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radicaldefect.bsky.social
Jonathan Higgins
@radicaldefect.bsky.social
220 followers 200 following 1.3K posts
I’m just a man who wants to see his friends again. Avatar by @hail9000.bsky.social. (He/Him)
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radicaldefect.bsky.social
My romp through the "Illusion" series is almost done. Some people prefer Land of Illusion to Castle of Illusion, but not me. I definitely respect that it evolves various mechanics established from the first game, but I think both Genesis & SMS Castle of Illusion outdo it when it comes to charm.
From the ending of Land of Illusion on SEGA Master System, Princess Minnie leans in to kiss Mickey on the cheek. In a manner like films, LAND OF ILLUSION appears as white text on a black background before the game's credits roll. Mickey awakes from what was seemingly a dream, with his book of fairytales in hand. But he still has Minne's lipstick on his cheek. "The End" is in fancy yellow cursive on a black background.
November 17, 2025 at 3:36 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
I loved Crystalis on Game Boy Color as a kid. I wish I could tell you this was my childhood cart, but I was happy to add it to my collection anyway.

Parts of it certainly don’t age well. But it sure did teleport me back to the early aughts.
In this screenshot from Crystalis on Game Boy Color, my save screen is shown with my stats. I am the maximum level of 16 with $32,750 earned. My Attack is 32 & both defenses are 48. The shadows of the hero and Mesia standing side by side watching the destruction of the Flying Tower are under a sunlit sky. The text begins to say, “A new dawn rises on the land illuminating the possibility of a…” “…future free of the threat of technology.” I’ve taken a photo of my Crystalis cartridge in the Analogue Pocket. My cat is in the background, asleep on her cat tower.
November 16, 2025 at 4:05 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
After a harrowing eBay journey, my relatively cheap & brand new copy of Deep Duck Trouble has been freed & completed. I'm honestly a fan of how this game handles its bosses—Donald only has to "battle against" the final one. For the rest of the game, he just funnily tries to run away!
In this screenshot from Deep Duck Trouble on Game Gear, THE END is in a purple font in a sunset. My complete-in-box copy of Deep Duck Trouble is on my table, with the cartridge on top.
November 13, 2025 at 10:36 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
I grew up playing my copy of Sonic Drift 2, and I never actually saw the credits until now-ish. The game doesn't have a save battery. So if you're 7 years old or whatever, you just kind of assume, "Run a cup, then it's over."

Once I actually knew how to beat it, I ran the other cups just because.
I won one of Sonic Drift 2's three Grand Prix as Knuckles, earning all 6 Chaos Emeralds by placing first in every race. The text just says, "WINNER, KNUCKLES" surrounded by decorative green leaves and THANKS in a generic blue font at the bottom of the screen. Same as the previous image, but Tails this time. He's waving with both hands in his center profile image above the emeralds. In this final near-identical screenshot, it says GO FINAL rather than thanks, indicating I've unlocked the final race that will lead to the credits of the game if I win. I placed first in every race of the White Grand Prix as Sonic. At the very end of the credits for Sonic Drift 2, the text just says PRESENTED BY SEGA at the bottom. The credits of the game are accompanied by a sepia-toned photograph of all 7 racers in the game. From left to right, all smiling happily: Knuckles, Tails, Eggman in the back, Sonic, Amy, Fang the Sniper, and Metal Sonic in the back behind those two.
November 11, 2025 at 1:41 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
My history with World of Illusion is funny. Sold the cartridge I've had since childhood to @hrg.tv, and he streamed it for his channel. In that time, he got the box & manual for it—then sold it back to me the other day.

I really dig how this one has slightly different levels depending on who plays!
In Mickey’s ending of World of Illusion on the Genesis/Mega Drive, Mickey & Donald are performing on stage and have just completed a magic trick. Doves have formed the words, “Thank you for playing.” Mickey (left) and Donald (right) are gesturing towards the magic hat responsible as the audience filled with Disney characters like Goofy, Daisy, and Minnie look on. In Donald’s ending, he’s falling from the sky after fireworks have gone off in the air (with him at the center of the explosions, having grown impatient with the hat before the trick was successfully performed). “Thank you for playing,” is again displayed. Regardless of who you play as, Mickey and Donald both wave to the player after the credits of the game roll during a walk through the forest. My complete-in-box copy of World of Illusion is displayed amongst the various other boxed games I own. You can barely see some 3DS & DS games in the background on my shelf.
November 9, 2025 at 9:09 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
After playing the Master System version of Castle of Illusion for the first time, I 100%ed both the Genesis & 2013 remake of the game one level at a time. Gosh, the remake is so dear to me. It's still for sale on Steam, but the console versions of the game have long been delisted. It's a dang shame!
In this screenshot from the Genesis/Mega Drive version of Castle of Illusion, Mickey & Minnie Mouse have escaped the castle thanks to the witch’s help. One of the ending screenshots of Castle of Illusion’s 2013 remake has artwork of Mickey & Minnie with their faces close together in embrace. Mickey’s posed in front of the Mizrabel statue in the Knight Costume. I’ve got 20 lives, 800/800 gems, and a score of 142,573. This is a photo of the promotional pin received from playing the game at E3 2013. It’s the key art from the game with Mickey himself slightly protruding on the bottom-left end of the pin.
November 8, 2025 at 5:06 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
Someone in the PAL region scribbled in these manuals & played the snot out of these cartridges as a kid. Some 30+ years later, it was my turn.

I don't understand why only the Game Gear versions of these games ever get ported! SMS has more screen real-estate, so Sonic 2 especially is more playable.
The ending screen for Sonic the Hedgehog on the SEGA Master System shows Sonic holding a red microphone and saying the credits to the player. He's amongst yellow and blue stars on a purple backdrop. The very end reads, PRESENTED BY SEGA, END. The ending screen for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on the SEGA Master System has Sonic and Tails' portraits in the starry night sky with a blue/purple hue. END is underneath. Just before the ending screen for Sonic Chaos on the SEGA Master System, the credits read, "THANKS TO" in orange & "AND YOU" in blue, as Sonic sits inside a big purple chaos emerald, as part of the 100% credits. My complete-in-box copies of the aforementioned games are arranged left to right, with my keychains of Movie Sonic, Movie Tails, and Movie Knuckles respectively underneath Sonic 2, mostly.
November 8, 2025 at 2:55 AM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
I’ve put over 500 hours into Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Pokémon Shield, Omega Ruby, and Ultra Sun. I’ve put over 100 hours into Pokémon Y, Sun, and Scarlet. Also Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker, Mii Plaza, Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, Devil Survivor Overclocked, Pokémon Shining Pearl, Miitopia on 3DS, Dragon Quest VII 3DS, Xenoblade 3DS, Pokémon HOME, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Legend of Legacy, Shovel Knight on 3DS, Mario Odyssey, Netflix on Wii U, Nintendo Badge Arcade, Pokémon Yellow, Team Kirby Clash, Dragon Quest VIII 3DS, Pokémon Legends Arceus, Smash Ultimate, and Xenoblade on Switch.
November 5, 2025 at 3:13 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
In this scene from DELTARUNE, Kris & Ralsei are hugging one another amongst shattered glass. Ralsei, head bowed & eyes closed, says, “I… I want to. I want to believe again.”
November 5, 2025 at 1:48 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
Most of you will be playing things like Dragon Quest I & II HD and Metroid Prime 4 to wrap up the year. Me? I wouldn't be surprised if I wind up playing through the complete "Illusion" game collection on various SEGA platforms. Honestly, I think I prefer SMS/GG Castle of Illusion to the Genesis one.
In this screenshot from Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse for the SEGA Master System, Mickey has gathered the seven Rainbow Gems needed to reach the final level of the game. They’re all the colors of the rainbow going from left to right, including two shades of green close to the top. Mickey has saved Minnie from the Castle of Illusion, and a ray of sunshine is lighting the two through a window in the tower. After the credits for the game, THANK YOU FOR PLAYING has been written in the center screen, with Mickey waving to the player underneath after having jumped out of the film strip off to the right of Mickey & Minnie dancing happily. My complete-in-box copy of SMS Castle of Illusion is accompanied by a small fridge magnet of “Fantasia Mickey” where he’s wearing Master Yen Sid’s hat.
November 4, 2025 at 2:55 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
Did YOU know you can play SEGA Master System cartridges on your Analogue Pocket? If not, have I got news for you! With this true “Tower of Power”, you too can be as happy as I am in this moment.
A photo of me holding my Analogue Pocket with the title screen of Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse on SEGA Master System. My Pocket has its Game Gear adapter nestled inside, followed by the RetroSix Game Gear Master System Player, followed by my PAL cartridge of the aforementioned game.
November 4, 2025 at 12:42 AM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
My Nebelung cat is laying on “her” giant bean bag. Her tongue is out, she’s licking her nose.
November 2, 2025 at 6:39 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
Why yes, I DID marathon the next two Streets of Rage games after beating the original handheld version of the first. My aging hands need a break for the night, but Streets of Rage 4 is absolutely in my future.

Growing up, I wasn't a huge fan of SOR3. But I think I'm coming around on it in my 30s!
In this screenshot from the ending of Streets of Rage 2, Blaze, Axel, Adam (with Skate waving on his shoulders) and Max all wave to an oncoming rescue helicopter. I've beaten Streets of Rage 2 as Blaze with a final score of 708,160 on Normal. Same JON initials my previous Streets of Rage Game Gear victory. In this ending screen from Bare Knuckle III/Streets of Rage 3, Max (wearing a coat with THUNDER on it), Blaze, Axel, Skate, and Adam (with his hand rustling Skate's head) all watch the sunset in Wood Oak City. "THE END, Produced by SEGA" is the accompanying text. I've beaten the game as Blaze with a final score of 428,990 on Normal. No idea why it didn't let me enter my initials and is instead recorded as just ".", but so it goes.
November 1, 2025 at 10:57 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
Another childhood Game Gear game gets some love.

How do you win at 8-bit Streets of Rage?
- Grab the pipe.
- Hold onto that pipe for dear life.
- Pray.
In a screenshot just before the credits roll for Streets of Rage on Game Gear, Blaze has defeated Mr. X. The background and foreground are grayscale, while Blaze & Mr. X’s body still retain their color. My final score is 319,800 at the Round 5 Clear screen. I’ve entered my “initials” of JON for the high score, like I used to do when I was little. The End screen for the game shows Axel & Blaze with their backs to the player, staring at the city’s night sky. PRESENTED BY SEGA 1992 is the text underneath. Similar to my photo of The Lucky Dime Caper, I’ve positioned my Analogue Pocket with its Game Gear Adapter & Streets of Rage cartridge inside next to my cat, sleeping soundly in her tower in the background of the shot.
November 1, 2025 at 4:28 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
I’ve decided I want to build up my Game Gear collection just a bit. Here’s The Lucky Dime Caper. It’s no QuackShot, but I still love the SEGA-published Disney platformers.
In a screenshot from The Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck, Scrooge McDuck says, “Good job, Donald. Now how about a reward?” “One dime?!!” Donald is disappointed in his reward as Scrooge gives it to him and the three nephews surrounding them laugh. Donald looks at the player “like Jim from The Office”, in a manner of speaking. My Lucky Dime Caper cartridge is nestled inside my Game Gear Adapter for the Analogue Pocket. My cat is giving me bombastic side-eye from her cat tower just behind where I was taking this photo of my system.
October 30, 2025 at 9:52 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
The coming update to Animal Crossing got me to revisit my “100% complete”island from early 2020 for the first time in…several years? It’s downright EERIE how little things changed in all this time. Glad to see it’s been well-maintained. And I have plenty of bells in savings & Nook Miles stored up. 🤣
In a screenshot from Animal Crossing: New Horizons, one of my islanders (Sherb) is loudly exclaiming, “YOU’RE BACK!” I’m by a wooded house with a blue flower wreath on the door. I’m wearing a pink getup (shirt and shoes) with black pants and a large, circular hat that has Kirby’s face on the top (not visible in this screenshot.) One room of my house in ACNH has the cloud wall & flooring, an elaborate table filled with food, two chairs set by it, an Imperial folding wall, my radio sitting on a Mario cloud rug, and several villager photos and a KK Album hanging on the wall. The “garden section” of my island is filled with rare blue, purple, lime-green, and golden flowers of various kinds. I’ve posed in the middle wearing a long-sleeved shirt themed after Sonic Mania with his face from that game in the center. My Savings Balance is 30,761,731 Bells.
October 30, 2025 at 2:54 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
My Nebelung cat is on top of her cat tree with her tongue out again. This time she has her head tilted almost a complete 90 degrees, and her tongue is stretched almost as far as it can possibly be reaching her left paw.
October 30, 2025 at 1:32 AM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
"Sonic 2 Delta" and its many variations have existed since I was a teen around 2002. But this is the first time I've played its take on faithfully recreating the cut content from Sonic 2 since THIS amazing video from The VGHF. www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfJ4...
In a screenshot from "Sonic 2 Delta Ultimate", Sonic and Tails are standing in Wood Zone, a cut level from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. This time, the screenshot is showcasing the original palette for Casino Night Zone from the Simon Wai Prototype of Sonic 2. Sonic is standing to the left of a slope in Sand Shower Zone, another cut level from Sonic 2 (often called "Dust Hill" in the past.) Sonic and Tails have grabbed onto a magnetized grip and are riding a conveyer belt up the stage in Cyber City Zone, another cut level from Sonic 2.
October 28, 2025 at 10:40 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
My palate cleanser from Pokémon is a childhood favorite. Sonic Triple Trouble is the zenith of 8-bit Sonic. I mashed the fan “remake” a couple years ago. I’m gonna Free Play that next as a bonus character or two.
In the ending of Sonic Triple Trouble on Game Gear, Tails gives a thumbs up to a newly freed Knuckles before credits roll. My final score after beating Atomic Destroyer Act 3 is 278,900. I gathered four continues and all Chaos Emeralds. The night sky greets the word END (white, curved font) in the middle of the screen. Sonic (left) & Tails (right) help display my childhood Game Gear cartridge of Sonic Triple Trouble.
October 26, 2025 at 3:11 AM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
I’m free! FREEEEEEEEEE!
I have reached Research Level 50 in Pokémon Legends ZA & earned the Shiny Charm.
October 25, 2025 at 6:47 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
He's been here in my heart the whole time.
From the recent Kirby Air Riders Direct 2, Rick the hamster from Kirby's Dream Land 2 was announced as a playable character. "Rick is here!!" is what the text reads.
October 23, 2025 at 1:32 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
My Nebelung cat is laying on a blanket atop her cat tower. She’s turned her head around to face the camera and has her tongue out again, licking towards her nose.
October 22, 2025 at 10:46 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
Friendly friends, I give you the new & cutting-edge battle system of Pokémon Legends Z-A.
October 21, 2025 at 10:33 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
Another full Living Pokédex is complete, easy/uninspiring as it may have been.

There’s no fanfare to doing this, either—no extra dialogue, no certificate, etc. Maybe that part comes when I catch *50 of every Pokémon type* and spend tens of hours smashing rocks & grinding money?

It’s just busywork!
This is my Pokédex screen in Pokémon Legends ZA, with a full 230/230 caught. The Pokédex screen motif is blue and hologram-like.
October 21, 2025 at 3:57 PM
radicaldefect.bsky.social
I could write 10,000 words on my feelings about this one.

162 Pokémon caught so far, but y'all know I won't stop til 100. 35:35 time to credits (with intentional meandering.)

I love parts of this game, mostly related to the narrative. I... viscerally dislike a lot of it, too. I could go ON AND ON.
The closing credits of Pokémon Legends ZA just show developed by Game Freak, copyright 2025 Pokémon, Nintendo, etc on a blue screen with lighter blue dots and triangles around.
October 19, 2025 at 9:14 PM