reconstruction stay engine-owned. Checkpoints contain
+    -- data only; no controller, stack, coroutine or renderer object crosses out.
+    checkpoints = {
+      inspect = function(_, game) return Checkpoint.inspect(game) end,
+      capture = function(_, game) return Checkpoint.capture(game) end,
+      restore = function(_, game, checkpoint)
+        return Checkpoint.restore(game, checkpoint)
+      end,
+    },
     options = {
       define = function(_, schema)
         assert(type(schema) == "table", "options schema must be a table of rows")
diff --git a/src/world/OverworldController.lua b/src/world/OverworldController.lua
index d6fcdb56..5a7bd65b 100644
--- a/src/world/OverworldController.lua
+++ b/src/world/OverworldController.lua
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ function OverworldState.computeNeighbors(maps, rootId, hops, reachW, reachH)
   return out
 end
 
-function OverworldState:enter(mapId, x, y, facing)
+function OverworldState:enter(mapId, x, y, facing, opts)
   Game = require("src.core.Game")
   Game.overworld = self
   Collision.load(Game.data) -- tile-pair (elevation) collisions
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ function OverworldState:enter(mapId, x, y, facing)
   -- survives save/load: a loaded game may start inside a building whose
   -- exit mat is a LAST_MAP warp
   self.lastOutdoor = Game.save.lastOutdoor
-  self:setMap(mapId, x, y, facing, { via = "boot" })
+  self:setMap(mapId, x, y, facing, opts or { via = "boot" })
   -- boot/load: derive the flag from the tile the save left us standing on,
   -- like MapEntryAfterBattle's IsPlayerStandingOnWarp, so a game saved on a
   -- door mat can still walk straight back out (issue #378)
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ end
 
 function OverworldState:setMap(mapId, x, y, facing, opts)
   local fromMapId = self.map and self.map.id
-  if fromMapId then
+  if fromMapId and not (opts and opts.checkpoint) then
     Runtime.emit("map.exited", { mapId = fromMapId, toMapId = mapId })
   end
   -- ambient choreography is per-map: parallel runners die here, and the
@@ -460,13 +460,13 @@ function OverworldState:setMap(mapId, x, y, facing, opts)
   -- (home/overworld.asm) -- a warp can land directly on one (the Route
   -- 16/18 gate exits), and the scripted door-mat walkout that follows
   -- suppresses onStepComplete, so waiting for a plain step never mounts
-  self:checkForcedMovement()
+  if not (opts and opts.checkpoint) then self:checkForcedMovement() end
   -- Seafoam B4F's map script pushes off the B3F stair warps every frame
   -- while the upper plugs are out (SeafoamIslandsB4FDefaultScript); the
   -- B3F/B4F force-surf mouths also arm their MOVE_OBJECT current scripts
   -- from CheckForceBikeOrSurf.  Re-check here so a warp-in does not sit
   -- idle on those cells waiting for a player step.
-  self:checkSeafoamCurrent()
+  if not (opts and opts.checkpoint) then self:checkSeafoamCurrent() end
 
   -- snap the camera immediately: the overworld doesn't update while a
   -- Transition is on top, so a stale camera would show the new map at
@@ -476,27 +476,31 @@ function OverworldState:setMap(mapId, x, y, facing, opts)
 
   -- fires before the onEnter chain so a listener sees the map in the same
   -- state the map script does
-  Runtime.emit("map.entered", {
-    mapId = mapId, map = self.map, fromMapId = fromMapId,
-    via = (opts and opts.via)
-          or (opts and opts.seamless and "connection")
-          or (fromMapId and "warp" or "boot"),
-  })
+  if not (opts and opts.checkpoint) then
+    Runtime.emit("map.entered", {
+      mapId = mapId, map = self.map, fromMapId = fromMapId,
+      via = (opts and opts.via)
+            or (opts and opts.seamless and "connection")
+            or (fromMapId and "warp" or "boot"),
+    })
+  end
 
   -- map-enter hooks (hand-ported map scripts, e.g. Victory Road barriers).
   -- fromMapId lets elevators seed a valid walk-out floor when the ROM
   -- car warps still point at a missing map (Silph's UNUSED_MAP_ED) and
   -- the player B-cancels the floor menu without .UpdateWarp.
-  local hooks = mapScripts.get(mapId)
-  if hooks and hooks.onEnter then
-    hooks.onEnter(Game, self, fromMapId)
+  if not (opts and opts.checkpoint) then
+    local hooks = mapScripts.get(mapId)
+    if hooks and hooks.onEnter then
+      hooks.onEnter(Game, self, fromMapId)
+    end
   end
 
   self:rebuildNeighbors()
   Logger.info("map: %s at (%d,%d)", mapId, x, y)
   -- Route22Gate_Script rewrites wLastMap from the player's Y on entry
   -- too (not only on step), so a save/load mid-gate keeps exits correct
-  self:syncLastMapRewrite()
+  if not (opts and opts.checkpoint) then self:syncLastMapRewrite() end
 end
 
 -- Neighbor maps drawn at the composed connection offsets: at least the
diff --git a/tests/modkit/cases/checkpoints.lua b/tests/modkit/cases/checkpoints.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0feeed1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/modkit/cases/checkpoints.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,283 @@
+-- Public mod.checkpoints contract over a semantic Game/StateStack fixture.
+-- The mod entry chunk sees no private module; the harness builds the engine side.
+
+package.path = "./?.lua;./?/init.lua;" .. package.path
+love = love or require("tests.love_stub")
+
+local T = require("tests.harness").suite("mod checkpoints")
+local Loader = require("src.mods.Loader")
+local Runtime = require("src.mods.Runtime")
+local GameMethods = require("src.core.Game")
+local StateStack = require("src.core.StateStack")
+
+local savedEvents, savedHooks = Runtime.events, Runtime.hooks
+
+local function memfs(files)
+  return {
+    read = function(path) return files[path] end,
+    write = function(path, body) files[path] = body return true end,
+    remove = function(path) files[path] = nil return true end,
+    createDirectory = function() return true end,
+    getInfo = function(path)
+      if files[path] then return { type = "file" } end
+      local prefix = path .. "/"
+      for key in pairs(files) do
+        if key:sub(1, #prefix) == prefix then return { type = "directory" } end
+      end
+      return nil
+    end,
+    load = function(path)
+      if not files[path] then return nil, "no file: " .. path end
+      return load(files[path], path)
+    end,
+    getDirectoryItems = function(path)
+      local prefix, seen, out = path .. "/", {}, {}
+      for key in pairs(files) do
+        if key:sub(1, #prefix) == prefix then
+          local child = key:sub(#prefix + 1):match("^[^/]+")
+          if child and not seen[child] then
+            seen[child] = true
+            out[#out + 1] = child
+          end
+        end
+      end
+      table.sort(out)
+      return out
+    end,
+  }
+end
+
+local function baseSave()
+  return {
+    version = "red",
+    meta = { format = 4, mods = {}, playthroughId = "play-a" },
+    player = {
+      map = "PALLET_TOWN", x = 5, y = 6, facing = "down", surfing = false,
+      name = "RED", rival = "BLUE", id = 7,
+    },
+    money = 3000,
+    party = { { species = "BULBASAUR", hp = 19, moves = { "TACKLE" } } },
+    flags = { GOT_STARTER = true },
+    inventory = { POTION = 1 },
+    pcItems = {}, box = {}, boxes = {}, defeatedTrainers = {},
+    pokedex = { seen = { BULBASAUR = true }, owned = { BULBASAUR = true } },
+    modData = {},
+    options = { volume = 4, bindings = {} },
+  }
+end
+
+local function makeGame()
+  local stack = setmetatable({ states = {} }, { __index = StateStack })
+  local game
+  local ow = {
+    map = { id = "PALLET_TOWN" },
+    player = { cellX = 5, cellY = 6, facing = "down", surfing = false },
+    scriptMoves = {}, pendingScripts = {}, parallelRunners = {}, parallelQueue = {},
+    runner = { isRunning = function() return false end },
+  }
+  function ow:captureSave(save)
+    save.player.map = self.map.id
+    save.player.x = self.player.cellX
+    save.player.y = self.player.cellY
+    save.player.facing = self.player.facing
+    save.player.surfing = self.player.surfing and true or false
+  end
+  function ow:enter(mapId, x, y, facing, opts)
+    game.lastEnterOpts = opts
+    if game.failNextEnter then
+      game.failNextEnter = false
+      error("injected reconstruction failure")
+    end
+    self.map = { id = mapId }
+    self.player = {
+      cellX = x, cellY = y, facing = facing,
+      surfing = game.save.player.surfing and true or false,
+    }
+    self.scriptMoves, self.pendingScripts = {}, {}
+    self.parallelRunners, self.parallelQueue = {}, {}
+    self.runner = { isRunning = function() return false end }
+  end
+  game = setmetatable({
+    save = baseSave(), stack = stack, overworld = ow,
+    data = { maps = {
+      PALLET_TOWN = { id = "PALLET_TOWN", width = 10, height = 9 },
+      ROUTE_1 = { id = "ROUTE_1", width = 10, height = 18 },
+      BROKEN = { id = "BROKEN", width = 10, height = 9 },
+    } },
+  }, { __index = GameMethods })
+  stack.states[1] = ow
+  return game, ow
+end
+
+local files = {
+  ["mods/probe/manifest.json"] =
+    '{"id":"probe","name":"probe","version":"1.0.0",'
+      .. '"entry":"main.lua","api":2,"profile":"content"}',
+  ["mods/probe/main.lua"] = [[
+return function(mod) _G.MOD_CHECKPOINTS = mod.checkpoints end
+]],
+}
+local game, ow = makeGame()
+local loader = Loader.new({ fs = memfs(files) })
+loader.game = game
+T.check(loader:load({}) == true, "checkpoint fixture mod loads")
+local checkpoints = _G.MOD_CHECKPOINTS
+T.check(type(checkpoints) == "table",
+  "Loader exposes mod.checkpoints through the public mod object")
+if type(checkpoints) ~= "table" then
+  Runtime.events, Runtime.hooks = savedEvents, savedHooks
+  _G.MOD_CHECKPOINTS = nil
+  T.finish()
+end
+
+local capability = checkpoints:inspect(game)
+T.same(capability, { canCapture = true, canRestore = true, kind = "overworld" },
+  "plain overworld control is a stable checkpoint boundary")
+
+local function refused(mutator, expectedCode, message)
+  local undo = mutator()
+  local result = checkpoints:inspect(game)
+  T.check(result.canCapture == false and result.reason == expectedCode, message)
+  undo()
+end
+
+refused(function()
+  ow.transitioning = true
+  return function() ow.transitioning = nil end
+end, "transition_busy", "transition frames are rejected")
+
+refused(function()
+  ow.runner = { isRunning = function() return true end }
+  return function() ow.runner = { isRunning = function() return false end } end
+end, "script_busy", "foreground suspended scripts are rejected")
+
+refused(function()
+  ow.parallelRunners = { { isRunning = function() return true end } }
+  return function() ow.parallelRunners = {} end
+end, "script_busy", "parallel suspended scripts are rejected")
+
+refused(function()
+  ow.pendingScripts = { { rows = {} } }
+  return function() ow.pendingScripts = {} end
+end, "script_busy", "queued scripts are rejected")
+
+refused(function()
+  ow.scriptMoves = { { entity = ow.player } }
+  return function() ow.scriptMoves = {} end
+end, "script_busy", "scripted movement is rejected")
+
+refused(function()
+  game.stack.states[2] = { screenId = "StartMenu" }
+  return function() game.stack.states[2] = nil end
+end, "screen_busy", "modal screens over the overworld are rejected")
+
+refused(function()
+  ow.emote = { frames = 1 }
+  return function() ow.emote = nil end
+end, "animation_busy", "partial overworld animations are rejected")
+
+refused(function()
+  ow.player.moving = true
+  return function() ow.player.moving = nil end
+end, "movement_busy", "partial player movement is rejected")
+
+local titleGame = { save = game.save, stack = {
+  top = function() return { screenId = "TitleState" } end,
+} }
+local titleCapability = checkpoints:inspect(titleGame)
+T.check(titleCapability.canCapture == false
+    and titleCapability.reason == "not_overworld",
+  "title and non-playthrough runtime is rejected")
+
+-- Capture synchronizes semantic position into a detached data-only record.
+ow.map.id, ow.player.cellX, ow.player.cellY = "ROUTE_1", 7, 8
+ow.player.facing, ow.player.surfing = "left", true
+local snapshot, code, message = checkpoints:capture(game)
+T.check(snapshot ~= nil, "stable overworld captures: " .. tostring(code or message))
+T.eq(snapshot.format, 1, "checkpoint format is explicit")
+T.eq(snapshot.kind, "overworld", "checkpoint runtime kind is explicit")
+T.same(snapshot.identity, { gameVersion = "red", playthroughId = "play-a" },
+  "checkpoint carries compatibility identity")
+T.same(snapshot.runtime.overworld,
+  { map = "ROUTE_1", x = 7, y = 8, facing = "left", surfing = true },
+  "checkpoint carries exact semantic overworld position")
+T.eq(snapshot.save.player.map, "ROUTE_1",
+  "captured progress is synchronized from the live controller")
+T.eq(snapshot.save.options, nil, "global settings are excluded from progress rewind")
+
+snapshot.save.money = 1
+snapshot.runtime.overworld.x = 1
+T.eq(game.save.money, 3000, "mutating a checkpoint cannot mutate live progress")
+T.eq(ow.player.cellX, 7, "mutating a checkpoint cannot move the live player")
+
+-- Recapture the unmodified canonical A used for the differential roundtrip.
+snapshot = checkpoints:capture(game)
+local original = snapshot
+
+game.save.money = 999999
+game.save.flags.GOT_STARTER = nil
+game.save.party[1].hp = 1
+game.save.options.volume = 9
+ow.map.id, ow.player.cellX, ow.player.cellY = "PALLET_TOWN", 2, 3
+ow.player.facing, ow.player.surfing = "up", false
+
+local restored, restoreCode, restoreMessage = checkpoints:restore(game, original)
+T.check(restored == true,
+  "valid checkpoint restores: " .. tostring(restoreCode or restoreMessage))
+local recaptured = checkpoints:capture(game)
+T.same(recaptured, original,
+  "capture A, mutate B, restore A, capture A2 yields normalized A == A2")
+T.eq(game.save.options.volume, 9,
+  "checkpoint restoration preserves current global settings")
+T.check(game.lastEnterOpts and game.lastEnterOpts.checkpoint == true,
+  "engine reconstruction is marked to suppress map-entry side effects")
+
+-- Compatibility and schema failures occur before any mutation.
+local beforeRejected = checkpoints:capture(game)
+local wrongFormat = checkpoints:capture(game)
+wrongFormat.format = 99
+restored, restoreCode = checkpoints:restore(game, wrongFormat)
+T.check(not restored and restoreCode == "unsupported_format",
+  "unknown checkpoint format is rejected")
+
+local wrongGame = checkpoints:capture(game)
+wrongGame.identity.gameVersion = "blue"
+restored, restoreCode = checkpoints:restore(game, wrongGame)
+T.check(not restored and restoreCode == "wrong_game",
+  "another game version is rejected")
+
+local wrongProfile = checkpoints:capture(game)
+wrongProfile.identity.playthroughId = "play-b"
+restored, restoreCode = checkpoints:restore(game, wrongProfile)
+T.check(not restored and restoreCode == "wrong_playthrough",
+  "another playthrough is rejected")
+
+local badMap = checkpoints:capture(game)
+badMap.runtime.overworld.map = "MISSING_MAP"
+badMap.save.player.map = "MISSING_MAP"
+restored, restoreCode = checkpoints:restore(game, badMap)
+T.check(not restored and restoreCode == "invalid_map",
+  "unknown content reference is rejected")
+T.same(checkpoints:capture(game), beforeRejected,
+  "validation failures leave the live state unchanged")
+
+-- A reconstruction exception rolls back to the exact pre-operation state.
+local target = checkpoints:capture(game)
+target.runtime.overworld.map = "BROKEN"
+target.runtime.overworld.x, target.runtime.overworld.y = 1, 1
+target.save.player.map = "BROKEN"
+target.save.player.x, target.save.player.y = 1, 1
+target.save.money = 42
+local beforeFailure = checkpoints:capture(game)
+game.failNextEnter = true
+restored, restoreCode = checkpoints:restore(game, target)
+T.check(not restored and restoreCode == "restore_failed",
+  "reconstruction exception is returned as a structured failure")
+T.same(checkpoints:capture(game), beforeFailure,
+  "failed reconstruction rolls back the complete pre-operation checkpoint")
+
+Runtime.events, Runtime.hooks = savedEvents, savedHooks
+Runtime.currentMod = nil
+_G.MOD_CHECKPOINTS = nil
+
+T.finish()
diff --git a/tests/mod_storage_tests.lua b/tests/modkit/cases/storage.lua
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/mod_storage_tests.lua
rename to tests/modkit/cases/storage.lua