For Hit the Ice, I prefer the MD version overall. Its spectators don't look so 'flat' and the lines are more realistic (better than the Turbo's 'painted atop the ice' look anyway), yet the MD's bigger sprites are a bit of a turn-off. They're inappropriately scaled to the size of the rink, making it look like it would only take six or seven players standing abreast to span the width of the rink.
The Langrisser comparison isn't even close; the Genesis version's drab colors, goofy grid, and lack of detail make it the clear loser.