Blacklightning

I find that it goes up and down in quality, the more I look.

When it's good, it's really good. When it's bad, it's really bad. SA1 is really, really ambitious for its time.

I think I'm having the reverse of it to be honest.

I don't think it aged well yes but I actually didn't like it when it first came out, though its partially because I was spoiled by SA2 at the time too.

Now I actually kind of like it, warts and all. Its not the best thing around of course but yeah. I do understand your complaints though because I was there. I just miss that era if anything.

You've got to give it some time, because SA1 will crack and crumble under the slightest bit of pressure.

I only play the Sonic levels of SA1 in a completed save file where I can just meander around the overworld and pretend I'm playing an "open" Adventure game. DC conversion mod + other improvements added. 

Then I turn it off, boot up SA2 and play the speed stages with the character select mod on and pretend that's the whole game, too.

Gotta take what you like and filter out what you don't. No shame in owning up to it as a guilty pleasure.