Okay so earlier today I had this sudden urge to play Sonic the Hedgehog Master System version, despite having the wii points available to just get it from the VC I was feeling particularly cheap and having a point use crisis so instead I wheeled out Sonic Adventure DX for the Game Gear version.
Before i've said that I probably prefer this version to the actual Sonic 1 but now I can confirm, at least for me this MS/GG game is miles ahead of Genesis/Mega Drive Sonic 1.
Sonic has good speed, while he never gets faster than his Genesis counterpart he has much swifter standard movement, the game has better platforming from what I can see, both Jungle Zone stages are just so good, they've leaped up the ranks of my favourite Sonic stages with the funky music, bright visuals and enjoyable jumping. Plus I found a good way to avoid Bridge Zone Boss projectiles, oh yes.
Bonus stages are the best, THE BEST! once again you've got some jamming music and with the emeralds hidden within the stages themselves you don't have to worry about screwing up as you ping yourself around the springy special stage aiming specifically for that continue box. The lack of enemies likely due to the lack of power is actually welcome as well.
Unfortunately I was having too much fun so in labyrinth zone the game decided to freeze on me, hilariously the SA game was fine, I could still access the menu and leave back to SA but the emulation was frozen, what a load of bunk! I should've just shelled out for the VC version, let this be a lesson in the crimes you pay for going the cheap way.
Since I was forced back to SA I played a few sonic stages, despite the sort of glitchy feel and erratic camera i'm thinking they're a lot better than the SA2 stages, Final Egg is a pretty fun stage but I have to question what's up with that grunt Sonic makes when climbing a ladder in this stage?
Basically the point is i'll take my Bridge and Jungle Zones over those filthy Marble and Spring Yard zones, better stages with better music to boot, come at me.