True. There seems to be at least two earth maps.
In my first game I played Japanese and they had a connection to Eurasia and England was an isle.
In the second game I played English, but now England was connected to Spain and Japan was an isle.
And once when playing the Americans, there was a land bridge at the Bering Strait.....
But in most other games there is no such land bridge. I think there are certain tiles that are random as to what terrain they are (and in some specific cases this randomness is made to choose between land or water).
I've played SNES much more than DOS, haven't played more than a few turns in DOS.
Better for SNES (easier on the eyes, more fun to play, easier to win-of course if you want a challenge this would be a negative)
SNES has far better graphics
SNES has better UI in my opinion.
'End of Turn' on by default in SNES, off in DOS.
DOS doesn't allow you to save the game before building a city (like if you wanted a 4000 BC save before doing anything to start the game over from scratch)
SNES is much easier to load a save game (from within the game and not from the title screen). Is there any way to get back to the title screen in DOS? (without closing down the game and restarting)
You ALWAYS (?) start with 2 settlers in SNES. DOS starts with 1 (always? Most of the time?)
On Chieftain, DOS starts with 50 gold, SNES starts with 300 (all other levels on both systems is 0)
The computer (AI) moves first in DOS, you go first on SNES (find this out by checking top 5 cities at 4000 BC).
Copernicus University is not made obsolete in SNES.
In DOS on the Earth map you are limited to picking from a shortened list of civs if playing fewer than 7 civs.
3 Civs Roman, Babylonian, German, Russian, Zulu, French
4 Same as 3 civs, + Egyptian and Aztec
5 Same as 4 civs, +American, +Chinese
6 Same as 5 civs, +Greek, +English
7 All 14 civs (+Indian, +Mongol)
Better for DOS
Map is generated faster, thus leading to a quicker start.
No civlopedia in SNES? (except seeing parts of it when choosing what to build, and seeing the tech you just learned)
More space for names of techs, buildings, etc. so names are not shortened like they are in SNES (Engin'rng, Bronze Wrk)
DOS has the 'your people make an addition to your palace'
Neutral (personal preference)
Different intro movies/scenes
SNES has Japanese civ instead of Zulu
SNES has the tech 'Stirrup' in place of 'Fuedalism', 'Compass' in place of 'Magnetism'. (Most other techs are named the same, just shortened (Ceremonial Burial--> Burial, Labor Union --> Union)
More randomness on earth maps in SNES (sometimes there are land bridges when you normally would not expect it, such as Japan's or England's island being connected to the continent, a land crossing at the Bering Strait, etc.) Resources are more randomly positioned.
At 4000 BC, in SNES you can find out who the other civs are before meeting them through the intelligence advisor. (In DOS you can know some of them through the 'Top 5 cities').
SNES doesn't have the trivia questions that DOS does.
Minor name changes (Plains-->Ground)