Overview
In the DIC cartoons and in early Archie Comics the character of Tails was more like a young kid compare to any other version of him. His younger age is taken in to account by many other characters leading him not being able to join in the action. For some reason this version of Tails also has quite a different appearance.
Appearance
The major difference in this design is the color of his fur. The amber part of his fur is changed to a brown while the white is now a very light yellowish tone. His colors are a bit more brighter in Sonic SatAM. The reason for this change is unknown but it may come from how Tails was drawn on the Sonic games' western box art.